Shoot it...or Not?
 

All right, this is a multipart question so try to follow along boys and girls.

First, to say I'm a neophyte when it comes to traditional equipment is grossly overstating my case! I grew up shooting recurves in NFAA, but it was barebow style and walking the string target stuff. I do shoot instinctive for bowfishing, if you can call what I do shooting.

Part uno of said multipart question. I had my bowfishing recurve at an IBEP class I was helping teach recently and Timm Getts saw it. He said I have way too much brace height on it. I had the string made for it at a pro shop a decade and two years ago. (It doesn't see a lot of use and is still in very good shape, believe it or not.) They made it the same length as what was on it then, so it was already wrong at that point. I already had all the twist out of the string, so there is nothing left to untwist. How do I determine the length of string to have made for it? It is a 62" bow. Timm said something about subtracting so many inches from the length of the bow, but I don't remember the specifics. I removed the bowfishing reel today as I haven't done much bowfishing the last couple of years and want to tinker with shooting it with real arrows.

Part deaux. My dad gave me this bow a long time ago as he didn't use it anymore. He used to use it for bowfishing when he was younger and doesn't remember where he got it. When I showed it to Timm, he was showing me his new Bear Grizzly that he shoots 3d with. I told him, meet your bows ancestor. I decided to research the bow today to see if I could find out when it was made. It's a Bear Grizzly, 62", 52# ( I assume this is at 28"???), factory camo model. My research has shown that this bow was made in Sept. of 1962 at the Bear Grayling plant. It is in excellent condition, all decals are intact and still has the original factory leather grip (with some wear on edges and a couple of wear holes in it) and what appears to be a factory installed leather and brush Bear rest. I've always used that rest as it works great for my bowfishing arrows. The only real detraction is the medallion is missing off the riser. I looked on ebay and couldn't find a camo model, but guess its resale worth at about $130-150. I'm not selling it. The question is: Would you shoot this bow? or Would you display it and not take a chance of something happening to it? I know it's sound as I've been shooting it for 12 years. That has been light shooting with extremely heavy fiberglass arrows, however. Just wondered what you stick and string guys would do. I want to tinker with traditional, but with the current employment situation, or lack thereof, can't spring for a bow now. Thoughts, suggestions, heckling, all welcome.

For part one: I believe the string on a recurve is 4" shorter than the bow. But to be totally sure you could log on to "Trad Gang" and ask some of the string makers there.

For part two: shoot it to your hearts content. The bow has more sentimental value to you than it has real collector value. There for the answer lies with you. If shooting it brings to mind great memories of your grandfather shoot it. If it can do the same for you hanging on the wall hang it. I've got a couple of old bears that I shoot but none have the sentimental value, they were just less expensive bows for me to drag around.

Steve you are close. it is actually 3 inches. I think he should shoot the bow and have some fun with it.

Thanks guys. I started to just call you and ask you, Timm, but I figured we needed the traffic here so a post would be appropriate. I believe I'll shoot the bow. It doesn't have that much sentimental value in it. My dads target recurves mean much more to me in that regard. It's in great shape so I don't expect any problems with it. Be cool to learn to shoot it and take an animal with a bow that was born 5 years before I was. Now I have to study up on what arrow setup I need and how to tune the thing.

Shoot it. Life is too short to collect anything. Black Widow made about 300 of the PGA 50th collector bows. I bought one to put up thinking it would be worth big bucks some day. That lasted about 2 days. If it is around my house I just gotta try to kill some thing with it. :D

http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/images/buffhog9.JPG

As for as part one, I also thought it was 4 inches for recurve.

As for part two, I am going to disagree with the guys a little. My father and grandfathers did not hunt. Yes I am a genetic throwback mutation in my family. If I had something of their's I would keep it. That is a personal decision based on personal values. The bow will shoot fine and probably has lots of life left if you are not the "romantic" type like me. :wink:

I might just hunt with it until I killed a buck and then retire it and hang it under the mount.

Well Buff and Chunky are better suited for the tuning questions. :D

For a recurve, start at 7 1/2 inches. Tighten the string a few twists at a time till you find the quietest brace height. If that doesn't seem to be working, drop back down to 7 1/2 and lower the brace a few twists at a time. I very seriously doubt your brace height will be less than 7". Contact just about any string maker or bowyer and they'll be able to help you out best.

I can't ever remember the measurement rule. One is 4", the other is 3"; longbow versus recurve... I just call my buddy in Georgia and he builds me another one. :D

Geez. You trad guys are a lot of help! :roll: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: Is it three inches? Is it four inches? Don't you guys shoot these things? :o I'm sure I can quickly find which is 3 and which is 4 in a search engine, but couldn't resist the fun here! Thanks for the responses guys.

Edit: Oh yeah, the shoot something and display it with the mount idea is splendid Mark. That may just become my goal for that bow. Of course, when Hagerman rolls around my training wheels will be with me in the stand!!!

Its 4 inches for recurves, 3 inches for longbows.

Final answer. :P

It's three inches for recurves.

Tracy,
By final, do you mean in a liquid, sort of flexible, not really definate kind of way? :lol: :lol: AMO and other stuff I found says 3" for recurves.

Refer to initial response... :wink:

http://archerysearch.com/publications/AmoStandards.pdf

AMO should be 3" for either.

A little Google from time to time helps. Or maybe buy a vowell... :oops:

That cracked me up. I could buy all the vowells and it still wouldn't help me most of the time. Now I just have to get a string and figure out what kind of arrow I should be shooting through it.