I love vintage bows. I own 3 70's era Bears and I know I can't go wrong with a Bear bow. I would like to own some different makes of vintage bows but, not knowing what I will be getting myself into keeps me from doing it. What are some of the good vintage bows to choose from besides Bear.

Think those vintage Brownings are very nice. The Safari is my favorite. Also, don't think many folks collect them - so prices not as high as some of the Bears....

Hoyt made great bows during those years.

Love the Tice and Watts bows.

Some that I've really liked.....

Shakspeare - Ocala or Kaiba - Great bows

Ben Pearson - any of the mercury models - I have the hunter great bows

Howatt bows - pick a model

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Chief

Browning, York, Wing, Shakesphere, comes to mind.

1960s Bear bows. You can get them cheap, they perform great and they were beautiful. Here are some Super Ks from '67 1/2, '68 and '69.

Howatt Super Diablo.

Don't forget Ben Pearson.

Here is gorgeous Brazillian Rosewood 1962 Bear Kodiak Mag.

Brownings Wasp,,,,very nice bow,quick,smooth and a great grip. you can always find them cheap. I'd like to find a couple of their other bows as well.

I am particularly fond of the Howatt Hunters & Montereys as well as the Ben Pearson Palomino's.

Don't forget the old Roots, and Blackhawks.....tnpaw

I like the Shakespeare Necedahs, slender tips, fantastic grips, and perform well. -bb

I think any Howatt you can find will be a good bow.

Others include, Wing, Bear, Shakespeare, Pearson, and on and on.

Three problems Blake. 1. Few get their hands on enough bows to have solid comparisons and so an objective point of view. 2. Its easier to ID the dogs than the decent bows simply because poor bows didn't sell and most ALL available models and brands are acceptable shooters. 3. Personal preferences as to feel, grip shape, etc. etc. make some appealing to one archer but not to another.

In the end, trust the public, including fellow wallers. The more popular bows were popular because of performance, not sales hype.

As you might know, I get to handle quite a few vintage bows and although some good stuff escapes me because I'm a Leftie, the specific models that I've hung onto personally might offer some insights.

Other than my superK and my k-Mag plus an ILF Hoyt and a custom longbow those bows are: Howatt Hunter, Wing Red Wing Hunter, Browning Wasp, Widow x-300

I am not a collector per se. To be kept a bow has to fill a niche. So, I have reluctantly given up some bows I really liked simply because I already had a bow-for-purpose in a given niche. Again, other than Bears, they include bows such as the Wing T-bird and Shakespeare Necedah.

If I were a collector, to flush out a brand/type collection, I'd add Mamba, Hi-Speed and several other classy Howatts. My Wife has a Palomino and there are some really good high end Pearsons. All Brownings are exceptional and a bit underrated. I'd look for a Hoyt such as a Pro-Hunter. Wings would include one AMF version, a Slimline

There are also many dozens of minor makers (volume not quality) such as a Howard Gamemaster, Tice, Harry Drake, Groves and on and on. No way could I mention them all without missing some beauties.

I CAN predict that if you go this route the love of Bears over all others will shift some. Instead of calling a Bear "great" or similar, you'll start using softer adjectives like good or "classic". You'll catch yourself in phrases such as: "That Super-K is a really good bow but (insert name here) is a bit better because....

R.

A Shakespeare Super Necedah (the one in Zebrawood X-30?) is a VERY underated.

Wings: Redwing Hunters and Pro swept wing R-W Hunters, Thunderbirds and Chaparrel's

Damon Howatt", late 60's early 70's Super Diablo's, Hunters, and Hi-speeds.. You should check out his beautiful Target bows from that era also !!

AND as we all agree... Bear Super K's and I like Kodiak Hunter's [ especially the 68[?] 58" model's

Gene

Howatt Hunter---most 60's-70s Hunters will hold their own, speed-wise, against many of today's modern bows. Only issues I had with them was they SOMETIMES stack terribly past 28" (had a few smooth ones too though), are not Fast Flight compatible, and are usually heavier than marked, but beyond that, Howatt Hunters are the best of the best! Had a few Howatt Venturas too, and they are also excellent. You can usually find used Howatts online for a relatively reasonable price, but don't let the low price tag fool you---they are more than worth their weight in gold! Good luck choosing blake1084, God and Christ Bless!

You can not beat a Staghorn. The XP line was by far and away one of the finest bows ever built. If you ever get a chance to shoot one you will be amazed at the workman ship and accuracy of the bow. They are second to none on speed. Bill also built target bows that are pretty and shoot great. I will forever believe that they will out shoot any bow made and will never be matched.

Along with the listed bows above...Fasco made a great shooter also...4finger

Herters were some of the best but not considered much because you had to buy them by Mail Order back in the day.

If I had to pick one Bow to survive on, I just might go with the Herters 58 inch Sitka Magnum and I've owned most Herters Models plus about everything else they made back in the day.

I don't like all of the Herters models; just the Sitka Magnum models because I shoot them best. Because they were Mail Order only down in this area at least, very few people ever owned one when they could go the Western Auto, Otasco, or local Hardware Stores and buy Bears, Ben Pearsons, Shakesperes, and Brownings.

So not many people got to Judge the Herters Bows back in the day.

They might have sold better if they just hadn't put that pukey colored Goose #@*& Mustard colored glass on them but it was good stuff; if you don't believe me it was good just read what George Herter said about his products.

Plus got got a thousand dollars worth of Rosewood in those bows according to todays standards.

I like the shakespeare Necedahs,the Tioga and Manitou.

The Wing Presentation II is a clasic 3peice takedown.

I would second Staghorn .. I have a few and they are great shooters. If you want a new one .. look at Briun bows.

One not mentioned here but was a fantastic bow was a Hoyt Pro Hunter. Mine blew a limb but it was a great performer while it lasted.

Carroll T/D's are another one...4finger

I second the browning wasp If it could handle fastflight string it would just as fast as the new bows The finish they put on the wasp looks like it would last 100 years. good shooting bow an prices are good also.

One more vote for the Necedah. -Joe

Browning take downs are good shooters as well.

Have a take down wasp and think it may be faster than many "modern" recurves....

Ben Pearson Cougar.

Great bow. I've got one that'll never leave me.

Blackhawks are always a deal. Shakespeare's are really nice rigs. So are Root bows.

You can look at ebay anytime, and find a bargain.

Don't be afraid to try any of em. Have fun.

i'm Darton fan. i also like wing and herters.

When it comes to underated bows in my mind the 1959 grizzly is it. All you hear about is the 59 kodiak. Well I have shot them both and I own a 59 grizzly and it is my favorite out of all of my bows.

Heres a photo of a Hoyt Pro Hunter Special 62"amo, very smooth shooter its probably a late 60s or early 70s bow. This is the only special I have ever seen so maybe a rare model? the Pro Hunter was 58"amo, the Pro Medalist Hunter was also 62" amo,they also made a Pro Special and a Pro Custom that were both 66"amo according to the Hoyt owners manuel that came with this bow in the above photo. Ron.

Being from Minnesota,all we had to do was walk in the store to buy a Herter`s bow. I collect Bears,but have a few Herters around for nostalgia sakes. I like the Perfection Mags. One thing I`ve noticed is that none of the Herters bows have ever developed stress cracks or crazing in the finish on the limbs!

Blake asked about underrated bows, so I'll only spead to those.

The Shakespeare Necedah may be number one. It sold for much less than a comparable Bear Grizzly, but will shoot just as well and is super smooth.

The Bear Tigercat....62" models. Smooth as silk, but no fancy overlays and sold much less than their popular models.

Ben Pearson Cougar and Colt bows. Cheaper than the others in the line, no tip overlays, but shoot really well.

Wing Falcon...62", generally sells for less than 150.00 on Ebay, and are great shooters. Another bow without tip overlays that will shoot surprisingly well.

Browning Nomad....will shoot as well as the more expensive Safari models but cost less. They made the Nomad in three sizes 52" Stalker, 54" and 60".

American Archery Cheetah Hunter. Came in various lengths and are super smooth bows that shoot well.

Cravotta Brothers, Hornet and Short Hornet. Made in Pa. and very affordable, great shooting bows.

There are many more.

I'm not a fan of ost bear bows, mostly because they are too short. I really do believe that Howatt really took the recurve to the next level.

Pearson Hunter's are underated and affordable.

Keith

Herters guaranteed the finish on their bows to outlast the owners.

I think they are going to be right because my Herters Bows look as good as new but I'm getting that weathered look like my finish is wearing off.

Ben Pearson Hunter (58"). Ben Pearson Colt (62"). Browning Explorer (62").

Three great bows that can be found relatively inexpensively.

Jack Howards bows.......

Probably the most underrated bows that come to mind are the American Archery recurves. The Hunter, and the Cheetah, in all it's variations.

cjgregory; Bear bows are too short? They made them up to 72"!

Ben Pearson,Wing,Browning, Root.

I'm also a fan of the American Archery recurves. Before moving to Wisconsin they were made 25 miles from my boyhood home. You see them occasionally on the big auction but they don't gather much interest.

well, since everyone is quoting recurves, the Original howard hill, ben pearson 5000 longbows

Old thread but what the heck! I think one of the most underrated bows out there is the Bear 76er. The bow is accurate in both the Custom and Deluxe versions. If you put on a hard plastic grip from the Polar compound, it has about the best grip going. It's a tough bow, takes down in a second and the glass limbs are much faster than you'd expect, nearly as fast as a mid 70s Grizzly. Still no speed demon, but I think it shoots better than a Grizzly. The bow is easy to quiet too. All in all, a nice bow that is still affordable and will take deer with no problem.

Joe

one not mentioned-United States Archery Co. ,Danberry Conn,, I'v a"Texan" I really like, evidently they made a Penn, Cali. and Hawaii, have'nt shot those,, i enjoy my Staghorn too

one not mentioned-United States Archery Co. ,Danberry Conn,, I'v a"Texan" I really like, evidently they made a Penn, Cali. and Hawaii, have'nt shot those,, i enjoy my Staghorn too

My favorite vintage bows is my 1955 Ben Pearson #304 T/D longbow. It's a simple design that still works great today. It would be something to see that design built with today's materials and technology.

"Brownings Wasp,,,,very nice bow,quick,smooth and a great grip. you can always find them cheap. I'd like to find a couple of their other bows as well."

I couldn't agree more. I have a Wasp too. It's my bowfishing/back-up bow.

I also like the Shakespeares, other Brownings, Wings, and two other ones you don't often hear much about: Pro Line and Darton. Two of my kids shoot one each of those and they are very well made bows.

Here's my kids with their bows. They're holding, from left to right, a Browning, Pro Line and a Darton. They're all 35#@28" draw bows:

Here's me with my Wasp:

How about the dual recurve bows by Bud Hit and my favorite the Dickie Roberts Fireball with the dual recurve limbs copied from the Hit bows.

"cjgregory; Bear bows are too short? They made them up to 72"! " by Tradbh

Yeah if you want a white target bow or something. I never wanted one but wanted to shoot one. I need someone to post a 62 or 64" Grizzly or Kodiak or something like that. The Polar would go long.

Howatt was the predecessor to the modern engineered bow. Bear put us on the map. Howatt had a different vision that panned out. I think had Fred Bear been around longer with the company we would have seen engineering more like the Howatt.

Grizzly bows were all 62" until 1964, when they went 58". They were just 56" for 68, 69 and 70, then 58" again. The Tigercat was a very good shooting 62" bow prior to the 1970 58" model. Longer recurve bows were not very popular back in the 60's. 62" was about as long as most manufacturers made in the hunting models. By the way, the Kodiak and Super Kodiak were both available in 64" for several years, and you still find them on Ebay.

American Archery Cheetah Special.

I'm sure your right George. Maybe I was just partial to the Howatt and I could always pick one up in the 62-66" range. Not that I need any bows. I shoot a silvertip now and I don't ever think I will change out. Maybe a 64" PMA thats real light for form practice or indoor 3D if I run into one.

I'm a big fan of herter bows....great looking in my opinion and great shooters.....

><>

Chief

No CJ, you can't have it...... LOL

Robert, The 1st vintage bow I got was a Browning Safari II. I then proceeded to own 3 Bears - 69 Kodiak Hunter, 70something grizzly, and just yesterday, a 1972 Super Kodiak. I did alot of shooting with the SK today and as of now, I'd rate the Kodiak Hunter as my favorite, followed by the Browning, then the SK, and finally the Grizzly. As you can see, I think the Browning to be a fine bow, so you might want to try one of those. Actually, as everyone has already stated, there are many good ones(besides Bears)out there.Good luck and have fun! Lippe

American Archery recurves from the 60's & early 70's

I have several Wings,Brownings,Pearsons,Bears. I love classics as well too. I have been a little nervous shooting a couple and one of my Kodiaks the tip split I have to get repaired and loved that snake skinned 1957 she shot great to. I figured before I bought any other Kodiaks I'll get a vintage works bow. I have 2 coming up for build before long and looking forward to those.

I don't really see that I can put any of them throught hard core shooting and not encounter any problems.

Wings and Brownings are great bows actually most all are. Bears are the most sought after it seems but don't discount any other bows 60's or 70's built they all have their place in history and are fun to shoot and if they are clean they will bring back $$$$. Just depends on finding the right buyer who knows what they want and are willing to pay a little more for the right bow.

I did not read all the post above ,but i would think Herters bows would be up towards the top. I started out collecting Bear bows and found out quickly you could find some very nice bows for alot less then Bears .. Im not taking anything away from Bear bows. I still shoot some vintage bows in competion B-Pearson & Wing. Thats my opion and we all know about opions ...AzBear

Did I miss something? Not a single mention of Wilson Brothers? OK, maybe I'm the one that's out of step. You guys just go ahead with what you are doing.....

I forgot I have a Herters bow and arrows and its fun to shoot even though it is slow. I was going to take it out and shoot some rats with it but haven't found that time yet. Maybe shoot some ground hogs here theres an idea with herters arrows and broadheads.

Ben Pearson 709 Hunter.

Ben Pearson 709 Hunter.

As I was scrolling down the thread, I'm thinking "Under-rated Vintage bows? BEN PEARSON HUNTER". Shawnee (and at least one other above) beat me to it.

In my case, it's a late 60s BP Hunter Model 7090, which came after the 709. Not a very fast bow (kind of slow actually), and a somewhat uncomfortable grip, but I can shoot really well with mine. I think it's the grip; while not very comfortable, I think the shape of the grip forces me to grasp the bow the same exact way each time I pick it up, thus minimizing issues with grip variability and possibly torque. Anyway, I think the BP Hunter is under-rated and will usually sell for under $100 on ebay. Very nice-looking zebra on most examples I've seen too...

My top five are; 62" Wing Thunderbird [pre AMF] 62" Browning Explorer 11 [early 70's] 60" Howatt Super Diablo [early 70's] 58" Wing Red Wing Hunter [pre AMF] 58" Browning Wasp [early 70's] I think a lot of guys know about and collect the Wings and Howatts but the Brownings might just fly a little under the radar and be easier to collect.

As stated, their are heaps of quality vintage bows, but I'm with Oldbow, I think Herters were incredibly underated, they have some of the most beautiful riser woods, their use of "fabenglass" as opposed to Gordan glass was in my opinion, superior. The Herters I have owned did not show stress lines like many other "vintage" bows I have owned.......my favourites, the magnum and the 46" model perfection.......

My own favorite bows that I haven't designed and built myself are the Herters Bob Barrie designed-made CV17 International Match hunter recurves.62"..very moderate recurve pistol grip( 17 degrees) German Farbenglas backed and faced..( gold & black) Rosewood risers..

I own three of them and they are excellent bows..I draw 30" and they always shoot where I look.. They are fast, stable and even at close to 50 years old still are in great condition.. I don't like shooting all the various Herters designs..but the CV17 International Match hunters are the best of the best ever..Jim

Wing, especially the P11.

Indian deerslayer is a nice shooter

I agree with istshot and IaHawkeye---Wing made some of the BEST vintage recurves out there and as istshot stated, the pre-AMF Wing Thunderbird has to be the cream of the crop...that solid black phenolic riser makes it one of the most stable shooters out there---not too shabby as far as speed goes either. Probably the same (extremely high) quality as a good Damon Howatt Hunter. Love this thread, God and Christ Bless!

"No CJ, you can't have it...... LOL "

Dang it Bill. lol

LOL,jeeze i guess you can pick whatever make or model ya want Blake:))

I've got a 66"competition bow my son is using that says "Diamond by Murphy" that I don't know anything about the bowyer. I bought it because of it's unique form but it shots really nice and fast for 35# and was his first choice out of all the bows I have in his draw weight............................Jim (Wolf) I also have a CV17 70" 50#@28 I was wondering what kind of string that you're using on yours. Do you dare use fastflight. Most of the Herters don't have any tip overlays.

Some other fine shooting recurves were the Root and White Custom bows( Eicholtz) of the late 50's60's.. For those looking for great entry level bows for youngsters don't overlook the old YORK recurves..Reak plain Jane bows but very functional..

As word gets around, some of the older bows that were overlooked get the recognition( and the prices) they truly deserve..I would have mentioned Damon Howatt PRE Martin..but these days they have been 'discovered'..:)Jim

here's a Pic of the Diamond. Joe

I think a underrated bow is the Wing Gull, not to pretty but a good shooter. Next the Pro-Flex nice wood and another shooter. Now my favorite the Astro II, alloy riser that puts arrows were you look. Also a fast bow

I have seen a few of the Diamonds surface lately. Each one I see makes me want to try one more and more.

Funny to hear about the Ben Pearson 5000 longbow. I used to own one.

A lot of these bows mentioned as being underrated were not underrated back in the day. They were as popular as any big name bow out there. Howatts, Brownings, Wings, Roots were all rated highly back in the 60s and 70s. No one ever accused a Damon Howatt bow back then of being underrated.

I own two Damon Howatt Coranados (#38. #47) and really love them... they are fast and smooth. JW

My vote has to go with the older Wing Recurves: The 62inch Wing Thunderbird (1970s-era model), the absolutely gorgeous Wing PII (short and long riser). Also, their 1960s-era "thin tipped" 64inch Gull was a great shooter, as well. And, of course, the incredible 1970s-era Howatt Super Diablo ( I own four). I've got an American Archery 64inch-50lb. Cheetah that's pretty sweet, too... Sorta like a few of my old girlfriends. Shoot Straight, rare breed

tri state, cravotta, and indian have my under rated vote. Had a model of all three recently, but down to the cravotta which is going as soon as i find a buyer to feed my Bear addiction.

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