Bought Myself a Wing... Help Please

[Dogboy900]

I was lucky enough to pick up an old Redwing Hunter from a local auction site here in NZ.

It is 55lb and AMO58 (I think)
I have a couple of questions, but first some pictures  

The bow
 

The riser
 

The tips
 

The logo
 

Firstly the bow came with no string so I am going to get a string made up.
What length should the string be?
Dacron of course and I was thinking of going with a Flemish twist... Is there any reason not to?

Secondly would anyone have any idea how old this bow might be?
The writing on the riser is very faded and I can barely read 55# let alone anything else.
There is no decal on the lower limb and I could not tell you what timber the riser is made of.

I intend to use this for hunting once I get a string and some arrows tuned in for it. It has been sitting un-used for a long time. Seems a shame for such a nice little bow  :(

Any help or opinions are welcome thanks  

[Jack Shanks]

Recurves usually take a 4" shorter string than the AMO 54" in your case. I'm guessing early sixties as Wing was bought out by AMF sometime later in the sixties I believe and would be marked with a AMF logo.

[Kelly]

55" string if it is a 58" bow. I've seen 62" versions of this same bow and manufacture. 59" for a 62" bow.

Actually this bow was made long after AMF went out of business. A guy from New Jersey bought the rights to Wing Archery at an auction. He produced bows in the 1980's and then later contracted to have them made overseas. One of the overseas models was called the Red Wing Hunter Takedown. Anyway your bow is from the mid to late 1980's. The logo(unlike the original Wing logos) is a dead giveaway, plus Bob Lee never had to call them "The Original Red Wing Hunter".

[d. ward]

I like Wing bows too bd

[Ssamac]

All my Wing recurves, esp the Hunter use a string that's 3" shorter than the AMO. They usually brace up pretty high like 8-8.5 to shoot well. Notice the tips well in advance of the riser. That gives them the extra pop but also, a little less stable than bows with less recurve. You'll find this bow a great shooter. Use a Flemish twist and good silencers since the Flemish is quieter. No fast flight. These bows tend to be a bit noisy unless strung properly. Some people pad the string grooves too. I've noticed a lot of people prefer feather rests with Wing Hunters. They do shoot nice like that. Tips are the not the really fine tips like the originals but this is pre head ski so 60s or early 70s. I love these bows

Enjoy the heck out of it
sam

[Dogboy900]

Thanks for the help and advice guys.

I have strung the bow with a 53" Dacron string I have from another 58" bow just to check and it gives me a brace of 9.5". I will order a 55" Flemish twist on Monday. cant wait to fling some arrows out of it and see how it goes.

Bow doc those are some lovely looking bows you have there.
I am working my way through your restoration 101 thread and might be tempted to pretty up this bow at some stage, you do great work!

Thanks to all who responded.

[Bjorn]

Wow bowdoc, the Bubinga in those TD's is on fire!!
     

[Al H]

Your right Bjorn,  I love that Bubinga.  Last time I was down in Texas we stoped by the Lee's shop and he had a solid Bubinga Signature Elite that some one ordered then backed out. I just had to give it a new home.    :D   It looks just like Doc's and I love it.  Rob can pick out some really nice wood to make his bows.  Great shooter to.