# Best of the old target bows



## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

the old wilson black widow A frame aluminum handle target bow was pretty cool-I believe Linda Myers won the world target championship with one


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## jerrytee (Feb 5, 2005)

You might see a Marksman Olympic TS4.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

K31 - 

The Hoyt PMs where indeed the best of the breed on all fronts. The Wings (Presentation series, White Wings and Slim-lines) were second IMHO. The Damon Howatt DelRey and Monterey weren't slouches either and in the same class as the Tamerlanes and Bear T/Ds. The BW was a solid, stable shooter, but if you think the Tamerlane is slow, don't bother with BW 12/1300 series BW bows. (Jim - I believe the BWs were Magnesium, not aluminim, at least the one I have is.)

The Pearson Mercury bows (Lord Mercury) were super shooters, and usually under-rated, as were the Browning target bows. The Javalina wasn't really a "target" bow, but sort of a middle of the road bow between target/hunting and everything else. While not in the same class as the BP target bows, a very snappy and sweet shooter.

There were a ton of others, such as Groves, Golden Eagle etc. Most performed quite well, and if you're lucky enough to have one today - still will.

Viper1 out.


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## J. Wesbrock (Dec 17, 2003)

Mid-60's Root Pendulus Supreme and the Wing P2 were outstanding target bows.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

I've been shooting a Bear Tamerlane HC300, a pair of HC30s, Wing Presentation I and Presentation II recently and am enamored with all of them. I like the "Thunderbird" grip on the PI and PII. The HC30 grip is interesting but feels a bit large in my hand though I'm getting use to it. They're all great bows. With that said, I'm also shooting a Best Zenit weighted barebow riser and Hoyt G3 limbs and it simply blows the doors off the old bows. I keep them all strung and shoot different ones everyday - what fun.


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## longbowdude (Jun 9, 2005)

Those old metal riser black widows are great bows. Kenton Steinke won the 2004 IBO national triple crown and 2004 worlds with one. I think he went to Hoyt though because of sponsership and you cant get replacement parts.


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## Recurvanator (May 25, 2006)

I recently met a women with a metal risered target Chek-Mate from the late 70's early 80's. Never seen one before, I own a Chek-Mate and have seen lots and shot a few but have never seen a metal one. 

Does anyone know how they faired out as far as target bows go?


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## ArcCaster (Oct 29, 2003)

I have a Browning Challenge and a Wing Competition II -- very competitive bows, and a joy to shoot!


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## wjhender (Aug 15, 2006)

*Howatt Del Rey and Root Pendulus Supreme*

My wife and I were very active in target archery in the 60's. She has a left handed Howatt Del Rey and I have a right handed Root Pendulus Supreme. We haven't shot them for many years. They are still very attractive and in good shape. They are both mid 1960 models that won us a lot of trophies.

Is there a market for them? Several people have told me that there are collectors that are interested in these two models.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

The old target bows really don't go for much money and I've never been able to figure out why. You can get a good Tamerlane or Presentation bow from eBay for $250 to $350, depending on weight length and condition. You would likely have to pay twice that or more for similar new bow, but of course, they don't really make them that way anymore. The older Bear T/Ds and Super Kodiaks are the only ones that seem to be seriously sought after. You may want to watch eBay for a while to get an idea of what these old bows are selling for.


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## MoonDragn (Jun 19, 2006)

I think the reason old bows don't usually go for alot is because you never know what you are going to get on ebay. You never know if the bow you want to get has serious limb problems. As for the bears, I'm wondering why they are going for so much some times. I supposed there are some collector value to them. I would rather collect older bob lee bows.


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## ArcCaster (Oct 29, 2003)

You and me too -- I have a couple of Competition IIs that shoot so well it is hard to give them up -- I bought my brother a Presentation II that was a such a gorgeous bow and such a crisp precise shooter that I wanted to keep it


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Moon - 

Ben Parson make more bows in the 60's and 70's tan most other companies combined, so a lot of it is supply and demand. They did take a few short cuts (mostly in the wood joining and finishing stages - nothing that would affect performance) to make their prices competitive. (BP's theory was to get a bow into as many people's hands as possible, and one way to do that was to keep the price down.) Exept for a few of their entry level bows - they all shot quite well.

Most of those bows hold up quite well and by asking a few questions, even to a seller who knows nothing about bows, you can figure out if the bow is a shooter or wall hanger. Fred Bear was a mediocre archer but one hell of a marketing guy. His company made some sweet bows in their time, but their real draw is the Bear name.

Viper1 out.


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## vermonster13 (Sep 18, 2004)

I have a 58 Bear Kodiak Special 70" that is a sweet shooter and you don't see them very often, actually mine is the only one I've ever seen come to think about it. LOL


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## DMONTI (Aug 7, 2006)

Having been an Archery dealer for 37 years i have shot most of the old recurves. My pics.

1--Dickey Roberts Fireball

2-- Hoyt T/D 1 the first metal handel take down.

3--Sanders Classic


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

In my youth I had both a Hoyt PM and Tamerlane. Hoyt was the better of those two, at least performance wise. The Bear always seemed kind of "soft".

I now have one of the Kodiak Specials Vermonster referred to, but mine is about '67 vintage. It's interesting in that it is factory marked 28# @ 30" and 69". Since I draw longer than that it was my indoor bow (pulling about 34#) until I discovered metal risers. Not sure about the collector's value of all Bears as no one seems to want this one. It's the Bear hunting bows that seem to draw the attention.

I'd go with a couple other posts in saying the Wing Presentation, and Presentation II were among the top recurves of their day.

Dave


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## vermonster13 (Sep 18, 2004)

Mine is [email protected] which puts it at about 44 at my draw. Not the fastest bow by any means, but it draws like butter and shoots real consistent.


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## Fl archer (Jul 1, 2006)

K31Scout said:


> I have a 1966 Bear Tamerlane 66" and love the old bow but it's a bit slow. It has led however to an interest in old target recurves. I know the king is probably the Hoyt Pro Medalist but have heard good things about the Pearson Javlina, Howatt Del Ray and Groves 300. What are some of the other good performers that I should keep an eye out for?
> 
> Are the newer Tamerlane variants faster than the original Tamerlane, like the Tartar or Temijun?
> 
> ...


I have been collecting old bows for several years and had the good fortune of finding many of the bows mentioned back before Ebay when they could be found for little money. I have a few Tamerlane and Temijun bows. I would say that My Tamerlane and Temijun bows are very similar in shooting performance with the Temijun (maybe) being the slightly faster bow. I also have several vintage Ben Pearson bows. I would tend to agree that they are under-rated. Many of the vintage BPs are very nice performing bows. I recently purchased a Hoyt PM on Ebay and this bow is by far my favorite target bow. I followed Vipers PM tune up Instructions and now the bow is the best of my vintage line up. I recently purchased a mint Browning Olympian 68'' #36 recurve. The bow shoots very nice but I haven't been able to find any information about the bow. The bow is kind of a plain jane in the looks department but perfomes well. I have seen a couple sell very cheap on Ebay. There are still some good and under rated bows available for very reasonable prices but prices seem to be rising.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Fl - 

If we keep feeding threads like these, the prices ain't gonna go down  

Viper1 out.


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## Okie1bow (Jul 26, 2006)

*Classic Re Curves*

I shoot a BW 1200T/D, 1970 every day. It is a hunting bow, 48#'s at 28" and 52" long. However I still shoot a BW 101, a BW 200 and my grandson shoots a HB. I shot for Earl Hoyt after 68-70's and shot his Pro Medal'st. I've always loved BW's but that Pro Medalst was "one fine bow"! Viper is correct; the Pearson Golden series were just as fine a bow as any others. Why they wern't a little more popular is beyond me.Wing Presentations were also as fine a bow as you could buy. I don't feel [my opinion only], that Bear ever really commited to target bows. Their tradition was Fred Bear's love; hunting. 
Bill W.


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## Fl archer (Jul 1, 2006)

Viper1 said:


> Fl -
> 
> If we keep feeding threads like these, the prices ain't gonna go down
> 
> Viper1 out.


That's for sure. Nice old recurves were popping up at yard sales and flea markets every weekend 25 years ago. My best deal ever..(15 years ago) Mint RH Kodiak Hunter and a left hand Grizzly for $3.00 each. They were leaning up against a wall at a yard sale. Now most people know about Ebay and the nice bows end up there. I haven't found a decent vintage bow at a yard sale or flea market in the past year. I pick up a compound once in a while if it's an early model in nice condition, just to feel like I found something.... (Compounds take up 5 X the room of traditional bows. 25 compounds is a big pile of bows) But now I purchase most of my bows on Ebay... In the long run, it's cheaper then burning gas running around and not finding anything..... But I might go a do a little Bow Hunting tomorrow.


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## Rod Jenkins (Sep 13, 2005)

One of my all time favorite bows, was a 68'' Wing Slimline International


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