Vintage Browning Recurves

Stumpkiller · January 09, 2011, 10:56:00 PM

Outstanding! Thank your for the models & dates. I knew my 62" Explorer predated the 62" Explorer II and now I have a three year window.

Thanks a bunch

January 09, 2011, 11:12:00 PM

My first recurve was a Bear Kodiac Magnum.

After that I used two different Browning Nomad stalkers for several years. I always liked those bows.

January 09, 2011, 11:15:00 PM

oops

dick sable · January 10, 2011, 04:49:00 AM

Thanks for all the great info. Very interesting. Now, if I could only get the paint off to really see what I'm looking at. Does anyone think it would be worthwhile trying?
Dick

Jim Picarelli · January 10, 2011, 06:01:00 AM

It'll take a little elbow grease but you might have a nice looking bow underneath. This is my Nomad Stalker

cacciatore · January 10, 2011, 06:26:00 AM

I would like to find a LH Cobra or Safari,but they are hard to come.

Gator1 · January 10, 2011, 07:14:00 AM

Very good information.

Quite a line up, in fact, I need to find a mid 40lb wasp...

Great information Steve on the line up from Browning.

willob · January 10, 2011, 10:47:00 AM

I collect, shoot and hunt with Browning recurves. I just love the bows for the way they shoot and also the beautiful wood used. I tried to buy an unfinished handle from a cobra, a second from a guy on **** several years ago, but got out-bid. I talked with the guy selling the handle section and he said he used to work at the airport in San Diego where the Browning bows were made. He took the handle section out of the dumpster along with a couple of others and kept them in his garage for years because he thought the wood used was beautiful. So apparently, the Browning bows were made in San Diego for at least a few years. I wish someone that knew something about the history or knew someone that worked at Browning would write things down before all of the information is lost.

JamesV · January 10, 2011, 11:23:00 AM

I have a Browing Wasp takedown that was bought in 1986 for $125 new, 50 Lb, still shoots great. A production bow, not very pretty but a good shooter.

James.................

DannyBows · January 10, 2011, 04:18:00 PM

Jim, beautiful Nomad Stalker. I had one, great bow, but I sent it to the troops in Kandahar a few years back. I sold my Cobra 2 when I went all Longbow, but now I shoot recurves some again and wish I still had it.

Stumpkiller · January 10, 2011, 04:34:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Jim Picarelli:
It'll take a little elbow grease but you might have a nice looking bow underneath. This is my Nomad Stalker

Don't look so bad as it is!

Xavier · January 10, 2011, 04:59:00 PM

Thanks for the info. re ranges of years for different models - narrows down their age!

Brock · March 12, 2011, 08:16:00 AM

I was lucky enough to get a almost new quality Cobra II this past year for my wall...still hope to pick up an Explorer, Backpacker and maybe Safari.....then maybe another Cobra or Wasp to actually use for my turkey bow next year. Too many desires and not enough dollars...LOL

JJB · March 12, 2011, 08:36:00 AM

Great information here. Beatuiful looking bows. Jim, great looking bow as it is or a fun project if you want to touch it up a bit.

doubleo · March 12, 2011, 04:20:00 PM

Thanks Jacobsladder for posting all the neat info and line up of Browning bows. I had a LH Safari II 60" and 46#. I bought it used for 30 bucks and it was in very good shape.

It had a very pretty dark colored riser. Does anyone know what kind of wood was used in the riser? I'm still kicking myself for selling my first huntig bow.

jacobsladder · March 12, 2011, 06:10:00 PM

rosewood for sure...either east indian rosewood earlier models...or possibly brazilian rosewood later models.

moose eye levi · March 12, 2011, 07:01:00 PM

My vintage Browning wasp is in the top right hand corner of your screen (for now) with a nice doe I took this winter.

Hit-or-Miss · March 12, 2011, 10:51:00 PM

Those old Brownings are sweet shooting sticks! I love my old Explorer 2.

As far as the Morgan, Utah vs. San Diego, Cal debate... it appears that the bows may have been made at BOTH locations, at one point or another. I don't know why, but when the San Diego facility is mentioned, certain folks get up in arms and want to protest and debate, and some even doubt that Browning had a building in San Diego. For the life of me, why some people get so cranked up over this here, on other sites, and in archery store debates, I'll never understand. Browning bows are fine looking and shooting bows, no matter where they were made!

A 1967 issue of Bow and Arrow Magazine (which had a Browning Explorer 2 @ full draw on its cover), had an in depth feature article on Browning Archery and its new state of the art facility in San Diego, where some very fine looking recurves were built. In fact, the 2010 issue of Aug/Sept. Traditional Bowhunter, on page 70, has a photo of a Browning Explorer 2, with the aforementioned 1967 Bow and Arrow magazine with the Explorer 2 on its cover. Why would Bow and Arrow magazine print a story (with a cover shot) and photos about a bow factory that didn't exist...?

But if anyone still wants to believe that this is all cow-pie, and that the San Diego facilty never existed, I'll make you an offer; Any old Browning recurves you have and or locate, that were built after 1967, just in case they were built outside of Morgan, Utah..., just on the slim chance that the San Diego facility existed, and was not a drug induced, Hippie pipe dream... pack the bows up real nice and secure, and ship them to me! Why chance it, and who wants an old Browning recurve that wasn't built in Morgan, Utah...right???

Shawn Leonard · March 12, 2011, 11:01:00 PM

Great bows and great shooter, quick as most bows out there! Put a feather rest(radiused one) and for some reason makes them an even better shooter. I have owned several over the years! Shawn

jacobsladder · March 12, 2011, 11:17:00 PM

HIT OR MISS............I wouldnt be surprised at all to find out that some of the brownings were made it Sandiego...... The Gordon brothers of gordon glass had their facility in Sandiego...they had their own line of bows that browning bought out....... Im quite sure some of the brownings and gordon bows were built on the same forms..Here is some info.......

During these early years, Gordon Plastics, Inc. – as the company was known then – was housed in a small metal building on Banks Street in San Diego. During the early '60s their landlord built a new 12,000-square-foot facility that served them through 1975. This facility is where most of the initial R & D for today's technology took place.

During the '60s the brothers decided to sell the bow-making business. Since they were producing bows and also selling Bo-Tuff laminate to most of the other bow manufacturers, there seemed to be a conflict of interest with their archery customers. The Gordons decided to concentrate solely on producing high quality laminate for all bow manufacturers. They then sold the bow company to Browning Arms.