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Setting up this old Browning Nomad..

MattMan81

MattMan81

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So I still have this only browning Nomad sitting around. I am thinking about giving it to my friend's son who is about to turn 16. He has some interest in hunting. But his dad isn't much of a hunter. So trying to see if I can fan that flame a little by giving him that bow. But it needs a little work to make it shoot. So I am asking you guys for some advice.
1. If tuned up right and shooting strait. This thing should kill deer right? I hunted with it once upon a time. Never killed anything. Hit a buck but got zero penetration. Low FOC, and probably not tuned right.
2. Any concerns over the metal cable that are on the cam side? The main string was replaced. But I believe it has a steel or SS cable for the cams. Coated. Bow has been in a closet for the last 18+ years. Don't see any signs of rust.
3. There was a plastic washer that use to go around the limb bolts. They cracked when I was using it. I put a metal washer on there to spread the weight back in the day. Should I look for something different? Or stay with that?
4. I don't see any cracks in the laminated limbs. Should I be worried about the age of it?
5. I have the old aluminum arrows I use to shoot. They are the 2117s. Seem pretty soft. I would try shooting then through paper and see what they look like.
6. Does it all seem worth the time? Or should I just pitch the stupid thing? Could be a lot of time screwing around for nothing. I haven't added up what the costs would be yet. Depends on what I have sitting around to use.
Thoughts? Talk me in or out.
 
My first ever compound bow was one of these or very similar. I got it from my parents for Christmas. With the wood limbs, as long as it was turned down during storage it should be fine. I would adjust the tiller, check the poundage and draw length and see how it shoots. A lot of people hunted with bows like that from Browning, Bear, Darton etc. I wanted a Browning because my middle school science teacher and wrestling coach was an avid bowhunter and the only person I knew at the time who bowhunted and was successful. He shot a four-wheel Browning Accelerator (I believe it was called) for years and took quite a few deer with it. He used wood arrows he made himself (port orford cedar) big huge orange turkey feathers four fletch he bought them whole size and burned them with a Young burner, he used 125 glue on Bodkin broadheads his arrows were works of art. He just made sure the tiller was even or the bottom limb was in about 1/8" from the top, used a stick on flipper rest and a berger button. That bow isn't center shot so you'll have to tune it like a recurve to some extent by adjusting your point wieght until you get good flight. We always shot them with fingers and I would just tune for great groups and be done with it. You could probably shoot a release and have a lighter less stiff arrow so you could get a bit more speed out of it if you wanted. What's the max draw weight on it? I know mine was 50lbs. and that little cam provided about 50% let off.
 
woodsdog2 said:
My first ever compound bow was one of these or very similar. I got it from my parents for Christmas. With the wood limbs, as long as it was turned down during storage it should be fine. I would adjust the tiller, check the poundage and draw length and see how it shoots. A lot of people hunted with bows like that from Browning, Bear, Darton etc. I wanted a Browning because my middle school science teacher and wrestling coach was an avid bowhunter and the only person I knew at the time who bowhunted and was successful. He shot a four-wheel Browning Accelerator (I believe it was called) for years and took quite a few deer with it. He used wood arrows he made himself (port orford cedar) big huge orange turkey feathers four fletch he bought them whole size and burned them with a Young burner, he used 125 glue on Bodkin broadheads his arrows were works of art. He just made sure the tiller was even or the bottom limb was in about 1/8" from the top, used a stick on flipper rest and a berger button. That bow isn't center shot so you'll have to tune it like a recurve to some extent by adjusting your point wieght until you get good flight. We always shot them with fingers and I would just tune for great groups and be done with it. You could probably shoot a release and have a lighter less stiff arrow so you could get a bit more speed out of it if you wanted. What's the max draw weight on it? I know mine was 50lbs. and that little cam provided about 50% let off.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a sweet set up. almost seems harder to do than a recurve. Would you think the cams add a layer of difficulty vs a normal trade?
It Says 50lbs pre set. 60max.. If I remember correctly once upon a time it was like 53-54 lb draw maxed out. Not sure what it is now.
Question is can I find parts to do it cheaper than a used RTH package.
 
MattMan81 said:
That sounds like a sweet set up. almost seems harder to do than a recurve. Would you think the cams add a layer of difficulty vs a normal trade?
It Says 50lbs pre set. 60max.. If I remember correctly once upon a time it was like 53-54 lb draw maxed out. Not sure what it is now.
Question is can I find parts to do it cheaper than a used RTH package.
Click to expand...
Not sure what parts you need?? Besides an arrow rest of some kind and a sight. I wouldn't go putting a lot of money into it. You may have some string stretch hence it not being able to reach its original max draw weight of 60lbs. One thing about those steel cables, they don't stretch and honestly, they were not a bad idea because they didn't stretch but they are heavier than the modern synthetics. And aircraft use them for decades because of their durability. Depending on the string condition you could get a new dacron string for it.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Not sure what parts you need?? Besides an arrow rest of some kind and a sight. I wouldn't go putting a lot of money into it. You may have some string stretch hence it not being able to reach its original max draw weight of 60lbs. One thing about those steel cables, they don't stretch and honestly, they were not a bad idea because they didn't stretch but they are heavier than the modern synthetics. And aircraft use them for decades because of their durability. Depending on the string condition you could get a new dacron string for it.
Click to expand...
I stopped using it when I went to get a new string, and the guy told me it had a shorter string put on to shorten the draw length. I walked out with a new bow..
But I just checked. I got a rest to put on it, and an old sight. Just need some screws for the sight. The insert for rest is loose.. so looks like I gotta push that out, and put it back with some gorilla glue I think. Either way. I think I got something going here.
 
After he shoots this bad boy and if a lefty, I may have a bow for him. LMK.
 
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