# Bear Montana Review



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

bb52 - 

Didn't know they went up to $339, other than that, pretty much agree on all points. 
Not a bad bow at all. 
Congrats.

Viper1 out.


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

To each his own. I haven't shot one in several years, but based on that experience I don't care to shoot another. The ones I shot were quite a bit heavier in draw weight.

I have found that replacing the "factory" string on most bows can make a difference.


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## ghostgoblin22 (May 3, 2013)

so whats the differences between a recurve and longbow, Ive always been interested in a longbow, I know recurves are a little more quicker, but what advantages does the longbow have over the recurve? more accurate? easier to draw back? what are the pros and cons of the two, my outdoor shop has a bear Montana on sale for 200$ because the store is closing down next Tuesday and was interested in getting instead of it going to waste


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## Paul_J (Jul 16, 2013)

Hey Barebow excuse me for asking a noob stupid question but what length string did you use for your replacement and what brace height did you end up with?

I have a 45# Montana and I've worked out a lower grip position which eliminates most of the shock but I'd really prefer to grip as the bow is shaped and intended to be griped - high. 

Thanks.


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

> so whats the differences between a recurve and longbow,...


Depends on what you are comparing. It can be a really big difference, or very small. The Montana is going to be lighter in the hand than most recurves. It will be slower, and have considerably more hand shock than most recurves. The grip will be different than most recurves--much less comfortable to me. It should have a quieter shot than most recurves. To me it's not any more stable, smoother to draw, or forgiving than the average recurve.

I'm a longbow guy--have been for something like the last 20 years--but I'm picky about what longbows I shoot.


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## ghostgoblin22 (May 3, 2013)

LBR said:


> Depends on what you are comparing. It can be a really big difference, or very small. The Montana is going to be lighter in the hand than most recurves. It will be slower, and have considerably more hand shock than most recurves. The grip will be different than most recurves--much less comfortable to me. It should have a quieter shot than most recurves. To me it's not any more stable, smoother to draw, or forgiving than the average recurve.
> 
> I'm a longbow guy--have been for something like the last 20 years--but I'm picky about what longbows I shoot.


gotcha, thanks


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## MI_Darton (Aug 8, 2005)

I have shot the Montana for a few years now. She is 50 pounds and a dream to shoot. Handshock has never been an issue with it. I wasn't too keen on the handle wrap when I got it so I made a leather one. IMO, for the money and the performance, that bow is hard to beat.


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## barebow52 (Nov 7, 2007)

Paul_J said:


> Hey Barebow excuse me for asking a noob stupid question but what length string did you use for your replacement and what brace height did you end up with?
> 
> I have a 45# Montana and I've worked out a lower grip position which eliminates most of the shock but I'd really prefer to grip as the bow is shaped and intended to be griped - high.
> 
> Thanks.


Actual string length was 61". I experimented wih brace heights from 7.25 to 8.50. I found for me personally I like it at 8inches


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

I've shot the Montana, and it's an alright bow. Nothing really special though, and for the money I considered it a working man's Hill bow. It's rugged, reliable, and not too expensive.

That said, in terms of performance I consider it a bit of a dog. It's pretty slow, and the handshock is pretty noticeable. First time I shot my friend's Montana, it was actually slower than the selfbow I was shoot at the time with the same gpp arrows. The handshock is also really noticeable, and even for me it was a bit of a turn off (and I'm used to handshock from my selfbows). I think getting one used or on sale would be a better investment, because for the full price there are lots of other options. Bamabows are only a little but more expensive but have a very attractive finish and wood selection, and there are other longbows that for the same price will out shoot the Montana by a large margin.

It comes down to what you want it for and why though. It's tough to find a nice "straight" longbow for that money, and for knock around durability I don't think you could break a Montana if you wanted to, but for the pleasure of shooting... not for the price they ask.


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## ghostgoblin22 (May 3, 2013)

im sure longbows are great to some people,. I just like the feel and smoothness of a recurve,infact im liking it more than my compound


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## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

i like the montana. it's not high performance oriented, but with a good string, and a heavy arrow, which it seems to like, it's super quiet, and i didn't notice the hand shock. i think the price is reasonable for what it is, and it's pretty elegant.

now, that being said, if you're not locked into a 'd' shaped bow for nfaa reasons or what not, an unfinished Omega, which you can custome shape to your own hand, would be my preference, for about the same amount of money, or less, i can't remember. those things flat out cook!


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## dougedwards (Sep 5, 2010)

Certainly _performance_ is a relative term. If you want real archery performance get a crossbow. Some are zipping a 20" arrow @ 400 fps. 

Some love super performance and others love the primitive aspect of things. It is all good.

Doug


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## BigPapaGuss (Aug 24, 2013)

I'v shot the Montana, I liked it- though I found it slower and louder than my recurve, and that hand shock was bizarre ( only have shot two bows in my life before that) it doesn't fit the stle of terrain i am in and the slower feel jsut would bug me, and I think make me unconciously over compensate my shot. ( bird hunting with flu flu arrows in teh desert! jsut four days till the season starts! Woot!) 

I'd get one, if I had 400 bucks...


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## ghostgoblin22 (May 3, 2013)

dougedwards said:


> Certainly _performance_ is a relative term. If you want real archery performance get a crossbow. Some are zipping a 20" arrow @ 400 fps.
> 
> Some love super performance and others love the primitive aspect of things. It is all good.
> 
> Doug


great point, with my compound it gets boring on getting 1'' groups, the stickbow is a true challenge, that is what I love about it, no matter how good your groups are one day, the next day can always miss the target haha


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Even though I've never handled a Montana?...I think the OP's post and review was spot-on and a solid review and here's why.

Bear never really placed a whole lot of value on performance as it relates to speed...as historically?...Papa Bear's products always seemed more focused on things such as Durability and Afford-abilty...i.e.?...making solid shooting bows that a working man can afford which are durable enough to endure the potential abuses of being drug through the woods by rough-neck hunters and/or shot by new shooters (who may not know all they should) and?..."not break"...which would be an automatic turn-off to new archers/owners and very self defeating when the foundation of his mission was..."To Get Folks Into Bow-hunting"...which he very effectively did.

Maybe one thing some of the more seasoned stick-bow archers should remember is this...many of us have become spoiled shooting $700-$1,200 bows such as Toelke's, Fox's, Widows and the likes...then we pick up a $339 Bear Montana and call it a dog?...and why?...because it has very durably built slow limbs?...and lots of hand shock with the stock string?...then it takes heavier, slower shooting arrows to quell such?...but...it's bows just like the Bear Montana that continue to lure and bring new trad archers into our dying a slow death nich'e of a passionate sport...thereby supporting traditional style archery.

That said?...the OP was also spot-on by pointing out that an inexpensive string upgrade can liven these Bear bows up considerably...I know that replacing the 16strand D97 factory string that came on my Super Kodiak with one of Mr. Barbees 12 strand rhino strings made a night and day difference in the way it preforms although it does still prefer arrow weights of at least 10GPP or can get a little vibey and loud with less but after all?...these Bear tradbows are hunting based (not target based) bows and I suspect much would be the same with most (if not all) of Bears traditional line-up and personally?...I'm happy to see that Freds original business model is apparently still being kept in mind today.

Sorry I went off a little here folks but I guess I'm still upset to be reading some recent internet rumors that Martin Archery is hitting the auction block and feel it does us no good to trash talk any entry level tradbows worth their string...and can't help but wonder just how many new archers broke their first glove in with bows just like the $339 Bear Montana. L8R, Bill.


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## Paul_J (Jul 16, 2013)

barebow52 said:


> Actual string length was 61". I experimented wih brace heights from 7.25 to 8.50. I found for me personally I like it at 8inches


Thanks!


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## xCALLMETOADx (Jul 31, 2013)

I just got my first longbow today which is a 40# Montana. I obviously had to pull out the block and shoot it, an hour later I found myself still shooting. The hand shock didn't bother me one bit and I can't wait til the morning to set the targets out again. For it being my first longbow, I can't compare it to any other so I can't talk bad about it. I love this bow.


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

I've owned a couple of Montanas - tried to like them but in the end traded them off and went back to my recurves. FWIW the nicest longbow I ever owned was a Dryad Orion that I picked up used for $100 more than the price of a Montana. To each their own. I also have a longbow itch that needs to be scratched once in a while. I've been scanning the classifieds for a lightweight hybrid with a nice deep locator grip and decent (64") length. I'd like to try a Samick Verna if I could find one used or if Lancaster ever gets them back in stock.


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