Leaving old Bear bows strung?

[Mojostick]

This may be a stupid question, but...

I recently acquired a 1961 Bear Grizzly. Can you leave these bows strung in the house, like you can with more "modern" recurves?

I'm just shooting in the basement, but I don't know if the materials are different now than older bows made then.

Am I better off to leave unstrung when not shooting it?

Thanks in advance.

[Larry m]

I unstring all of my bows when not in use but I bet you'll get a variety of opinions on this!

[Mojostick]

I've been told by several of the top "current" laminate bowyers that I can leave the more "modern" bows strung basically all year, except when extreme heat is involved, in a truck cab in summer, etc.

However, "modern" bows can take FF strings too.

I have a 1961 and 1966 Bear. Just wondering.

I just want to make sure I don't do any harm if I leave an older Bear strung for a week or so, when doing basement shooting. I can certainly unstring it, I just don't want to be paranoid about it if I leave it strung.

[buckeyebowhunter]

The manuals/pamphlets whatever you want to call them that came with the old bear bows recommened never leaving your bow strung when not in use, it states "your bow will be fine strung for a week or so but to not leave it strung while not in use" and always store them in a cool dry area. Always wipe your bow down after being out in rain or snow, and occasionally apply some paste wax. Your bear bow will look great forever.

[The Whittler]

How long does it take you to unstring a bow. Just to be on the safe side.

[Mojostick]

I have 4 young kids, sometimes when I get a second for shooting in the basement there's a "bat sign" for daddy to hurry upstairs, meaning my wife or kids yelling down for me to come up ASAP. LOL Could be a day before I go back and shoot.  

[instinctivebowman]

i have an old bear  Kodiak that i have left strung for years, just out of lazyness.Not saying its  the right way, just making a point that they are tuogh.  i pick it up every once in a while and kill a deer with it just for old times sake. its 45 lbs  and shoots great. Probably should unstring it thuogh like the whittler said. it takes seconds to do.
I missed a toad with it in 2009, it wasnt the bows fault. He was so close i thuoght i couldnt miss(i did)
155" 4x4 at 8 steps

[portugeejn]

If I am regularly shooting one of my old Bear bows, I leave it strung (by regularly I mean every week or two).  Have not noticed or had any problems.  (The ones I shoot most are the "newer" Graylings, made in the 70's)  

If I am not going to shoot it for a while, I use a stringer and unstring them.

RonP

[cacciatore]

I have left a Grizzly 1964 strung for 2 years and so far so good!

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Most likely when the bowyer was saying "Modern" he was really referring to glass laminated,, not ff compatible..
I have left several old Bears strung for extended times and the only thing I ever noticed was a lowering of the brace height (occasionally) because the string stretched a bit, which of course I had to unstring to fix.
So the deal may be it does more for your string than it does for the bow.

[reddogge]

I don't leave old Bears and vintage bows strung. I do leave modern bows strung.

Have had too many delaminations and limb breakages on old bows.

[stringstretcher]

My question would be why leave it strung if you don't know what the outcome would be, verses unstringing it knowing what it will be?

[straitera]

Ever have a strung bow wreck, you won't have 2. Just too easy to string & unstring per above.

[yaderehey]

I remember reading that Bear did an experiment with leaving their bows strung for a long time and seeing what ill effect took place if any.  Seems the basic conclusion was that the bows lost about a pound of draw weight when left strung for up to a year, but the weight came back quickly if they were unstrung for a week or two.  No other ill effects were discovered.  The caveat in my mind is that they were using new factory fresh bows and we are now talking about bows with a little age on them.  Might be like comparing apples and oranges.

[Mojostick]

I don't intend to leave them strung. I just wanted to make sure.
Thanks

[highplains55]

i have a new to me old static curve bear grizzly with very skinny limb tips,tried to string it push pull,dangerous,then used a stringer,still dangerous,i have it strung right now,just wondering also.