Bear/Black Bear riser/to Martin Limbs

[RickBarbee]

I was graced with the gift of an old "Bear Black Bear" compound bow this afternoon.

When I got home with it, I set out to warfing a set of "Martin Firecat" recurve limbs to the riser.

There are a couple of ways to do this:

(1) You can use a single pin alignment pin at center of the limb butts, and riser limb pads. In this case you will have to measure & drill both the riser & the limbs for the pin. This option gives you a direct bolt down system with no adjustment for tiller, or draw weight.

(2) Use the original Bear rocker ball system by removing it from the compound limbs, and reinstalling it on the recurve limbs. Doing it this way does allow for some tiller & draw weight adjustment, just like an ILF system.

I opted to go with option #2

[RickBarbee]

The Martin limbs have a limb rocker system just like the Bear rocker system, but the Bear system is wider set with the half rounds than the Martin system is.

This forces you to have to install the Bear system on the Martin limbs.

I just measured for alignment, drill the holes, and popped the Bear hardware into the limbs.

I did not epoxy these in place, but I recommend you do so.

[RickBarbee]

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[RickBarbee]

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[RickBarbee]

I also made some bushings for the limb bolts to tighten up the fit of the limb slot to the bolt.

I used a piece of 2216 arrow shaft inside of a piece of 2514 arrow shaft. It's still a little small for the limb slot, but with the rockers in proper alignment it works just fine.

[RickBarbee]

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[RickBarbee]

With both bolts bottomed out, the bow has exactly a 1/4" positive tiller. It was very easy to get it to an even tiller by backing out the bottom limb bolt a about 1.5 rounds.

These limbs on the 23" Martin Firecat riser were a 66" bow length & 50# at my 29.5" draw.

I've heard this bear riser called a 21", but it is actually a 20". The limbs on this riser make a 63" bow, and is 54# at my 29.5" draw.

Very nice shooting bow. I'm impressed. Here it is with a 20 yard group after some tuning, and figuring out a 20 yard string crawl.

[RickBarbee]

I know my drill holes weren't to clean, but they worked great, and this was all just to do some playing around, and show how easily it can be done.

As soon as I can afford them, I am going to adapt a set of Dalla ILF adapter plates to the riser, and make it a true 21" ILF.

Rick

[Dry Bones]

Really cool warf Rick. Congrats.

[Bisch]

Good work, Rick!

Bisch

[M.E.B.]

Nice!

[caughtandhobble]

Dang, that was quick. With it shooting that well, I'd leave it as is

[60 Deluxe]

Interesting mating. I have considered purchasing an old bow with a broken limb and using the riser as a basis for a takedown bow. I haven't seen one yet with enough meat on it at the fadeout to work.

Your mag riser reminds me of a pawn shop find here in San Angelo. I saw an old Bear 76er and went to check it out. The price tag was for several hundred dollars above what the 76ers are worth, which isn't much. I asked the clerk why the stupid high price on something worth $75. He said that it was a Bear takedown and they had looked it up before pricing the bow. It never dawned on me at the time that they had looked up a mag riser bow.

[Hunter Todd]

That is awesome Rick! Dang nice shooting too.