Trad Gang
Main Boards => Trad History/Collecting => Topic started by: 69RECURVE on July 06, 2010, 09:06:00 PM
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I have been fortunate enough to collect the Kodiaks from 61-66. As I look at them on the wall I wonder what technically seperates these from year to year. I mean the 61 & 62 look real similar. The 63 is truly unique but the 65 & 66 again look real similar and if you look hard enough the 64 sure does look like the 65 &66.
You know the claims that this years so & so is better because of this.
As I read through the advertising of these bows from 61-66. The only thing ever specifaclly mentioned is in the 62 where the claim is that the bow is 135% stonger & all new Bear glass.
Then in 66 the mention of a crowned arrow rest. So basically there is no specific mention that one year was better because of whatever, see what I mean?
Need the historians help here what do you all think?
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Great questions, anxious to learn the answeres!
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65 and 66 are pretty much the same bow but if you set your 64 on top of them you will see a different limb angle. It isn't much but it will probably shoot a little quicker, mine does. Don't know much about the 61 or 62.
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hummmmmmmmm good ? Mike is correct about a slight difference in the 64 limb and the set back of the risers were also changed.However please note Bear Archery had at least 48 forms.Of those 48 forms I personaly do not believe they were all the same which could make a different limb curve from one bow to the next.1965 was the grandaady of our beloved Super Kodiaks and yes 1964 is pretty darn near a 1965 bd
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I have the '64, '66, '69 and owned a '70 for a time. Other than the fact that the '66 is a heavier draw wt I'm not sure I can say I prefer one over the other. In fairness the '66 was altered by BD to a "Fred's Grip" and it looks like he trimmed down the tips for a thinner look. I did the same to the phenolic '69 so these two aren't quite factory in either grip or tips. As has been stated, this is all subjective. :dunno:
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Here again one persons opinion is completely different than anothers' so it's hard to draw hard conclusions on these opinions. Of the ones mentioned the only one's I don't own are the '61 and '63.
As far as shooting qualities I don't agree with a couple of posters especially about the '66. I seem to prefer a little more mass weight and the '66 had it along with a beefier grip. Both of these features make the '66 the more stable shooter of all of my Kodiaks. It ironically is the quietest and I use no string silencers on it.
That said they all shoot well and I'd be hard pressed to name a favorite since mine are all different weights from 45# to 50# so they all shoot differently.
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I agree with Grant's observation about changing limb and riser length and compromising a smooth draw for speed and stability, For me, the 1959 and 1960 are about as pleasant as it gets when it comes to shooting qualities.
Any of the tests that I did, and saw done by others, gave a slight edge to the '62 when it comes to flat out arrow speed, (comparing the 1959-1964 bows). In fact if you put an HPME string on a 1962 Kodiak it performs pretty much right up there with today's recurves.
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I have 63 through 68, and a 59
In my opinion the best shooting order is
64, 59, 63, 65, 66, 67.5, 68.
As far as shooting, they went downhill with the Super Kodiaks.
TYhere are some strong opinions on to if the 59 or the 64 is the best Shooter ever in Bear hunting bpws.