Safe draw length for early 56" bear recurve

[ishi1archer]

I have a 1955 and a 1957 kodiak both in 56". Is it safe to draw them to 28" Scott

[cacciatore]

I draw 29" without problem,same for shorter KMag 52",when Bear designed them he was aware of people deawing 32",so I don't think you have any problem with a more than common DL.

[ishi1archer]

These bows are marked for a 26" draw length and in the old catalogs they are listed for max draw of 26". The 57 shoots really nice at 28" but I don't want to break it.

[Bjorn]

There are some conflicts in the old catalogs. They use the term 'arrow length' too.
The 1957 and 1958 Catalog says the 56" bow is intended for short draws 'and is marked at 26", and in the 1960 catalog the 'maximum draw limit for all Kodiak bows is 33 inches'.
The 1956 catalog is the only one that expressly states the draw limit at 26".
My 1960 56" Kodiak is the only 56" Kodiak I have shot often and it works great! But 50 years later it is 'Caveat Emptor' for any of them!