Hey Fella's was wondering about Browning recurve bows. I have seen quite a few for sale lately, in fact I was in my local bow shop the other day there was a guy that had a Spartan he didn't know any thing about the bows either. Do any of you have/shoot these bows? Pros/cons. Is it the same company that builds the guns? Any suggestions?

Browning was made by Bob Lee (Wing Archery).The spartan was made by Indian archery.The Brownings have a good rep,of course.Because they are Wing bows,just different name.

Hey Richard do a search on Browning bows. I got one a Wasp a couple of weeks ago. To be a old bow she smokes a arrow down range an quite. Here is a picture. I think you will be pleasantly suprised when you get her home or shoot the bow at speed. From what I have read people have talked highly on the Browning. Me I'm one happy camper with the one I found. Going to be here for quite some time in years to come an a pass down to Grandson....

I shot one the other day it's in the mail now, good shooting bow!

I have an old Browning Explorer II that is a real nice looking bow, and shoots very well. Would not get rid of it for anything! Great handling bow.

i just missed getting a Browing Explorer I at an estate sale yesterday; i hesitated. (actually, went to the ATM for more cash, but...too late by the time i got back with the cash)

luckily, i'd just purchased a Groves Flame Hunter moments before from the same place.

I have a Browning Nomad Stalker that I found at a garage sale for $5.00 and it is a great little bow.

Which model you interested in? Browning has many a fine looking and shooting bow.

Underated-great recurves.

Browning made many bows in their own plant in Utah. Harry drake was one of their designers (as witnessed by the use of three veneers in the maple limb cores as well as models such as Firedrake and Backpacker). Also Browning merged or acquires Gordon plastics that was making bows in the 50s and early 60s. Gordon is known for developing fiberglass specifically used for bow limbs known as Bow tuff. I have heard that wing and Ben Pearson also made some of the browning bows under special contracts but I don't know which models. Samick made some of the last recurves into the 80s. Browning bows are NOT underated; they out perform most bows from same period and most custom bown made now.

magwah,my browning medallion has 4 maple lams in the limbs plus reverse tapers in the limb tips,you're right they are great performers and as far as I'm concerned,the quality is second to none.

Thanx guys, I've been eyeing a couple. A Wasp and a Nomad. I hope I can get one for the right price. Reading the feedback I take it that the Browning fire arms and Browning bows are not the same Co. Thanks for the input.

I just killed a large tom this morning using my old Browning Cobra, 50", 55# at 28". It throws a nice arrow, quiet and pretty forgiving for a short bow. I killed my first whitetail with a 60" Nomad back in 1971.

I had a 80lb Wasp that I used for a "carp bow" and exercise bow for about 20 years.

Bought it when compounds first made the recurves hard to sell for the stores for about 50 bucks.

Left that ol sucker STRUNG for the entire time, Never a glitch till one day shooting carp the upper limb split.

Even after totally abusing this bow, I sent it back to Browning NOT expecting anything but sent it anyway and SOMEHOW they had an twin to it sitting around all that time and shipped it to me.

Those are probably one of the fastest bows Ive shot, but Ive not shot them all, by any stretch.

Not into speed much at all and only know this 'cause the shop owner sold it to me for that price "if I could pull it back". Snort.....that wasnt a struggle at that time in my life.

He wanted to see what it shot in FPS, so we strung her up and dug through a barrel of arrows till we found one that flew have decent without any real tuning.

If I recall right, it was a 28 inch 2213. Pretty light weight but zinged out of that bow at 213 fps.

I didnt think that was TOO SHABBY for a bow of that time, regardless of what poundage.

I wouldnt mind finding another in 50 lbs or so now for another bow to "play" with.

Nice bows. Not BEAUTIFUL, to me anyway, but shooters? YOU BET!

YOBH

80# wasp! wow id love to have that bow! i have an 80# cobra thats a shooter! awesome bows!

I have a browning wasp that shoots as smooth as any bow i ever shot and one of my favorite bows that i have and hunt with all the time is MY GO TO BOW ITS A WORK HORSE MY BROWNING EXPLORER my wife even shoot a browning nomad stalker there great bows ,

All this talk and no pictures, you guys gonna have to show us them Brownings ;)

My Explorer

My Wasp AND The Wife's Stalker

My Wasp 56" 50#

Wife shooting her stalker She love's her new camo boots

I have my late mentor's 1967 Nomad II. NIce bow. Like the rounded grip alot. Likes wooden arrows best. Sold my Bear Super K and kept this one. Just feels better and I prefer it over the Bear.

Wasp in action

Decoy wife killed with her Browning Nomad Stalker

ALLRIGHT!!!! WHO STOLE MY DECOY!!!!!LOL

I recently refinished this great old Explorer 1.Awesome bow!

>>--Ron--<>

i have a nomad stalker on long term loan from a friend. it came to me with a fastflight string. i'm wondering if that is best for a bow of that vintage? my gut tells me no.

A quality bow made by other bow companies.I guess we should be greatful for the excellent quality.I love the Explorer design. It is pitiful the current prices on used bows.PITIFUL-unless you are a buyer/collector.

My first recurve i 1976 was a left wasp at 56" and 46#. I wish now that I had kept it as I traded it in on a Bear Kodiak 2 years later

Stickbow98 that is 1 sweet looking bow for her age. WOW!

I sold browning explorer,that was in perfect condition,great shooting bow wish I still had it.

I bought a Browning takedown about ten years ago, it was brand new. It is the smoothest pulling bow for 60 pounds I have ever shot. It shoots smoother than some of my bows that are five pounds lighter. I am thinking about having it dipped in a camo patern, it already has a GN quiver on it. It is a killing machine.

Stickbow98, beautiful refinish job!

Thanks guys! Really kicking myself now for not taking "before" pics, but I had no clue what a treasure lied beneath all the years of paint, dirt, abuse and neglect this old bow was wearing.

One lesson definetly learned... "When dealing with wood, you never know what's lying just beneath the surface!"

>>--Ron--<>

I'm a big Wasp fan or any Browning recurve. I really like that Cobra I or II. The Cobra is classy in appearance, and excellent in performance. I had a 65# Cobra I that was a great shooter but had a factory finish that wasn't so good. The Wasp is the biggest sleeper I've ever seen. Not much to look at, but rocket an arrow better than most.

Hey wvbarebow, I too have a 50# wasp although mines 52". Just curious, whats your brace height on that one. I'm a newbie and have been moving mine around a lot to get it "just right" and it would be great to have some kind of reference point. I know its different for each bow but... just curious. On a different note is there any way to find out the age of the Browning bows from the serial # or some other way. Thanks

Used an Explorer 2 one winer for league shooting, shot pretty well with it. Unfortunately it later de-laminated. It wasn't quite as fast as a newer bow but it was no slouch. Keeping my eyes open for another one down the road.

WVBarebow, that's a fine looking Nomad Stalker, guessing it's a 41# eh. (or was it a 39#?) anyway, happy to know she's using it.

Li'L Jon

Those Explorers look as nice as any bow on the current market to me. I definately want to add one to my collection one day.

Mark

I have a safari 54" 48# @28 I bought it to hunt on the ground it shoots sweet.

Had a client lend me a The Kaibab X-27 55#, he had it in his shed and brought it over for me to hang on to and shoot. Just got it yesterday. It looks to be in great shape and I can't wait to get it out and put a few through it. Anyone know anything about this model?

yea its a shakespeare.

Thanks, wrong thread...He he sorry

Raymo you got to be over 40 an that happens to us all, some sooner an others later. LOL

Let's make sure we aren't giving misinformation on these bows; they were not made by Bob Lee or Wing, they were made by Browning, in Morgan, Utah. Browning bought out Gordon Bows in the 1960's as well. Harry Drake was a bowyer/designer for Browning for a number of years, and was a master of limb design.

George thanks for setting this thread straight. I have heard the rumors before how BP and Wing made bown under contract for others but it was always heresay. There are some model BP and wing bows that look similar to brownings (such as mustang = Explorer) perhapse this is where the rumor comes from.

Ben Pearson and Wing did make bows for others....especially Pearson. Wing made bows for Colt Firearms, and Pearson did as well after Wing stopped making them. The Pearson design on their Mustang, Stallion, Colt, etc., was used by other companies as well. The riser caps, as they referred to them, were used by Herter's, Root, Shakespeare, Black Widow, Browning, Tice and Watts, and many others.....especially on target bows to add mass.

There were some great old bows back then and you can still find most of them on the big auction and various classifieds.

I've been reading these threads, alot of info,, thanks to all I am going to be adding at least one of these bows to my slowly growing collection.I believe I have the traditional disease real bad. Just to keep things in perspective I am partial to the Bears.

If you watch the big auction, the Safari, Nomad and Wasp show up on a regular basis. The Nomad I (54") and Nomad II (60") are excellent bows that generally go fairly cheap. The Safari I (54) and II (60)...run a bit more because they are made from Brazillian Rosewood, yet the same bow as the Nomad in design. The Nomad Stalker (52") is also a great shooting bow that was quite popular during the late 60's and early 60's.

My old Browning Cobra with a tom I took last week...

thats a good looking bird. He outta taste pretty good too........Oh Yeh nice bow!!!!!

Someone left and old 60# Browning Nomad I on top of the refrigerator at a local gun club. I am told it had been laying there for 3 months. It was dirty. The limbs were slightly twisted and the threaded inserts were full of mud. It lacked a string. The finish is badly chipped. They gave it to me.

I cleaned it up. A friend of mine built a string for it. We strung it up and I shot if for an hour or so. It shoots just fine and the limbs squared up. This is a dandy little bow. I hope it stays together as I plan on shooting if a lot more.

Tjay

If I were any of you guys wanting to use "old bows", I'd really think twice before I used a Fast Flight string on them.

I say this for one reason, if you saw those old Jack Howard bows on $bay a few months ago that had broken limb tips ect. from their owners using Fast Flight strings, then you might figure out that it isn't worth risking destroying a good "Old Bow" by using a string material that Old Bows weren't designed for.

Got a oooold Browning Explorer from a friend on this site. He refinished it, guess it was the first year they made them. It smokes an arrow for such a low poundage.

Browing Cobra

I have a browning cobra looks just like steath2 just in a 45# version

This Browning Spartan bailed me out last summer when I was recovering from elbow surgery. Now it's doing duty as a grandson's bow. At 30# it shoot extreemly quiet and smooth and with 5/16" cedars nice and flat.

I just got a 58" Wasp,40x @ 28" last week and I've really enjoyed playing with it. I bought it for my gf but it seems to be just a little heavy for her. It really seems to spit an arrow out pretty good

Here is my friend, Kean, shooting my Nomad Stalker I,picked it up at Hawkeye trad shoot last summer for 20 bucks, little beat up but the limbs are in great shape,nice and straight. needs a refinish on the riser or camo. The string cost almost as much as the bow!!

Same day, me without a Browning, 69 Bear Kodiak Hunter 50#, paid 59.99 a couple years ago for it, show a little wear on the limbs from all the shooting I do, but a great bow. Browning is a great recurve for the price, would like to find a 50# Wasp cheap for bowfishing

sweet

Are any of the Brownings longer then 60"?

The Explorer2 is 62"

I don't know much about Browning Bows. I had one years ago, I remember it shot well, & was BEAUTIFULLY finished. I don't remember which model it was, but remember is was very pretty.

I have 2 62" Explorer II's that shoot like a rocket. I also have a 60" fury II that shoots the same exact way...super fast and they hit right where your pointing and they hit SUPER HARD!!!

I have a 1966 Explorer (62" but pre I or II) that is my sweetheart. Also a Cobra II and a Wasp. I'd have to rate them as my favorites.

does any one have any pics of browning exsesuries? quivers,broadheads etc? sorry i cant spell worth a s#%t

I have a Browning broadhead. Not a design I would choose to use but they look great on display.

The fire drake is a 64" bow. JE

I still shoot my 1967 Safari. Its a great bow!

Browning bows were also made in California for a while (early on I believe, before production was moved to Utah). I believe it was the same production facility that Gordon Plastics was making bows at the time, I believe in the early 60s. There's an article referencing this posted on here, do a search.

Here's my 70s era Explorer II (I hope this works); 62" AMO, left-hand, 50#, I think 1976 or 1975, must have been one of the last. I think this one is unfired...

Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR wood lams!!!!

Original Saunders rest.

That's a gorgeous Explorer! My Lefty Nomad Stalker has 4 lams as well, is a pre- 1 or 2 designation and is 58" Long, which seems somewhat rare. Even my Browning Challenge target bow only has 3 lams.

The above 3 pics are from a bow I refinished Colt Huntsman. I did a refinish along on this site. Check it out!

http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/TF/lw/thread2.cfm? threadid=264277&category=88#3707609

Can't seem to find my other pics on the puter... :-/

CR

Let's make sure we aren't giving misinformation on these bows; they were not made by Bob Lee or Wing, they were made by Browning, in Morgan, Utah. Browning bought out Gordon Bows in the 1960's as well. Harry Drake was a bowyer/designer for Browning for a number of years, and was a master of limb design.

AMEN, thanks George!

Browning bows cannot be beat. I will post pics of the 4 that I have.

My brand new (never shot or strung) 45X Exp II, 62" I of 3 Explorers that I have

One I bought a few years back. Exp II 54# @ 28", 62"..shoots like a rocket!

One I USED to own...again, shot like a rocket!

And another one I USED to own...shot like a rocket!

You are right George,they never were made by Wing or BP.Browning quality IMO is far superior.I think that rumor was started when Browning as well as some other companies started placing the bow Quiver inserts on the limbs to accept the Wing quiver,which was a very popular quiver at the time.I wondered if the Microflite shafts at the time(made by gordon)were bought by Browning also.We sure saw a lot of them from that period.

A safari I ISED to own, I have a 60" Fury II that is 48# @ 28, one of the smoothest drawing and shooting recurves I have ever owned. I have to get a picture of my Fury II as I don't have any as of right now.

HEADS UP...there is a 62" Browning Exp II listed on E**Y right now. 50X #, looks like a nice one...

In the mid 60's, Browning had a production plant in San Diego, California.

Ugh I got sniped on the 58# explorer on the bay a few minutes ago.... Missed it by 2 bucks :(

That Explorer II on the bay looked pretty nice. For the fearless, there is a bow on the bay now offered as a recurve of unknown origin, no markings on the bow, but it bears more than a little resemblance to a Browning Safari that's been refinished. Love that grip.

mangonboat The Explorer II that you mentioned "looked" pretty good (in the past tense) is still available, if it's the one mentioned by bradkabible68...the 50X# is still available.

If your referring to the 58# that newell38 missed out on it was a 1966 Explorer, produced before they made the short model, so it's not actually a II, just an Explorer...I was confused by the reference to Explorer II so wanted to make sure all you good folks knew that one is still available.

The unknown origin recurve sure looks like a Safari to me...well spotted!!

I've owned quite a few Brownings and really like the Explorers.

Those are positively fantastic Explorers! Here's a few more Brownings: My RH Fury II 50X# and Lefty Cobra II 45#.

Browning Explorer

Thanks to this thread I was able to score this one:) anyone know where I can find the springy arrow shelf plate?

Saunders arrow rest like goldentrouts up there?

sideways pics again.....sigh

Darn fine bows,had several at one time and they all shot fantastic.The one that really shot great for myself and I kick myself in the arse for ever getting rid of it was the Browning Nomad I,44# and I could shoot nice tight groups out 30 yards with that bow.

Just picked up a Cobra 1 last week in near factory condition. 50# AMO and 56#s @ 28". What a sweet shooting bow. I guess I'll have to use it turkey hunting this season.

Didn't see a single Fire Drake here, so here goes....

This is my first Browning bow - a 1973 Explorer II; 45# @ 28". I was able to find this one this winter and have been very impressed with it.

Bernie

I have a Browning Wasp and a Rover. My girlfriend shoots the Rover and I was hoping my daughter could shoot the Wasp but it's to heavy for her at this time :(

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