63 K Mag ID Help

[Larry m]

Going through some of my bows today and came up with this 1963 Kodiak Magnum Dogleg that I could use some help with. Can anyone ID the riser. Is it a I, II or III. Thanks!!  

[PAPALAPIN]

That is a Type I

That is the bad boy that gave all Doglegs the bad rap.

My understanding is that there was not enough glass to wood contact area and that is what made them fail

However, the BowDoc told me just today that a big cause was people stepping throught the string to brace them up.

One curious thing about your bow is how dark it is.  The '63 K Mags were made of Bubinga, but I understand there were a very few made with Rosewood.  Yours looks dark enough to be a rosewood yet the grain ddoesn't look right.  Has it maybe been stained darker?

My advice to you is not to shoot it...I wouldn't even string it up.  Been there, done that, got the head bruise.

[OldSkoolArcher]

WOW. A Beauty!!

If you ever decide to sell it PLEASE let me know.

Thanks, Nick

[Jack Shanks]

Yup, got to agree with Oldschool !!!!!!!  He and I both would like to find one of those along with about every other Bear collector.

[Larry m]

Hi Guy's, Thanks for the offer but this is one I plan on keeping for awhile. If in the future I do decide to sell it, I'll be sure and let everyone know. Jack, Appreciate your knowledge and input. It's all original, never been changed. I can supply more close up and detailed pictures if anyone would like. All info is appreciated.

[OldSkoolArcher]

Would love to see more pics. What color are the tips?

[PAPALAPIN]

Does it look Bubinga to you, or some other wood.

It could be your camera becaus the limbs also look dark, and I assume they are the Arctic Grey like the rest.

[d. ward]

Good looking bow right there edge grain African rosewood aka bubinga.I shot mine about 1,000 times and never had any problems with it.Those are actualy rather good shooters bd

[Larry m]

Jack and Doc Thanks for your knowledgeable input. I added a few more pics with a light background just as a highlight. The catalog states the glass is Bark Gray. I think my camera adds a darkness to the photos even after useing photoshop. I agree with your good shooter comment of this bow Doc. Years ago I shot this bow and enjoyed the performance but at this point it's going back into storage.    

[PAPALAPIN]

Beautiful bow.

Again...DO NOT SHOOT IT

Just my opinion

[OldSkoolArcher]

WOW. Beauty!!

[Bjorn]

Here's all 3 of them together

 

The middle bow is Bubinga refinished by bowdoc

[OldSkoolArcher]

You guys are killin me!!!

[59Alaskan]

All of these bows are amazing!  You have quite the trio there Bjorn.

[Wade Phillips]

Bjorn -

That is the best looking solid wood riser Type II, I've ever seen.

So much of the Bubinga in the Dogleg Mags just doesn't have much character, e.g. Type II I-Beam shown in the middle below...

Left to right...

Type I, I-Beam Riser LH
Type I, I-Beam Riser RH

Type II, I-Beam Riser
Type II, Solid Wood Riser

Type II, Solid Wood Riser

       

[Larry m]

Nice Looking Sets of Bows there Bjorn and Wade,   VERY VERY NICE!!!

[Bjorn]

Thanks for the comment about the Bubinga Wade-bowdoc really brought that one to life.

[Wade Phillips]

Bjorn - Yes, Doc really worked some magic on your Type II.

There have been a few Type III Dogleg Magnums show up once in a while but just not many of the Type I or II as they were recalled to the factory so not many remained in circulation.

During the 1960s, on one of his frequent trips up to the Bear Factory in Grayling, Floyd Eccleston picked up a big pile of the returned Type I and Type II Dogleg Magnums. Those are the bows that Floyd used to make his famous Bow Lamps.

Although you cannot clearly see the bows in the photograph below to identify them, this is one of Floyd's Famous Dogleg Magnum Bow Lamps that he donated as the grand prize in the 1979 ABCC Raffle at the Bowhunter Nationals at Clinton, Indiana. Floyd raised a pile of money for the ABCC with that donation. Bow collectors really wanted those Doglegs for their collections as the Type I and Type II were even rarer 31 years ago than they are today.  

   


Floyd also used a couple of the Type I Mags for door handles inside his shop, which used to drive some Bear bows collectors even more crazy than they are normally. After Floyd's death in 1999, his son Rich found the unused stash of 63 Magnums in the attic above Floyd's Chippewa Archery Shop in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

I sold those Type I & II Doglegs for Rich. That's when I first discovered that the Type II was made with both an I-Beam riser and Solid Wood riser.

[PAPALAPIN]

Wade

Were all these bows picked up by Fred damaged, or just recalled in normal condition?

[Wade Phillips]

Jack -

All of the Dogleg Magnums that I have seen that Floyd got from Bear were in nearly new or unused condition and none of them were broken or cracked. Most, if not all of them had small holes drilled in the middle of the limbs or the limb tips. The holes enabled them to be used as door handles or mounted to a base for use as a lamp.