Bear Panda

[Nock-a-lot]

Hello..please forgive me I a pretty simple archer. There is a 35#Bear Panda in a pawn shop for 75 bucks without a string. Is this a reasonable price? I plan on shooting it. I bought a 45# Bear Cub. Its a little heavy for me and there is no shelf. So when you shoot it the fletches sting the top of your hand. It perfect for instinctive shooting if you want your arrow directly contacting your hand I. I just wear a light glove..Anyway thanks a bunch for any input

[warpedarrow]

The Pandas that I have really don't have a shelf.  They have little piece of plastic tucked into the top of the leather grip that can be moved to the other side of the riser to change the handedness of the bow.  I probably would have really enjoyed having one of the bows when I was twelve or thirteen years of age.  They were an entry level bow and for $75 I would think that you could find some pretty good mid line bows.  I have purchased Alaskans and Grizzlies in that price range.

I just checked your profile and the name rang a bell.  You wouldn't happen to be from Abilene, would you?

[damascusdave]

I had a 1959 Panda that I paid 150USD for...that bow was still like brand new and came with the original company tag, warranty card and booklet...I figure I paid 100 dollars for the bow, and resold it for that, and got the documents for 50...that may be easy stuff to come by south of the border, it is not so easy here in Canada...if the bow seems to be what you like and it is in very good shape, which, because of their intended usage as club and school bows, many of them are not why not see what they will take for it...pawn shops always ask more than they will take, sometimes a lot more...one other thing to consider...the Panda was never made to draw more than 28 inches...if you are a longer draw shooter like me better keep looking

DDave

[Nock-a-lot]

Thank you both for your input. I live in Eastern North Dakota..I am not involved with the oil boom. I decided against that bow because I felt it was too expensive and not in good enough shape. I think a 35# bow would be optimal for what I'm doing which is working on form. I do love vintage bows. The Bears are so timeless. The Bear that I bought has red limbs and fits the description of the Panda mentioned except it has no handle and the pin/rest is missing so there in a hole in bow. I would like to know what your input would be for a mid range bow. I probably should post that in the shooting forum.

Brent

[damascusdave]

Red limbs sounds like a Panda...my 59 had red limbs...every bow has a handle, I think you mean the bow has no shelf which also fits for a Panda...it sounds to me like someone drilled a hole in the riser to put in some sort of pin for a rest; many bows have been modified over the years...I am not a good person to ask about what to buy when it comes to Bears...other than the 1960 models that I collect I just buy on impulse...I have about a thousand dollars worth to pay for in the next couple of months

DDave

[Nock-a-lot]

I am doing my best not to buy every bow I find lol. The bow says Cub on it so who know what the story is. I like it seems to shoot well. I need to get my square out and adjust it.

[damascusdave]

Sorry I did not read the initial post very well...as I understand it the Cub was a very similar bow to the Panda...it was available in heavier draw weights I think

DDave

[Nock-a-lot]

No worries..it is very similar. they were both 60".. the more I shoot the Cub the more I like it and I think it will work for noe for now.

[warpedarrow]

I have a couple of the Pandas.  Won't be too long before I get them down for the grandkids.  My Grandson is a lefty so the Panda will work well if I can get him interested in trad.  I also have a lefty Alaskan and a Kodiak Hunter that he can use later. He is seven now and has been shooting a compound for a couple of years.

Does your Cub have a small shelf on both sides so that either right or left handed people can shoot it?

[Nock-a-lot]

Hello. Hope you get your grandson into traditional shooting. My son and daughter love shooting. We all fling together.
Anyway,  my Cub has a hole where a rest/post would have been. So it could have been shot R/L handed. I have been taping my left pointer finger between the first and second knuckle with electrical tape to make do with the lack of a shelf. I really wish I had the 35# draw it would be easier to stabilize my shoulder.

I hate to turn it into work it suppose to be fun..ultimatly