I recently acquired a short recurve bow (52", I think).  It has been painted with a very nice camo job. My preliminary research suggests that it is a Browning Nomad Stalker.  Shoots pretty well, and feels like probably 45-50#.  Might be a good bowfishing setup.  Does anyone have any info about the older Browning recurves?  I'm thinking it might be vitage late 60's or mid 70's. I saw an old advertisement from 1968 with a picture that lists it at $47.50.  Any tips on  the history of the bow would be appreciated.
Thanks, Dick

Good bows and nicely made.  They were designed by Harry Drake, a prominent flight shooter from the era.

Browning bought out gordon glass archery line in early 60's....Gordon is the developer and manufacturer of the glass used in most recrurves and compounds today. Gordon had a real nice line of recurves built in the 50s and early 60's... After Browning bought out their line, I believe they took along some of gordons bowyers and moved to Morgan Utah around 1963... Browning used some of the old Gordon forms, but also added bows that were designed by Harry Drake when he started working for Browning..Drake was well known for his limb design and flight shooting records. The old Gordon bows and some of the early brownings used multiple 5 or 6 skinny lams in their limbs...Browning later used less and thicker lams to save money. There are a bunch of beautiful bows ..Browning had some beautiful woods in their risers..... The explorers, safaris, and the little wasp were great shooters.... the 3 piece backpacker with belly mounted limbs is a cool little bow also...Drake also had a patent on a folding target and hunter bow.....This is not to mention their target line of bows that were also top notch in their day...

Most of the browning hunting line had a 1 series and 2 series...the 1 was the shorter and the 2 longer...for instance a explorer 1 was 56" and a explorer 2 was 62"...i believe there was a nomad stalker, a nomad stalker 1 and a nomad stalker 2..hope this helps.

Steven,

You have some beauties there and also some very interesting info which is much appreciated.    

I've had a few Brownings along the way and always liked them.  The WASP was one of the screamers in my stable.

I also thought they were made in Morgan, Utah, but I remember a debate here some time ago.  One TG member was sure they were only made in San Diego and never in Utah (which was Browning's headquarters).  

I am currently shooting a Wasp, marked #51 - 0T1457 - 56 AMO. (actually shoots #46.5).
I have never read any info on dating these from the serial #.
Does anyone know how to date these bows?
it is a blast to shoot!
Soon i will shoot an Explorer II - after I refinish it.

Blackhawk...i do own most of these bows..but the ones in the pics arent mine  

Xavier.... i don't think there is a sure way of dating the brownings..... there are a few folks that should get you close though.... george stoudt, droptine (rich), and a few others.

I have a Browning Wasp, which I use mostly for bowfishing, but it would also serve well as a backup bow, if it were ever called upon to do so. It shoots very hard too, I might add.

I have a Browning Wasp marked 50+ on the riser, near as I can tell about 53#

I really like the Brownings, good shooters, beautiful woods. My favorite is the Cobra 2.

Danny,
 I have one of those Cobra 2's and it has black limbs with black and white limb tips...It's a shame it just sits in the stable..I took a few pics of it this week and may load them once I figure the photobucket thing out...

Right on Jocobsladder,that was a great lesson.Ive always wanted one of the cobras.They just looked cool.

Chanumpa..... both cobras are great little bows...if you draw over 28" lean towards the 58"  cobra II  

I have a 52#@28" Browning Explorer (62" but the decal just says "Explorer") and it is a favorite of mine.  Spits out a arrow with authority.

I haven't come across a timeline of models and serial numbers.

SAFARI 54" 1963-65
EXPLORER 62" 1963-66
SAFARI I 54" SAFARI II 60" 1966-1971
EXPLORER I 56" EXPLORER II 62" 1967-71
COBRA 50" 1969
COBRA I 50" COBRA II 58" 1970-75
FURY I 54" FURY II 60" 1972-75
BACKPACKER I TAKE-DOWN 1972-75

THE FOLLOWING ARE CHEAPER MODELS
NOMAD 54" 1963-1965
NOMAD I 54" NOMAD II 60" 1966-1975
NOMAD STALKER 52" 1970-71
NOMAD STALKER I 52" NOMAD STALKER II 58" 1971-1975.
WASP 56" 1970-1975.

Here's the 1968 line up.....

Appreciate the listing jacobsladder,,I have a 50x Wasp I picked up last spring just to try,,heck of a bow actually, plain jane as far as the wood goes. Browning made some beautiful risers in their upper end bows and they don't seem to command a lot of $'s for such good shooters.