Trad Gang
Main Boards => Trad History/Collecting => Topic started by: eflanders on July 14, 2011, 11:50:00 PM
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I just inherited a Staghorn recurve bow and it is marked "XP 68". I know these bows were made in Merrill WI but I know little else about the maker and the quality of the bow.
I need to make up a string and put on a rest & pad for it before I can try shooting it. It is in what I would call "fair" shape in that the limbs aren't twisted but I believe it would benifit from a nice refinish job. But before I do a possible refinish job on it, are these considered collectible bows? How does one protect the original Staghorn label when refinishing?
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Louie and Celia Walter of Salem , Pennsylvania ran a bow shop from the late 1950's and hung it up in the later 1970's. They carried Staghorn bows as their "flagship" bow and Celia was a mid 1960's Pennsylvania state champion using a 28#er. Louie was many times heard saying...."a Staghorn bow will shoot rings around a Bear, any day of the week!". Now, I don't know if I personally agree with Louie's statement, but Staghorn bows are still heralded around this part of central Pa. as very good bows by the "old timers". Hard to argue with good results...just thought I'd share this. P.S.... even with that race proven pedigree....those bows still hang in the 125.00 to 150.00 catigory. Hope this helps...Jackdaw
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Right, I picked up a nice Staghorn a few weeks ago right here on TG, and it's a fine shooter. And it was very reasonably valued. I agree: better than any Kodiak? Naw! Better than some Kodiaks? Yeah, likely true. Would highly recommend a Staghorn as a shooter for someone who wants a little of both worlds: a collectible bow that will be respected by a lot of old hands, and which is also beautiful (lots of rosewood in these!), and a capable of killing whatever you're shooting at!
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XP 60-68:
"The most functionally perfect bow series we have ever designed. Four years in experimental,one year in field test, three years on the market from the cold of Alaska to the heat of South Africa, in 40# weight to 100# weight, no XP has broken or required service.
Maximum speed and limb efficiency, the stability of a tournament bow, minimum tendency toward limb twist, easy stringing, long enough to draw through 30".
Every technical achievement we have developed has been used in the XP to develop greater speed and hold stability. Lifetime guarentee."
These were usually made in 60 and 64. Yours is a bit later when Staghorn customers wanted XP performance in a longer bow. Nice find!
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Bowyer was Bill Pyle. Lots of folks think Staghorns are run of the mill bow such as Stemmler, Stottler, York, etc.
They are wrong. Bill Pyle made some fantastic bows. Most were not ornate and gorgeous, but they were some of the best shooting bows of their time.
They are reall collectors items.
Good find.