can my hunter take it?

[Aaron2k5]

I have a Damon howatt hunter and no idea how old it is. The sticker was under some paint and was removed when I finished it. I got a few pictures of it but it don't tell me much. Will this bow handle a fast flight string? Or how can I tell? Or what string should I use? I have no idea what I even have right now. Is there a good source that I can look these things up?

Can you post a picture? That would give us more info. Those have been made for many years and I would think that an older one would not be FF safe.You can't lose with a B-50 string, either endless loop or flemish. I had a Howatt Hunter in the early eighties which came from the factory with an endless B-50 string.

[Aaron2k5]

Can you explain the difference between the strings? I'll post pics once I can

[sagebrush]

I wouldn't chance ruining a good bow unless I was sure it was made for it. Your fps gain will not be that much. I have an older one that only shoots B-50 and is plenty fast. Gary

[jhg]

Of all the older bows out there the Howatt Hunters are one that do not need, really, any help to perform at near the very top among even the newer designs. I have owned two and shot a few more and these bows are already fast, can be made hunting quiet and as is, pretty darn nice weapons.

Joshua

The benefit to FF strings is that they are stronger filaments and are thinner which makes a lighter and faster string. However, they do not have as much stretch so the bow tips need to be stronger to handle the increase in stress. The big advantage of B-50 is that it is quieter, so lots of people who have bows which can handle FF strings use B-50 anyway for that reason.I think I remember that the gain in speed is about 5fps for a FF string, which is negligible at hunting distances.

[Rusty Snuffers]

I had asked the folks at Martin if my 1997 Hunter was FF capable and was told no.  According to the rep at Martin, anything pre-2000 should stick with non-FF strings.

Rusty

[straitera]

Consider tip overlays. They look great & keep ff string in check. Oldsters (me) likely have seen tips ruined by constant string abrasion. B-50 is no worry.