Old Bear TD?

[Dan_da_man]

I have an old Bear Minutean TD recurve and want to know more about the bow.
First, It is 60" 45# at 28". It has an alumimnum riser and white glass limbs. I was looking to hopefully find out what year this could be and if it is one of the original Grayling bows? There are a few numbers on it that might help
Bottom limb:
M-1783
Bear Archery Grayling Michigan
some US patent numbers
2842113
D-204065
3145214
3502063
Canada 1970
and on the top limb:
Minuteman
60"-45#
66"-40#
M-1783

Sorry if that entire thing is very confusing to any one.
I took some pics but cant get them to work.

[jeff w]

You may to ask these over at the  Trad History/Collecting forum here at TG.   I'm not positive but I believe the Minuteman came out around 1975-76, celebrating the US Bicentennial.

[PAPALAPIN]

Jeff W is correct on when it was made.

since it has "Bear Archery Grayling Michigan" on it, obviously it is a Grayling era bow.

About the time that the compounds started to get really popular, Bear discontinued their original line of takedown bows (clamp style) and came out with this style of bows.  They were a lot cheaper to make, and Bear started putting more emphasis on their compound line.  

In my opinion, this was the beginning of the end for Bear Archery as far as being a provider of quality equipment.  Their product line of traditional bows has been inferior ever since.

The series of takedowns like yours included the Minuteman, the 76'er and several other different names.  None of them carry the quality of the older original Bear recurves.

To the best of my knowledge, the only bow manufacture that has survived until today makeing quality recurves and longbows is Martin Archery Company.  Other than that the only way to get a new quality traditional bow is to go to one of the custom bowyers of today.  The era of mass produced quality bows is a thing of the past.