how reliable are the old bear bows?

[Danny Roberts]

I wish the Kodiak Hunter I just bought had been that cheap Trap.

[Teacher_of_the_Arcane]

Hi All,

I bought a new Kodiak Magnum in 1972, and used it almost exclusively to hunt and shoot with until about two years ago when it was damaged in a moving truck....a cross-wise gouge through the back glass about eight inches from the upper sting nock.  If not for the damage, I'd still be shooting it!!!

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Danny with the depressed old bow market we have today, if you paid over 2 bills for a Kodia Hunter, "You paid too much" A lot of bows out there better than a Kodiak Hunter and selling for less.

[artifaker1]

I hate to be a stick in the mud, I do love my bears, but I've had some problems. I had a 70 to 72 super mag break in half on the first draw after bracing and it was a violent affair. Had a 45# early tamerlane separate a limb after a few ends. I think I cried on that one. Had another tamerlane crack a riser due to a adjustable strike plate that someone had put on it. I managed to fix that one though because it wasn't a stress crack so to speak. Had yet another tamerlane that showed up with a ton of stress lines in the limbs. I gave that one away.
But I've had great luck so far with the takedown series. I have a dozen or so limbs and none of those have broke. And I have a 76 supermag and a matching 76 superK and they are fantastic bows. I also have an old lefthend cub that shoots real well. And I've seen a lot of other bows around that date onto the fifties that are shooting well.
I just wanted to step up mention that not everything goes well on the b%y.

[Ssamac]

OK.There was a separate topic about whether or not to leave your bows strung. Most people felt that it was better to leave them strung. That said, would you leave a 70 or earlier bow strung all the time or would you only string them when you're going to shoot them?
While on the topic of strings, would you use a fast flight string on a vintage Bear Bow?

sam

[Grant Young]

DO NOT USE FAST FLIGHT on any bow not specifically designed for it and that would be any bow made before 90-95. I have used nothing but older Bear bows for forty years...okay, some of them weren't old when I started using them,lol. My two most used hunters right now are a 1970 Super K, 60", 68#@28 and a '69 or 'early '70 B riser wooden takedown, 60" 66#@28 and I draw 29". I leave them strung for long periods unless I travel with them. I know I'm biased but I love these bows and have no plans to use anything else and doubt I will. I only own one hunting bow that gets any use that is not a Grayling Bear and its a 60" Saxon Kadiak a couple of years old.     Grant

[Takedown]

Deermaster1,
Dont worry about how tough these old Bears are, I killed a nice little freezer buck on opening day back in September with a 1965 Kodiak, I bought from bowdoc.

I am currently shooting/hunting (in 15 degree weather) with a 1971 Super Kodiak and I own and shoot/hunt with a 1952 Kodiak Static Tip recurve. All these bows are 50# to 53# at 28" and all are all great shooters.

Bear bows are not noted as speed demons, but I'd bet they are comparable to most of the production bows and many of the semi-custom bows offered today. They are slower than some of the bows designed with speed as the main criteria, but they are rugged and dependable, you can bet on that!

I think the limb designs that old Fred and co, used are built to be stable and rugged, more forgiving of shooting errors (like the kind you have when Mr. Big is standing at 10 yards!).
Great bows!
imho,  
Harry.

[George D. Stout]

I unstring my vintage bows when not shooting them.  It's not like it's a difficult task and it keeps a youngster or someone else unwittingly dry-firing the bows.

[Migra Bill]

My Bear Den includes

1955 Kodiak Special
1957 Kodiak Special
1959 Kodiak
1961 Kodiak
1962 Cub
1962 Grizzly
1963 Kodiak
1965 Kodiak
1966 Kodiak
1966 Tamerlane
1968 Super Kodiak
1970 Kodiak Hunter
1974 Super Magnum
1976 Super Kodiak

trust me - they're great