Inconsistent Bear TD limb length?

[Orion]

I have several sets of Bear No.1 red and white tip limbs, from the 70s, I'm guessing.  They're all pretty much the same length, but there is up to 1/8 inch variability in where the nocks are cut measured from the base of the limbs.  Not enough to worry about, a few twists of the string one way or the other, and I can usually switch the limbs around to different risers with little trouble.

I've recently acquired two different sets of No. 1 newer limbs, probably made in the past 1 to 5 years. They have red and black laminated tips and black action wood wedges.  Those limbs are are cut 1/2 to 5/8 inches shorter than my older limbs, and take a string about an inch and a half shorter than my old limbs, about 55 1/2 inches compared to about 57 inches, plus or minus a little, for my older No. 1 limbs (60-inch bow on a B riser).

In terms of tolerances, that's pretty far off. Did Bear just make some bad limbs?  Did they change the specs for some reason? They shot OK, but I passed those limbs along because I didn't want to bother with another two string lengths for my A and B risers. Have any of you found this length discrepancy between older and new limbs?

[Hud]

I have found some differences in their limbs, but if you were comparing white tip to white tip, or red to red they could have been made about the same time by the same workers on the same form.  I have two limbs that were purchased together, same date, with consecutive serial no's. There is a difference in the nocking point and tiller, but they are the same length. It is difficult to make two bows exactly alike, and the same applies to limbs when the laminations are wood. I would be surprised if very many, attempt to find laminations that bend exactly the same. Bear was in the business of mass production, not custom work. Different bowyers will build limbs differently.

I have an odd ball Green Tip that should make a 60" bow on my "B" handle but they longer. I have not made a string to fit them, so I am not exactly sure of their length.

[Orion]

Hud:  I'd expect little differences, and there are small differences between my older white and red tips, but the difference between them and the newer red and black laminated tip limbs is at least 1/2 to 5/8 inches.  That changes bow length by an inch or more.  To me that seems like an awful lot.

[Hud]

I understand, but you have limbs from two different companies, although they are Bear.  My solution is to make two strings alike for each set of limbs, put them in a zip lock bag and write the limb S/N on the bag with a permanent marker and the exact length, strand, material etc. Or record it in a notebook. I think you will find it workable.  I have white tip, blue tip, green tip and custom limbs by Brandon Stahl. Once you find the best string height and nocking point you will be off and running. Shoot the limbs you like best, or make or have a custom strings made to your specs. If you contact a few they can tell you what they need to know to duplicate your strings.

[Orion]

Hud:  I make my own strings.  Not a problem making them to fit.  Already have 15-20 shot-in strings of different length that serve as backups for different longbows, recurves and selfbows I have. Suppose I can keep track of a few more string lengths.  

Guess the big difference in older vs newer limb lengths was unexpected and surprising to me, and I don't really understand why Bear would do that. They didn't redesign the curvature of the new limbs.  It's identical to the old limbs.  The new limbs are just a lot shorter, at least the two sets I've held in my hands so far.  That's why I'm asking for others' experiences, trying to find out if my experience is just an anomaly or if there's a different standard now.