I've been wanting to get back into trad archery for years, by chance a guy just gave me a Damon Howatt Bandito. It seems in ok condition. It doesn't have a string. 45# @28 HB 5190 AMO 58"

1. Can you tell me everything about the bow.?

2. What string do I need and where can I get one?

3. What should brace height be?

Thank you. I'm chomping at the bit so bad to know and shoot this bow. I will be drawing a Wisconsin bear tags in the next few years and I'm already determined to use this bow!

I had one when I first got back to shooting a recurve. The Bandito is a good shooter like my other Howatt bows. I would get a 54” B55 string from Stilldub on eBay. Great strings and you won’t find anything cheap with his quality. The brace height will be between 7”-8”.

Nrthernrebel05 nailed it. Enjoy your new bow and the journey!

The one I had was a smooth sweet shooter, it is a great bow, you will love it.

The shelf seems awfully big. Anyone have clearance issues?

Shelf seems big compared to??? Clearance is about tuning. If you are having clearance issues you have a tuning issue. How you set the bow up to shoot will play a role in the tuning. Are you going to use an elevated rest, a built up 'bump' on the shelf etc.

As for the string length...measure the bow from string groove to string groove on the belly side following the curves.

As for the shelf, compared to other bows. The arrow rides on the shelf the full width of the riser, which on the Bandito IA over 2 inches. That's why I had the question

You can put a small piece of plastic Zip Tie on the shelf to give it a higher spot for the arrow to ride on, if the shelf is flat. Put double sided carpet tape on it to hold it in place (generally above the deepest part of the grip or just forward of it), so you can put shelf material of choice on the bow. Fingernail clippers work really well to cut the zip tie to size. I would suggest a B50 or a B55 string for the bow. DANNY

That's pretty typical of bows of that era. The shelves were relatively wide and flat, and many or maybe even most people shot them with an elevated rest of one type or another.

Many of those that didn't created a 'bump' or a spot that was built up that decreased the area that the arrow made contact with.

A feather rest is a good option for a wide shelf and surprisingly durable. I have a 42# Bandito that I brace at 7-1/4" dacron string without silencers and is plenty quite for the woods

mine is a 55lbs. it stacks at 28". I use a carpet AKA rug rest. feathers one my arrows. I have never had trouble with arrow flite. The bow is 58" long. you will need a 54" string.

Thanks guys, keep the info coming

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