Hello everyone, I'm a first time question asker but have trolled the site a few times. I was directed here by Three Rivers Archery & The Footed Shaft. They were both confident someone could help me here. I have a Mamba Hunter recurve and the only marking it has is a stamped 51 & the decal on the limb "mamba hunter". I can't find a serial # or any other marking. I have trouble shooting it because the poundage is a bit high for me. I would like to sell or trade it for something that is 40#. I don't have a clue what it would be valued at. Sorry I could only figure out how to post one pic. The bow is green on one side and light brown on the other. Thank you.

I've been looking for one of those for a while now.

I posted about the same bow you have, search my handle, the post date was December 9, 2014.

Unfortunately, those bows are not worth very much - they are excellent bows, but I don't think too many people collect them. I would think a clean one might fetch $75 to $150 on ebay.... interestingly enough, you are in the same dilemma as my buddy, his bow is 52 lb and it's simply too heavy to shoot. I've been looking for a clean left-hand version in a more rational weight range of 40 to 45 lb since 2014, nothing has come up. Would not surprise me if most of these bows were thrown away in the 70s....

Thanks so much for the replies. Sawtooth if your interested I can send you a few pics. It's 60" tip to tip and only marked with a 51. Goldentrout_one thanks I'll look up your post.

I sent you a pm Joe.

That bow was made in the mid-50's and is a good design. Somewhere between 1955-1958

Look for a sign of faint numbers in the sight window near the 51# weight stamp.

I think $120-165 is a fair price.

What kind of string would be best for this bow? Dacron to be safe? Or could a fella use FF without blowing the bow into splinters?

***update*** I ended up with this bow. The string on it is an endless loop and seems to be pretty old. THis bow is old, and that's evident by the faded rest, etc. Otherwise, it is in great structural condition. I've shot it maybe 25x with that old string, but i'm scared of it. This bow shoots great, light in the hand, and graceful to behold! What would be the best type of string for it?? Any help would be much appreciated because I have to get one ordered pronto!

You are gonna get a lot of opinions, but I would use dacron. One cause it is "supposed" to be the safe choice, and two cause i like it. Others put low stretch on everything and seem to do fine, so basically you pay your money and take your chances

B-50 Flemish string I love mine!

A 12 strand B-50 Flemish twist would be good, assuming the draw weight is 50# and under.

Any numbers on it?

Mine is 70lb @ 28 with phenolic tip backing and d97 string, great bow for carp killing especially. Martin/Howatts are under rated.

Sorry...I read the thread and saw it is a 51# draw.

I use low stretch strings on a number of my Howatts and other vintage bows. I do like to have overlays on the tips so the string loop pressure is not concentrated on a thin edge of the string notch.

So I use B-50 on the Howatt's with underlays and no overlays, like your Mamba.

If you added an overlay low stretch would be fine.

There is another material that is better than B-50 but not a true low stretch...I can't remember the name...it would be good.

Correction..my Dacron strings are B-55.

I don't like endless loop stings as I think the thin loops with the hard serving puts more stress on a string notch than the loop on even a low stretch.

I know George Stout has a low stretch string on a bow with no overlays.

Thanks for all the answers fellas. I’m excited about this bow.

Thanks for all the answers fellas. I’m excited about this bow.

I found a newer string and put it on this bow. I braced it and squared it up. I grabbed a handful of .500 blems out of convenience just to see how they’d do. And I stood 15 yards from a rhinehart block. This bow is great. It’s smooth and fast, despite being 65 or so years old. I realize that this thing could go at any second. That’s why I’d like to own a second one. They seem to difficult to find.

A question- is there a bow that is comparatively the same to this one that is a little easier to come by??

How would a ‘59 kodiak compare to this bow?

I see these mid-50's Mamba Hunters come up on eBay quite a bit.

That being said, I believe that bow has a lot more life in it than you think...I have a 1958 Eldorado Diablo that I shoot a lot...no sign of adverse effects. Most of the Howatt's I shoot are late 50's to 1964...they are very well made.

As for the comparison to a 1959 Kodiak I would take the money you're going to pay for the Kodiak and buy two vintage Howatt's! ;^)

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/ 0? mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2 Fulk%2Fitm%2F302921311626

Here's a listing for a Mamba Hi- Speed...58". Similar to what you have.

I've shot both, a late 50s Mamba Hunter, and an original 1959 Kodiak. The Kodiak was a 64" model, 50 lb at 28". I think the Howatt was 52 lb at 28". By a large margin I much preferred the Mamba Hunter - my friend still owns it, but he won't sell as it was his dad's bow. I sold my original 59 Kodiak a few years ago (interestingly enough, I saw my Kodiak get re-sold on ebay a few weeks ago). I still own a modern 59 Kodiak re-issue, which is a nice bow to be sure (nicer than the original 59 I owned), but I still like the 50s Howatt 'Mamba Hunter' better.

Now, my 1960 Kodiak, I would rate that close to the Mamba Hunter. I still rate the Mamba Hunter higher than the 1960, but it's close. I don't know.... it's possible that my original 1959 Kodiak just happened to be a dud and my 1960 Kodiak happened to be a good one, I have to imagine there is some variability even within a model year because they were all hand-made, so take my personal experience with a grain of salt....

I actually don't see the Mamba Hunters come up for sale very often.... been looking for a while. Looking for a lefty though, which makes it harder.....

I did see that Mamba Hi-speed for sale. The listing says it's actually 56", but I suspect Pdiddly is correct and it's 58". Anyway, good news is, it's a LEFTY! Bad news is, it's 58" (or 56"), a bit short for me. The badder news is, it's 70 lb at 28"!!!!!! I'll have to keep looking....

Where did you see that for sale golden T, I would be interested.

There's two older Mamba Hunters listed on Craig's. Detroit Metro area if interested.

Here's a 40# RH Mamba Hi-Speed for $125.

See if the link works...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Damon-Howatt-MAMBA-HI-SPEED-1960s-RECURVE- BOW-40-56/302921311626? _trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D201609081050 57%26meid%3D81b43d555e4f40ce81b2a7d00e651208%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1 %26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D302921311626%26itm%3D302921311626&_trksid=p2481888.c 100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A6c603766-0fab-11e9-aeb4- 74dbd18018f7%7Cparentrq%3A15f2b57f1680ac3cd917a1bafffe9c91%7Ciid%3A1

Try this one. If it does not work just go to eBay and do a search for Howatt recurve.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Damon-Howatt-Mamba-Bow/73544775? _trksid=p2047675.l2644

Hi guys, I have a line on a vintage howatt bow. I believe it's from the 50s but not fully sure. Serial number is HCS 1520. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. The bow is very different from most of the later design of howatt bows. It has a very consistent radius to the front of the bow. Seems to me to be a very early mamba hunter.

Hi guys, I have a line on a vintage howatt bow. I believe it's from the 50s but not fully sure. Serial number is HCS 1520. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. The bow is very different from most of the later design of howatt bows. It has a very consistent radius to the front of the bow. Seems to me to be a very early mamba hunter.

It's a 1964 Coronado...

Wrong...I goofed...not a Coronado and not 1964.

It is a 1981 X-100

It is marked AMO and that means it is 1968 or newer.

The HCS designation was for the X-100. If it was a 1971 Coronado it would have HOP in the serial number.

So the only other 60" plain riser bow was the X-100 and they had the HCS designation.

So a 1981 as they did not make the X-100 in 1971.

Awesome thanks guys

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