Are older Bear bows known for "blowing up"?

[lakota]

I bought my first traditional bow a few weeks ago- it is a 50# Grizzly made in the late 60's. A week ago my buddy found a pretty much identical bow to mine.

Now his is making a dull deep vibrating noise on the shot that we cannot account for and it seems to be getting worse. His nocks are tight as well as his field points. The bear medalion also seems tight We both have yarn silencers. Mine is very quiet.

He has a lot of experience with recurves and long bows and he says he has never heard one make a noise like his is doing,  so he called a tech at Three Rivers up and talked to him. The tech told him that he thinks all Bear bows of that era should be wall hangers only and not shot as they are well known for the limbs letting go and "blowing up"

While I agree that my buddy probably shouldnt shoot his because of the vibration they have me nervous about shooting mine now. I really like it and am getting farily good at 15 yards with it. I would hate to have to switch right now.

Anyone have any opinion on this tech's comment?

[Empty Quiver]

A couple thoughts. The bad noise is likely bad news. Keep an eye on your bow, watch the glue lines inspect it carefully every time you string it and just be aware you have a 40 something bow in your hands.

Without thinking I used a fastflite string on a 60's bow. The limb tip lamination came off, I reglued it put on the proper string and have shot it quite a bit since. I was lucky I suppose.

I would also be very careful about the use of light arrows, no need to put added stress on it. Remember these were never designed with 280 gr carbon arrows in mind.

Lastly, heat will kill epoxy. A bow stored in an attic for 20 yrs might not react the same as one that has been in a bow rack that same amount of time.

[squirrellluck]

What he said. Arrow weight, proper string. Also check the brace height.I' ve shot quite a few old to down right antique bows and had odd noises from some. Had a grizzly at one time with a slightly twisted limb. Not enough to dump the string but wouldnt lay in the groove when fired. Made some odd noises until I staightened the limb.

[wormbobskey]

squirrellluck, how did you straighten the limb? I have a browning that has a twisted limb that I would really like to shoot, but like you said the string won't lay in the groove and I'm afraid it might come off the bow when drawn and break the bow. I'd appreciate any help you or anyone else could give me to make this purty bow a shooter again. Worm

[squirrellluck]

I probably got lucky but an old bowshop  owner said sometimes you could straighten them by twisting the limb the opposite direction  and holding it for a few seconds then slowly releasing it. Twist the whole limb. I sat in the livingroom and did this while I watched tv. Eventually the twist came out.

[theoldarcher]

I have 5 or 6 Bear bows of that era and shoot them all.  I have never known anyone that had one blow up without somekind of outside damage: left in a hot car or truck in the summer; fairly bad scratch in the glass on one that finally broke; stringing them without using a good bow stringer--that one was a real heart breaker--a mid-60's Kodiak that was in immaculate condition and for sale at a premium price that broke when it slipped being strung using the over the hip method; etc.  On the other hand, I have never heard any unusual noises other than the usual sounds they make when an arrow leaves the string.  I have friends that hunt with bows of this age all the time with no adverse results.

Best of luck, Arch

[wormbobskey]

I have a bear kodiak magnum bow made in 68 and it is one of the best bows I've owned. Shoots like a dream even though its a little heavier in the draw than I'm used to.

[AtlLaw]

I have a bear kodiak magnum bow made in 68

Me to!    'cept I bought mine in '73 I think.     Anyway, I'm glad to know it's not going to blow up if and when I ever use it again... 

[mspaci]

dont hink they are known for blowing up. I had a 1970 45# grizzly that I hunted withlast year.  Very quiet & nice shooting bow. Mike

[GLHolmes]

Both my dad and I shoot Kodiak Magnums of Grayling manufacture; they still function flawlessly.

[Pot-Bellied Stallion]

My '67 Super Kodiak still shoots just like she did right out of the box.  I do love that bow!

[Frank V]

I probably got lucky but an old bowshop  owner said sometimes you could straighten them by twisting the limb the opposite direction  and holding it for a few seconds then slowly releasing it. Twist the whole limb. I sat in the livingroom and did this while I watched tv. Eventually the twist came out.

I have done this too. If the limb isn't too badly twisted it works well.
Frank

[bpjon]

Some of the Bears from the very early 50s had a layer of aluminum in them.  Unfortunately, the glues of the time were not able to bond the metal to the wood layers as well as was needed, and the bows had a tendency to delaminate at a much higher than normal rate. 

With a dacron string and heavy arrows I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to keep shootng your bow.

[crash87]

I just pulled out and did some hunting with my Bear Kodiak, 60"-45# @28". This is the same bow I used to kill my 1st deer in 1976. My Dad bought this bow and another, an Indian Archery Seminole 54"- 40#@28" (complete with Indian head side plate, and it is still there) from a guy who was having a rummage sale (I think). When He 1st got them, and what year they were made I don't know. All I know is that they were around for a while before I started hunting and shooting them.
  The Kodiak has been through hell and back, simply because I used it. From practice to hunting, and now I just got done with the Lake sucker run, It is going to be my "NEW" bowfishing bow.
    I used to use it for everything,  all those years ago and used the tape on bow fishing reels. Alot of Duct tape adhesive was on the bow when I pulled it back out to have a look at it. What do you use to get it off?  Well something that wont eat up the varnish or ruin the integrity of the bow. Although I did use what some would call caustic, but very carefully, and only as a final clean up. To say I was worried is an understatement, BUT, it seems to be working fine, AND alot of arrows have been through it.
    IF, you know the history of your Friends bow, as to how it was used and stored and etc. He is on his way to figuring out if his bow will / will not blow up. Noise now there is a warning sign that something is amiss. You guys need to pinpoint that noise, easier said than done, I know. I wish you the best of luck and am sorry I could not be of any real assitance, Gotta keep those 'ol relics shootn' though. CRASH87

[Big Nasty]

I would get it to a pro shop PRONTO, or at least to someone who knows bows inside and out. It's not worth having one blow up in your face.

[gila_dog]

squirrellluck, how did you straighten the limb? I have a browning that has a twisted limb that I would really like to shoot, but like you said the string won't lay in the groove and I'm afraid it might come off the bow when drawn and break the bow. I'd appreciate any help you or anyone else could give me to make this purty bow a shooter again. Worm

A friend bought a very pretty Damon Howatt Hunter off ebay and it had a twisted limb. The string would jump off the bow every so many shots, and it wouldn't lay in the groove on one of the limb tips. So I gently heated the twisted limb up a bit with a hair dryer til it was warm to the touch. Then I twisted it the opposite direction and held it there for a couple of minutes. The twist disappeared and the string lay in the groove properly. The bow is now perfect. Maybe I was lucky, but it was a pretty easy fix.

[mechanic]

The only one I've ever had blow up was a "take down" Bear with aluminum grip and fiberglass limbs.  This was just before the compound bows came out and was the newest greatest etc.

In year three I took the bow out of the case, inserted the limbs, nocked and arrow and was about 3/4 draw when one limb disentegrated. 

A shame, because it shot well......