Early Tamerlane question

[Captain*Kirk]

Can anyone comment on the reliability of the early Tamerlanes ('62-'66) without the high compression (HC)limbs? As good as the HC's or...?

[reddogge]

No I can't but I did dust my '66 off a few years ago to try some field archery and was sadly disappointed in its speed.  I could hardly reach the 60 yarder and I used to shoot this bow regularly in field archery in the late 60 and 70s. I put it back in the truck and pulled out a warf with 35# modern limbs and it shot much flatter.

[Babbling Bob]

My '63 32lb one I had, shot the 80yd walk up target just fine shooting split and in the Instinctive Division (no sights) with 1616 24srt aluminums with 1.75-inch Hamiltons Plasti-Flex fletching.  Actually it haad a flatter  arrow arc than a '62 48lb K Mag with 1816's with nibs and 3-inch feathers I also shot at that time.  Impressive bows for their period and mine shot as well if not better than my friends Wing Presentation, but not better than two of my friends black painted risered Black Widows which were also fine bows.  However, those early Tamerlanes may not match well to some of todays target bows as Regdogge said above and has field experience with.  Today, my preference are slightly older rosewood Bears from '59 to '62 with their classic riser designs, and they are what they are in their performance, which is good enough for me.

[Babbling Bob]

First year of the Tamerlanes was 1963. However, they advertised them in late 1962, and I saw an ad in December 1962 in Archery magazine, so I ordered one then and put it in lay-a-way, as I was not old enough to drive at that time.  Was the first in OK to own one which arrived in early January.  Sure was proud of that bow.

First year of production, 1963, the Brazillian rosewood in the risers was finer and better looking than after that year. The 1963 bows had red feather rests, not the ugly side plates, making the first year of production even more desirable.

Extremely steady, as many target bows were from the 1963 era, it was great for shooting those long archery targets, sort of like a heavy 9-10lb 243 varmit rifle with a super heavy target barrel I had for long distance shooting. Huge and heavy was in then (1963), even for other items such as cars, like big heavy cadilacs.   Traded the Tamerlane in 1970 as it was outdated compared to the newer target takedowns, which were showing up at the larger archery events.

I think the 1963 Tamerlane was one of the best looking heavy target bow ever made.  To me, bows are like dogs. It's good to have something your proud of when you sit on the porch.