bear minuteman ?s

[hs6181]

I've never seen one like this, anybody know anything about it?
 
 
 
Wood limbs, silk screens, How about that 1970 patent date?

[Falk]

They were made from 1974-76 and derivated from the "76er" line from 1973.

[hs6181]

I found out a little about it. The story in TBM says the minuteman was made from 1977-1978 and was a low cost target model. I guess thats why it has better limbs than the 76er line. Thats all the info I've been able to find.
I have some work to do on the kodiak spec I got to hunt with so I picked this one up. It should make a great hunting bow I hope.

[Falk]

Harold,
when I wrote 1974-76 then it was AFTER I had looked into the old catalogs  

It has the same riser style as the "76er" with the gap to install a sight or whatever. Later models had a solid handle - like the Bearcat T/D.

I think it's a T/D as simple as they can get. Hope you can get something with it!

Falk

[hs6181]

Thanks for the info Falk, there aint much of it around on these cheaper bows. I wont have it in my hands for a week but from the pics and what I'm told, it in very good condition. I guess I'm gonnna have to order that CD catalog I've heard about.

[PAPALAPIN]

Here is my understanding.  About the time that he wheelie bows were getting popular,  Bear made the decision to concentrate on a line of compounds.  With that decision, they discontinued the Fred Bear Custom Takedown line, and came out with the minuit Man and 76'er style takedown bow.  They were cheaper, and faster to make.  It wasn't until about 1983 when they started making the Custom Takedown again in Gainsville.  The magnesium risers were an extension of the risers that were used on the Mag Risers for the Custom Takedown.  In my opinion, that was the begining of the decline of Bear Archery.  That was during the time that they were bought out by Victor Comptometer, and then by Kidde.  Fred Bear stayed on as the figure head, but corporate suits were making the business decisions, not Papa Bear.

[hs6181]

I've been wanting a older bear to hunt with and bought a Kodiak special that was listed in excellent condition but I guess some peoples idea of excellent condition does not mean you can even shoot the *%#$ thing. So left without a bow to hunt with now, I started looking again. I had also always wanted a nice bear take-down but I cant afford the Kodiak and didn't want one of the fiberglass limb things. Then I saw this one, just over $100 and better limbs so I got it. I hope to be out in the woods with it before Christmas.

[SCATTERSHOT]

great bows, you'll like it. The 76er had solid fiberglass limbs. For a while there were custom bowyers who would make limbs for these, but it looks like you have a good hunting weight. The fiberglass limbs were a little thinner than the maple laminates at the butt, so the risers aren't really interchangeable.

Go stick something, and tell us how you did!

Those rubber grips are pretty hard to come by, too, so don't lose that one!

[hs6181]

Thanks for the info, that is a suprise, about the risers not interchangeable.

[Snakeeater]

I've got one that is 45#. They are nice dependable bows and shoot nice. A very smooth draw. At 50#s you have a nice hunting bow.

[bearmagtd]

Your short riser Minuteman is from 1974 to 1976. In 1977 the name was change to the Bear Cat, it to came in both a short hunting riser and a long target rise. Thats  what the to poundages are maked for. 60" was the short hunting riser and the 66" was the target riser. In the early 80"s the riser last the cut out for the sights to go in the middle of the risers and they became the Bear cat T/D. also the target model had the same set up. Around 1984 The Bear Cat take down went to all fiberglass limbs. Both Minuteman and Bear Cat risers will take the laminated wood and glass limbs. They are nice low end Bear bows. The limb pat. was change in 1970. There keepers when in good condition, both to shoot or collect.

[hs6181]

I finally got the bow yesterday, not really a long wait just felt that way. I haven't shot it yet but I am still surprised and impressed with it.
The string that came with it looked short to me and measured 54 1/4"s, giving a 9" bh. I don't think that's right and have a bow (cracked) on my wall already that was drawn with a short string.
I tied off a old string so I could draw the bow. It pulls real nice and does feel like 50#s should. I'm really impressed with the condition of the bow. It looks almost new except for a few scratches, it was shot very little and seems to be very well made. The limbs are the lightest I have ever picked up and lock into the riser rock solid. The riser is also very solid and the locking part of it works much better than I expected.

The string I have on it now braces at 8"s, any ideas on what it should be, maybe 7 or 7 1/2???

Thanks again everyone for all the info.