Bear Polar help needed

[Ga.boy]

Can anyone tell from the pictures whether this is a '57 or '58 Bear Polar?
Also would the 50#@30" marking mean that this was a custom order?

Should it safe to shoot with the chipped tip overlay?

 http://imgur.com/a/7hsDj

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks.....Chuck

[warpedarrow]

I am thinking 1955.  Your pictures are so close up it is hard to tell.  
Here is a link to a good identification thread for the Polars
 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=003321

[59Alaskan]

That's a single shelf bow so likely 1957-1959?

Jeremy's identification guide should help you.  He's a polar fanatic but not around here much any more.  

I would put new tips on it.  I had a 1959 Jeremy put new tips on and it shoots great

[warpedarrow]

You are correct, dual shelf through 56.  The earliest that this bow could be would be 1957.  I got hung up on riser shape and totally ignored the single shelf.

[Wade Phillips]

It is a 1957 for sure...

1) It is a red glass single shelf

2) With the serial number MV906, it was made well before existing 1957 Polars that I have.

Serial numbers alone are sometimes useful if you can place that number between other known serial numbers of identified bows.

As suggested in an earlier post by ceme24, I would suggest that the tips be replaced for the sake of safety as they are made of paper marcata. Fiberglass tips will be far more reliable and are easy to change as these are single layer tips.

[damascusdave]

To answer your question about the draw weight rating I believe that it would have been a custom order

DDave

[Ga.boy]

Thanks very much to everyone for the excellent information.

Chuck