Newbie with Bear Kodiak ?s

[Carpmaster]

I have a 60" Bear Kodiak 45# @ 28" thats been calling my name to use for some time now. I am going to give it an honest try for the rest of the summer. I cannot figure out if it is FF safe or Dacron only bow. I have no idea on age either it was given to me as a gift in '99 it has green face lams with a gold layer beneath then maple color throughout, serial # SL 4509 if that helps. If it is FF safe, what are the benefits??? I ordered a B50 flemish, bear hair rest and a new glove for starters. I have some misc. arrows for now but am looking at going with 29.5" Gold Tip 3555 with a 100 grain insert and 125 grain tip. Any Tips / Info / Brace Height / Nock point Info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[reddogge]

Sorry but from your description I'm having a hard time dating your Kodiak.  Perhaps a picture or two.  Any older Bear is not FF compatible.

[Carpmaster]

I will see if I can get some pics up tonight...

[LimbLover]

Congrats!

I wouldn't put FF on that thing. Stick with Dacron. Even if it has limbtip overlay, I've seen and heard of too many old bows cracking at the tips.

Modern recurves and longbows with phenolic/horn tips are FF compatible. I guess you could pad the strings but I really doubt you are going to increase your performance on a bow that wasn't made for FF.

225g up front on a 3555 cut to 29.5?

The 3555 is stiffer than most people think but that seems like an awful lot of weight up front. I used to shoot that same shaft at 30" out of my 40# Pearson which drew 45# at my draw and I only used 125g up front.

What are you actually drawing?

[Carpmaster]

Thanks for the info!  I am drawing 27"....as far as the weight up front I was hoping for a High FOC arrow to finish near 500 grains, while maintaining correct spine....is this silly??

[LimbLover]

Not at all. 27" changes the game a bit. You are actually drawing under 45# then. You may need that weight to decrease the spine.

How do they fly?

[Carpmaster]

Haven't got those made up yet, as of now I have a hodge podge of 2216, 2315 and misc carbons with feathers....I need to get some dedicated arrows set up soon...

[Carpmaster]

 

 

 

 

[Jack Shanks]

Adam,

 That would be a 1965 Kodiak definitely not fast flight capable. Looks like a beauty too!

[yellow bow]

You have a 1965 Kodiak and it looks to be in fine shape. Dacron string,start with a brace height around 8 and go from there. Have fun  

[Carpmaster]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!  It is hard to blieve it is that old and in as good of shape as it is...limbs and all wood look like new to me and is a beautiful bow.  Very cool!  Makes me want to learn her even more and take a deer or 2!

[Slasher]

You can take deer for another 45 years if you take care of it... a well tuned arrow and a sharp broadhead in the lungs and you will do great!!!

A Very Nice Kodiak and realize that you probably should never get rid of that bow!!!! Don't ask me how I know....

[Ron+dog]

nice bow !
stay away from fast flight man the result will make you cry and bear fans yell

[Carpmaster]

I am sure glad I went Dacron!!  I need some string silencers, properly spined arrows and some practice...It does shoot nice at 15 yards though!!

[OldSkoolArcher]

Beautiful Bow with great grain!! Congrats.

Might be just the angle of the pic but is there a depression on the overlays on the back of the bow? Like where your middle finger would lay?

[Carpmaster]

Originally posted by OldSkoolArcher:
Beautiful Bow with great grain!! Congrats.

Might be just the angle of the pic but is there a depression on the overlays on the back of the bow? Like where your middle finger would lay?

There is a depression as a matter of fact, I had to go look...is there anything special about such a feature?

[OldSkoolArcher]

Not really, but for some reason in your pics it seemed really pronounced and caught my eye. Probably just the angle.

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by Carpmaster:
I need some properly spined arrows

Douglas Fir, 28" BOP, 50-54 lb spine with a 125 gr point; 55-59 for a 160 gr point.        

Your Kodiak is a GREAT bow, very desired by collectors and shooters!  You are a lucky guy.  Welcome to the Gang!

[reddogge]

OldSkool,
All '65s and '66s have that depression.  It's where they filed the white or gray overlay down to expose the green or brown underlay creating a double light overlay.

[Eric Sprick]

You've got a heck of a bow there, nice!!  Have fun!
Eric.