Talk to me about the New Fred Bear takedowns

Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
848
I have an opportunity to purchase a new Fred Bear takedown recurve at what I think is a pretty good price. It is my uncle's bow, he bought it last year brand new, but shoulder injuries have kept him from shooting it much so he wants rid of it. He said he would sell me the bow, extra string, hard case and soft case he got for it, and 1 dozen arrows he built for it for $700. The bow comes with 50# limbs. I see the new ones run about $8-850. Are these bows worth the money? Or are they just overpriced due to the name? I really want a good recurve to start playing around with. I have two older recurves (an old Darton and a very old Fred Bear) that I have messed with off and on for years.

I know the bow has been well taken care of, my uncle is a fanatic when it comes to archery equipment, and I know the arrows he built for shoot very well, because I have shot with him and they fly like darts out to 40 yds.
 

bobinmi

WKR
Joined
Aug 31, 2016
Messages
483
Location
Michigan
I'll go out on a limb here. I think that bear bows have been living on their history for a long time. They are very overpriced in my mind. If you want a recurve to play around with you would be worlds ahead to go with something cheap like a samick sage with 35lb limbs to learn on and jump into a higher end bow with hunting weight limbs if you decide that its for you. This all depends on what he is asking for it. If he is asking sub 400 then go for it.
 

PredatorX

WKR
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
789
I would never pay that much for a newer Bear recurve. The post above originates from Michigan. If a michigan boy is saying Bear is overpriced, you had better listen. :D
 

R H Clark

FNG
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Messages
87
Location
Alabama
I am thinking $700 is pretty high too. You can buy a lot of bow on the used market for $700. If you had shot every big name bow out there and knew for sure that you liked this Bear better, then it might be a good deal for you. I wouldn't however jump into hardly any used bow without a lot of experience with it and other bows for that kind of money. I might for a nearly new Black Widow with exotic woods, or maybe a Blacktail, but only because I know I could resale for even more fast.

I don't doubt what your Uncle gave for it but I would know what it would bring on the used market for sure and only buy it for slightly less, if at all.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
3,158
He's your uncle. One owner bow. You know how he takes care of things. It's not an outrageous price for that bow, even though it's not a steal. You're basically buying an almost-new bow with a proven history. All bow brands are subject to plenty of like-dislike arguments, but I would personally have NO problem buying a new Bear TD and counting on it to do what I want. There are an infinite number of bows you could buy, from $150 to $1500. $700 is solidly in the middle and you also know those arrows will fly correctly as you learn. Good arrows are at least $125 a dozen if not much more. Value the cases accordingly. Easy to ignore the accessories, but they are things you'd need to buy and they don't come cheap or free. If the bow looks 100%, shoots great and you like it, I would buy it post-haste and get shooting!
 

Crippledsledge64

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Messages
207
Location
South East Idaho
As a Michigander myself I agree with Bob in terms of bear quality not being what it used to (maybe its that Florida manufacturing). That being said I don't think they're bad bows and my next one will probably be either a new bear kodiak 59 or a custom that looks like it. I think Kevin has it right in that there's more going on here than just the price. If your uncle treats his stuff well and you like the bow go for it, i'm sure he'll sell it for that price somewhere else if not. Otherwise there are other decent bows out there for that price. I've hear good stuff about timber creek hybrids too as well as some custom bows.
 
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