In the market for a new Bear Takedown

[Kyle85]

Hi all,
    I'm in the market for a bear takedown and want your advice on a few parameters before I pull the trigger.  I'm pulling 26.5" and like bows that pull around 55@28" for deer and pigs, maybe an elk one day.  I shoot three under with both eyes open "gap-stinctive" if you know what I mean. 

I hear the B riser has a taller sight window which accommodates 3-under anchoring on corner of the mouth better than the A-riser.  Thoughts?

Other thoughts on comparing the A vs B risers?

If I don't really care how long the bow is, what's the best length from a performance perspective?  And why?

I'm partial to longbows for no logical reason, but I'm also partial to green glass.  Am I correct that they don't offer the longbow limbs in green glass? 

Is there any real difference between longbow and recurve limbs by any practical / performance measure?  Do you just buy a few more FPS on the recurve side?

I accept all scientific and non-scientific subjective preferences and conjecture.  Plus stories if you have them :-)   
-Kyle

[mnbwhtr]

I've shot Bear T/D's since 1971 and think a B riser with # 1 limbs would be what you want. That combination will give you the longer site window and a 60" bow.  Go for it!

[Orion]

I dunno.  A 60-inch bow will work for you, but you don't need that much length for a 26 1/2-inch draw. If you shoot with a vertical or almost vertical bow, you would want the additional sight window length of the longer riser.

If not, you might consider an A riser and no. 2 limbs for a 58-inch bow, or even no.1 limbs for a 56-inch bow.  Generally the shorter bows will be just a tad faster, but not enough to make any practical difference.

I know Bear is making so called longbow limbs again (They're really hybrid limbs.) for the TD riser.  Don't know what lengths they come in or if they're made in green glass.  Haven't heard how folks like the new hybrid limbs, but the general consensus is that the older version were dogs.

I have both A and B risers and prefer the A riser with no.2 or 3 limbs for hunting at my 28-inch draw. When I want to get serious about targets, I use no. 3 limbs on the B riser.  Think about how you will most use the bow and choose accordingly.  Good luck.

[stagetek]

With a short draw length your choices are wide open. Really depends on how long or short a bow you want to shoot. If I were in your situation, my choice would likely be a B riser w/#1 limbs. (60").

[soap creek]

It's really hard to say for someone else. Our draw lengths are close to the same. I usually always leaned towards longer bows. What I ended up shooting the most and hunting with is a A mag riser with #1 limbs making a 56in bow. I've been shooting Bear T/Ds exclusively the last 4 years. I have both A and B risers, wood and Mag. I like the looks of wood but shoot the mag a little better. I don't really shoot one length better than the other. The longer length is a touch smoother and the shorter maybe a little faster, but not enough in either area to make much difference. I like having both risers and different limbs to change things up. All that being said the A mag with #1 limbs has been my go to. I also shoot 3 under. Switched the same time I started shooting the Bear T/Ds.

[Kelly]

I much prefer the A riser with #3 limbs but also have several sets of #1 limbs which shoot just as good. For my style of hunting these days in a ground blind from a chair I use the latter 56” length combination.

Color means nothing to me and I also prefer the A Mag riser for the grip feel, shelf placement and the rigid construction. I don’t own a wood riser and haven’t for decades.

The longbow limbs only come in one length making 58” on an A riser and 62” on a B, they do not shoot as fast as the recurve limbs but just as good as most other longbow limbs on a recurve riser. They are very quiet which means everything to me when hunting.

FYI my draw length these days is about 27” and split finger shooter. The sight window on the A Mag is longer than a A wood handle, I believe.

[Kirkll]

If you are partial to long bows and like the TD Bear design, take a look at this Bare Foot bow.  I custom build these in 4 different riser lengths, and you have a choice between hybrid long bow, or static tip recurve limbs. Both of them are beautiful high performance limbs with a very smooth draw.

Here are more photos.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/scEiShF9j2gmqR139

I have a lot more photos of both the long bow and recurve limbs. Please let me know if you’d l8ke to see them.     Kirk

[Kyle85]

Hi Everyone, thank you for the feedback, have some to chew on here.  Keep 'em coming if you like though!  -Kyle