When using the magnum spring, the trigger position will affect positive firing of the spring. This device will work best when the trigger is positioned on the side of the spring. With the standard/regular/original spring, differing position of the trigger did not seem to affect firing performance. However, this changes when the higher powered magnum is used.
Inspect the photo on the left. Note on the loop of the magnum spring that we have three sides, we refer to them as the top, inside wire-end side (left side of spring loop), and the outside continuous wire side (right side of the loop).
Definitely clip the trigger to the inside, wire-end side of the spring loop/eyelet. Doing so will cause the eyelet to flex and will aid the device in firing. Clipping the trigger to the top causes the device to fire harder and will result in mis-fires, clipping the trigger to the outside-continuous wire side will result in non-firing of the system.
This system is designed to hold the spring closed until the snare has tightened in a sufficient manner on the animals neck. Once the snare has tightened up on the animals neck, the trigger will release from the spring. The lock holds the snare in place on one side while the spring applies massive tension to the snare at the opposite end of the loop, resulting in clean and humane dispatch.
When setting the Alberta Powersnare, we recommend that you NOT tie your snare high as trappers did in the past with simple self locking snares that did not employ the use of killing springs or even simple dispatch compression springs. Tying your snares high, in such manner, helps animals entangle quickly which was desireable with the old/basic self locking entanglement snare; entanglement was generally necessary to accomplish snare dispatch. However with the modern Alberta Powersnare, entanglement can be detrimental to snare dispatch success; tying high can increase interference to normal powersnare function, as well, tying high can also reduce the ability of the device to fire due to the limbs flexing and acting as a shock absorber, thereby absorbing energies that are required to set the snare loop tight upon the animals neck and also absorb energies required to fire the trigger.
Be also aware that the Magnum Stinger Kill Spring TM is a much stronger device than the standard Stinger. Because of this fact, realize that Breakaway Device function is affected with a stronger spring, and we recommend that you use lighter breakaways on your snares than you did before. As the 265 lb Senneker Elite BAD is the lightest as well as most popular and successful s-hook BAD ever made and used with a kill spring, (this applies world-wide, including Saskatchewan!) we recommend that you not over-crimp the 265 when using magnum springs for coyote. We also suggest to trappers targeting the massive “eastern coyote” that they experiment with the 265 lb Senneker Elite BAD with magnums for most effective deer release due to the new dynamic.
(***NOTE*** THE PHOTO ABOVE DEPICTS SPACES BETWEEN THE SPRING ASSEMBLY, WASHER, AND END STOP... THIS WAS DONE SIMPLY TO SHOWCASE THE UNIT. KEEP ALL SLACK OUT OF THE CABLE FROM THE B.A.D. TO THE END STOP.)
WHICH WAY DOES THE TRIGGER GO? I am often asked this question, the trigger may point either direction and is simply a preference thing.
DO I NEED WASHERS? Washers are used simply to keep the end stop of the snare from being pulled through the eyelet of the spring. This is necessary only with the magnum spring. If the trigger is positioned opposite of what the above photo depicts, no washer would be needed.