Do compound bows have serial numbers?

Compound bows have serial numbers attached to them to allow both the owner and manufacturer to distinguish between units of the same model. It is also for warranty, obtaining necessary information, insurance purposes, and a way to locate it quickly in case it gets stolen or lost.

In the manufacturing business, it is apparent that they mass-produce models and items with little to no variation.

For instance, Bear Archery produces probably hundreds or thousands of the same Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow models in the market, especially since it is one of the best models recognized by Amazon.

Therefore, it won’t be easy to trace every product without any indication that separates or makes it unique from the others. That’s why, like crossbows, compound bows have serial numbers assigned to them to help distinguish one item from the other for the convenience of both owner and manufacturer.

Serial numbers on compound bows are usually there to provide safety, assurance, and security. It can also be proof of ownership of the item. It may not look imperative at the moment, and you might wonder what it means for you as the compound bow’s owner.

Nevertheless, it only makes sense to delve deeper into how you can benefit from the serial number attached to your compound bow:

1. Warranty

Compound bows have a warranty, although the type of warranty may differ from one manufacturer to the other. Warranty can help you save money if you need to replace your compound bow for defects or if the benefit covers only certain parts.

Some provide a lifetime warranty on some parts with certain conditions; some only give off a warranty of not more than five years. Regardless of your compound bow’s warranty type, some manufacturers may require you to register your unit to guarantee the warranty.

Another thing to keep note is that there are instances that the warranty registration is only open in a limited time frame. Therefore, you better check with your manufacturer to ensure you wouldn’t lose such a benefit.

2. Obtaining necessary information

It may be necessary for you or the manufacturer to obtain the serial number of the compound bow in several circumstances. Here are a few of the scenarios that may require the need to provide the compound bow’s serial number:

• If your compound bow has defects as soon as you arrive home and you would like to ask for a refund or replacement, the manufacturer will ask for your compound bow’s serial number in case you don’t have an order number or official receipt.

It can help them track down your information and confirm your order so they can quickly help you with your request.

• If you plan to sell your compound bow on the market yet, you don’t remember all the information about the compound bow you are selling. The buyer may want to inquire about the compound bow’s age which you can know by looking up its serial number.

Please note that some manufacturers include the date the compound bow got manufactured, while some don’t. One way or another, serial numbers are an excellent reference for any information you want to gather about the compound bow unit.

3. Lost or stolen

Sometimes unfortunate circumstances happen, and getting a product stolen or lost is not unusual. Sadly, it does happen to a few compound bow owners.

That’s why it is crucial to have your compound bow unit’s serial number written or recorded beforehand, whether taking pictures of it, encoding it on your computer, or simply writing it on a piece of paper and safely kept. Serial numbers are vital information in filing a police report.

By providing the serial number of the stolen or lost compound bow to the police, you are helping them track down the unit fast. It also can help in narrowing down their search.

In the case of equipment found outside state borders or never reported, authorities may also search the manufacturer for your information using the serial number.

4. Insurance purposes

No matter how proactive your local police is, there are still instances that some items have little chance of recovery. As a result, getting your compound bow insured would be best to avoid suffering a total loss.

All you have to do is to provide the compound bow unit’s serial number to the insurance company to guarantee the policy. Given that compound bows can be an investment, knowing that most archers spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars for them, processing for insurance is the best option.

Therefore, determining your bow’s serial number is not something you should take for granted, knowing the benefits that await you from taking note of it. However, it is not always the case for some because others don’t see any serial numbers on their model.

Compound bows indeed have serial numbers, but it is also possible that there are some without one.

For instance, some had a serial number on their compound bow but got erased through normal wear and tear. On the other hand, some have no serial number directly attached to their unit.

The best option you can try is to contact the manufacturer and inquire what steps you must take to obtain your bow’s serial number. They will likely assist you, provided they all have the necessary data.

Where is the serial number on a compound bow?

There is no actual location where serial numbers are on a compound bow. Depending on the manufacturer, you can find it attached to various parts of the bow, such as but not limited to on the riser, lower limb, above the grip, and underneath the cable rod.

Pinpointing the exact location of the serial number on a compound bow can be challenging, especially since manufacturers don’t have to follow directions on where they should attach it to their products.

That’s why you can expect that the location of the serial number on a compound bow depends significantly on where the manufacturer deems fit. Hence, it is no longer surprising to find the serial numbers on various places of the compound bow, like on, above, or underneath the following parts:

• Riser
• Limbs
• Berger hole
• Grip
• Cable rod

Instead of scanning every part of your compound bow, it would be best to identify the manufacturer and then look up where they mainly place the serial number on their models.

Here is a table to help you look for the possible placement of your compound bow’s serial number, given that you were able to identify its manufacturer:

By first identifying your compound bow’s manufacturer, you will be able to save time from scanning every nook and cranny of the compound bow and ending up being unsure.

Moreover, it can also be in the form of a sticker, a tiny plate, or engraved on the bow. If the serial number is only a sticker, don’t forget to make a copy if it wears and detaches from the compound bow.

It is essential to know that some manufacturers, like Martin Archery, will tell you there is no way you can find the bow’s serial number if the sticker is gone.

What year is my compound bow?

You can determine the year of your compound bow by looking for the date stamp or patent marks. If neither is on the compound bow, look for its serial number and give it to the manufacturer so they can assist you and provide the compound bow’s year.

Understandably, you want to identify the year of manufacture of the compound bow you intend to purchase for use or some other reason. Whatever the reason, looking for the bow’s year can be easy or difficult, depending on some factors.

Sometimes it all depends on where the manufacturer decided to put it or whether the information you are looking for is no longer present in the bow.

Nevertheless, here are the general procedures you can follow to aid you in pinpointing the compound bow’s year:

1. Find the serial number stamp. You can find the year etched together on the serial number.
2. If any lines indicate the date of production, look for them. Compound bow manufacturers sometimes provide the date through an encoded serial number.

You can tell the compound bows year in less than a few minutes in two simple steps.

However, there are instances where the year of the compound bow is in a separate location. It means that there are serial numbers with no indicated date. The best thing to do in such a situation is to write down the serial number or take a picture of the stamp.

Send an email or message to the manufacturer with the serial number information and ask for a confirmation of the compound bow’s year of manufacture.

Regardless if there is a stamped date or not, you will be alright as long as you can provide the manufacturer with the compound bow’s serial number so they can help you know the age.

Enumerated below are some of the well-known bow manufacturers and how to find the date of their compound bow models:

1. Martin Archery

You can identify the compound bow unit’s production date by finding its serial number. The company uses a code similar to an automotive vehicle identification number: (VIN).

2. Mathews

You can find the date stamp on a Mathews compound bow where the serial number is also in place. Therefore, know first where Mathews put their serial numbers to spot the date stamp quickly.

3. Bear Bow

Compared to Martin Archery, determining the age of a bow made by Bear Bow can be pretty challenging because the company classifies the model by a series of different criteria, for example:

• Copper coins for bows made on 1959
• Aluminum coins for units between 1960 and 1961
• Pewters for those from 1962
• Brass coins for bows from 1963 to 1970
• Medallion coins for those from 1971 to 1972; and so on
4. PSE Archery

If you use a PSE Archery compound bow, you need to give them the serial number so they can access the information regarding the bow and tell you its model and year of production.

Finding the year of your compound bow is easy as long as you can locate and know its serial number.

The serial number is convenient when you need information about the compound bows, such as its year of production, warranty, and model. Always remember to make a copy of it in case it naturally wears, is stolen, or missing.