I.D. help please - old Griz?

[Shaun]

I picked this up recently from the auction 320330402013 and believe it is an early 50's static tip Grizzly. 64" beat up finish but solid, no decals in place but indication there may have been one on the back of the upper limb.

Can you help with identification and year?

 

 

 

[Shaun]

 

 

[Shaun]

It came with a screw mount 4 arrow leather top quiver with Bear logo faint but there, 4 arrows - 3 of them appear to be Forgewoods, and no cracks in glass or tips.

 

I strung it up and shot it (before serious collectors could tell me not to) and it is a shooter!

[Shaun]

Looks like someone over wrote the lettering with a magic marker too.

[TRAP]

I thought K4 was a Kodiak, but heck I know very little about the static tips.

Cool Bow, Trap

[johnnyrazorhead]

Trap,
 You are correct.It is a Kodiak,most likely a 1953 model going by the glass color.Cool!

[Shaun]

Kodiak is what I meant - I think - not Grizzly. Kodiak is what the seller called it. Any idea about the year?

[Shaun]

Thanks John. It has surprising performance and feel, though I have not been brave enough to pull it all the way to 28" yet.

The patina is nice, but I am thinking of doing a refinish and new grip. Have to play with it a bit first as is before deciding whether to redo.

[Wade Phillips]

Shaun - Your bow is a 1953 Bear Kodiak. The Static Kodiak had a shelf cut into the riser. Up to 1953, the Static Grizzly had a leather shelf under the leather grip. If a the decals and numbers are missing from these bows, just looking at the shelf will tell you if it is a Kodiak or Grizzly.  

The Static Kodiak was made in K-2, K-4, and K-6, (62”, 64” and 66”) in each of the years listed below (although not advertised in all lengths in all years, I have every length of every year in my personal Kodiak collection, each with its original markings and decals).

1950 Woven Glass Back, and an Alum Lamination under Belly Lamination
1951 Blonde Glass Back, and an Alum Lamination under Belly Lamination
1952 Blonde Glass Back and Belly
1953 Red Glass Back and Belly

The Grizzly Glass and Laminations were the same for the above years. Additionally, the 1949 Grizzly had the same Woven Glass and Alum Lam as the 1950.

After 1953, the Kodiak and Grizzly changed.

[Bjorn]

Shaun, that's a good, solid looking bow, I have one like it (lower poundage-47#) and wouldn't hesitate to take it out for a walk anytime.
You may find a preference for heavier arrows to go with the power of your bow-some of them will let you know they are there more than others.