Found a Browning Nomad recurve bow today!!!

[Hogtamer]

You won’t be drawing 31” with that short recurve. Practice drawing til middle finger touches corner of mouth. 2117 prolly a little stiff so extra length over 28” a good thing. As for knocking point use a square or eyeball it so arrow on string sits 3/8” above rest. Use wraps and knots of dental floss as knock, finish with a drop of crazy glue. Knock arrow underneath homemade knocking point.

[MOshooter]

Nice find and a great price!

I have a Browning recurve, can't remember the model? I bought it for my Dad early to mid 70's. I really like the older vintage recurve bows, and still have my first recurve from the early 70's. It's a Ben Pearson, I think 45# draw?

Its been a long time since I've shot either bow, I still enjoy seeing them hang around.

[Tripplebeards]

You won’t be drawing 31” with that short recurve. Practice drawing til middle finger touches corner of mouth. 2117 prolly a little stiff so extra length over 28” a good thing. As for knocking point use a square or eyeball it so arrow on string sits 3/8” above rest. Use wraps and knots of dental floss as knock, finish with a drop of crazy glue. Knock arrow underneath homemade knocking point.

Thanks for the tips. I’ve noticed that it doesn’t seem to pull back as far as I normally do with a compound. I do also roll my elbow out to make sure I’m not gonna string my forearm and it also helps with shortening up my pull length. I started rolling out my elbow out in the mid 90s because everybody stop making compounds with anything over a 30 1/2 draw length. Also, switching to a trigger style release help shorten it up for me too. I was trying to figure out where I needed to be for a knocking point that I’ll save me some googling. I’ll get my bow square out once my stick on arrow shows up today and I get it installed. There are already a couple of metal knocking points on my string that came loose so I’ll probably put one on each side of the knock. Never shot three under for fingers till the other day. When I was googling old, recurves and watching some YouTuber shoot, I figured I’d give it a try. I will shoot one finger over. I’m digging the three fingers under. I shot that way the other day the first time I shot the bow, and the only time I shot the bow, for probably a good hour or more straight till I got used to it. Also helped loosen up my arm muscles. The first five or six times a pull on that bow I didn’t think I was gonna get it done. After about 30 or 40 shots I was smooth sailing the more I pulled it the easier it was to get it all the way back and hold it. I definitely don’t wanna hold it more for a second or two. I’m more of a snap shooter style with recurves. Guessing it’s because I’ve only shot heavy weight ones if I had a lighter poundage recurve I’m sure I would hold it back for a while.

[Tripplebeards]

Nice find and a great price!

I have a Browning recurve, can't remember the model? I bought it for my Dad early to mid 70's. I really like the older vintage recurve bows, and still have my first recurve from the early 70's. It's a Ben Pearson, I think 45# draw?

Its been a long time since I've shot either bow, I still enjoy seeing them hang around.

The other one I have a picture of above is a Ben Pearson from 65’. It’s a 47 pound pull…at 28 inches if I remember right? It takes a lot of pullto get it back to my long draw length so I believe the poundage builds really quickly past 28 inches. It’s the year my mom and dad got married and my mom bought it for him for Christmas or his birthday I guess she doesn’t remember and neither does he. It’s been sitting in the corner for decades, and I went and refinished it last year for him and we had fun shooting it. Been looking for one for me ever since. He has cracks in the outside of the limbs, but neither of us seem to worry about it and it still shoots great. I’ve shot some small game with it and varmints over the years. Never took it deer hunting just because I always liked having a pin sight to make sure I’m aiming. I might have to look for a stick on vintage pin site. Been wanting one for a long time.

[quilbilly]

Be careful of the type of string you get for it. The new type of fast flight strings that replace the Dacron used on bows of the 60's and 70's will shatter the old style fiberglass bows when released occasionally. I have been trying to put back into service several of my old recurves of the 70's and 80's so took them to a pro who services the olympic games competitors to see if they thought they were safe. They said yes but only with the old style Dacron strings. My bows are from Wing and Yamaha when I competed to get to the 76 games. Like your Browning, those Wing bows were a work of art as well. As I ease myself back into target archery (shoulder issues), I have already found that the new fangled graphite arrows shoot just fine in the old bows using newly made old fashion Dacron strings. Some pro shops will make those strings for you custom if the guys there are old enough to understand and remember. Shooting without training wheels is the best!

[Tripplebeards]

I appreciate the tip. I remember reading about that with the new strings. I would assume they must not absorb a lot of the shock and they also make the bow shoot faster from what I read, whether it’s true or not. Both my strings came with the bows. My dad‘s string probably got bought in the 70s or the 80s and still looks like new the other bow I shot the other day the string came with it. It looks like an old string from the 70s or 80s if I had to guess but it’s in really good shape. My stick on arrest still hasn’t shown so kept myself busy wrapping trees in the backyard since the warm spell has melted the ice. And two big giant beavers have been coming up on the bank getting ready to chew on the trees, holding up the riverbank in the backyard. I cleaned out seven big beaver last year and a week and I haven’t seen any till about the middle of summer. The water went down far enough that they were leaving the trees alone. I figured I would get them wrapped in case we get high water again this year. Had 2 beavers slapping their tails while I was wrapping trees an hour ago watching me. One had to be 80+ pounds and the other one was about 50 to 60. I had an a brown Carhartt coat and was raking the bark making noise putting on metal fencing around them so I would assume they probably thought I was a beaver in there territory, chewing on trees. They were having a fit slapping their tails and watching me. I figured I’d leave them alone this year as long as they don’t chew on my trees. Time will tell if there’s a bite marks through my fencing…game on…and the traps will be but out again.

[quilbilly]

The new strings are definitely faster and apparently a step beyond the kevlar strings that replaced the Dacron. They do transmit a lot more shock to the bow limbs from what the olympic pros told me. I have seen an exploded bow before (not mine) using kevlar string and they do throw shrapnel. My old competition recurve bows for FITA tournaments were a heavy 40# but now in my 70's, I am starting with a fairly cheap 30# recurve until the strange noises my shoulder makes recede (they are but slowly). The pro's were horrified that anyone would shoot a bow of 40# in Olympic trials but I was strapping 25 year old then. Who knew I would live this long? Watching the arrow fly to the 90m target is a spiritual thing.

[Tripplebeards]

You have probably 20 years on me. I’m sure a 30 pound recurve would be awesome. I would love to pull the string back and be able to hold it for a few seconds to aim instead of snap shooting heavier pound recurves. I’m Still on the hunt for a lighter recurve.

[quilbilly]

I bought that inexpensive 30# recurve at Sportsman's Warehouse last summer when I realized my shoulder wouldn't handle my old 40# recurve target bows let alone my hunting recurves. The brand is Fleetwood archery made in Utah I think and cost about $100. It shoots pretty well and doesn't stack much on the draw. The string definitely is not a fast flight type which is good and I bought half a dozen of the less expensive graphite arrows to get started but have plenty of aluminum arrows once I graduate. The draw should be about 33# at your length. So far I am up to about 10 seconds before releasing and I can last about 5 ends (20 arrows) before needing a break. Before knocking an arrow, I used those 6 foot latex resistance bands doubled up to help me prepare my muscles and shoulder for a bow. BTW - Our local physical therapist sells those latex resistance bands in bulk for about a buck a foot.

[Tripplebeards]

I’ll have to check them out. I see a lot of cheapies on Amazon. I can hold back that 54 pounder at full extended draw for about 2 seconds at max before I let er fly.

[Tripplebeards]

Bear all weather rest on. I peeled off the velcro and reapplied along with cutting it down. Got out my knocking square. I'll set the knocks shortly and give my new rest and arrows a go.

[Tripplebeards]

Not the prettiest knocking points but they are rock solid. The metal knocks on the string would not stay put. The red gunk inside them wore out. That tells me the string is pretty old and I'll have to get one for it eventually. I couldn't find any dental floss around the house so I used some set line string that always phrase and comes apart. Finally found something it was good for. I separated one of the strands and used it to tie knocking points. I set the top one at 3/8 in as advised. The stuff is still thick even with one strand and you can see a knot where I melted it but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. They're solid as a rock in place.





I need to find an old style stick on bow sight now!!!!!! I'm getting excited!

[quilbilly]

I used thicker fishing rod winding thread for my knocking points and sealed it with clear nail polish. I made my knocking threads long enough that all three fingers were on the rod winding thread. Although all my old bows have fixtures for sights, I am getting back to basics and shooting gap method instinctive. It is very satisfying to shoot that way as well as fast. In shooting range "bottle cap" competitions at 15 meters timed, the guys with sights could only get half as many arrows off. I did those speed shoots at my club in Japan in those days and I usually won but when I went up against the Zen monk shooters at the temple using the same traditional Japanese long bows used in horseback archery, I didn't have a prayer.

[Tripplebeards]

Seems to be flying straight. I shot for a good hour straight again. Can't really shoot over 15 yards in the back yard.





Definitely getting deeper penatration and straight arrow flight vs the 2317. Getting use to holding the 54 pounds plus all the way back for a few seconds with long draw length. First couple shots I felt sore again. After that I was smooth sailing after stretching out my muscles from shooting. I use to shoot league for years with compound. Robin Hooded alot of arrows. It would take alot lighter recurve bow for me to get consistently accurate I'm guessing. A good 30 to 35 recurve will be in my future to just have some fun target practicing with. Just want something a little lighter I can hold back for a minute or two without fatigue.

[Hogtamer]

Wow, that appears to be a lot of brace height for a 54” bow. Should be about 7.5” from back of bow to string.

[Tripplebeards]

I never did measure it I’ll have to. I’m sure it’s the wrong string then. I never measured it after I strung it. I just been out having fun shooting.

[elmacgyver0]

My parents bought me a Bear Recurve back in the 60s it is #45 lb. I never did much with it as it was hard to pull back for me.
I made an arrow quiver for it from a kit Tandy and hand tooled it.
Still have the bow and quiver and a dozen wood shafted arrows, all but one arrow is still in new condition.
I tend to hang on to things and not use them.

[Tripplebeards]

Wow, that appears to be a lot of brace height for a 54” bow. Should be about 7.5” from back of bow to string.

It's 7.5"




The Nomad is only 54" so I am guessing it looks like a wider brace height than what it is.

[Tripplebeards]

My parents bought me a Bear Recurve back in the 60s it is #45 lb. I never did much with it as it was hard to pull back for me.
I made an arrow quiver for it from a kit Tandy and hand tooled it.
Still have the bow and quiver and a dozen wood shafted arrows, all but one arrow is still in new condition.
I tend to hang on to things and not use them.

We might have to horse trade if you decide you want to get rid of it!

[Tripplebeards]

I think the first two letters in my serial number are AE and not 4E because I can’t find them in the literature after 72 or 73. The first number of mine is a one so I’m guessing it was made in 71?