PowerBilt Citation Model 7292 Loft and Lie Specs in 1972

[fergytheprop]

I am trying to find out some original loft and lie specs for a 1972 set of Powerbilt Citation Model 7292 irons and hoped someone may be able to assist.

 

I have a copy of the historical catalog but it makes no mention of loft and lie specs only length of club.

 

I would appreciate any help as I am restoring the clubs and would like the loft to be on the original factory spec. I regularly play with vintage clubs and find that modern clubs as I enjoy the challenge of shaping the shot to the situation in front of you. Not that I achieve the end result I intend regularly but you can but try.

[birly-shirly]

1973 specs were 20* 2 iron and 4* increments right through to PW and then a 58* SW.

Lies were 57* 2 iron and 1* increments to a max of 64* for 9 iron and wedges.

 

Those lies assumed a 38.5" 2 iron, half-inch increments and 9 iron and wedges all at 35".

[oldschoolrocker]

Let's see a pic of those '72s fergy

[fergytheprop]

Let's see a pic of those '72s fergy

 

Here they are as is not polished yet just had a try on the 8 iron with the paintfill, I think the colours are correct though I did wonder if the number should be black.

 

Lofts do need to be sorted as gaping is all over should get that done next week.

 

I did not realize till I got these that they have a V sole on the bottom, as my father always told me unless they invent new material you can always find revolutionary ideas in the museum. So I guess someone at the Ben Hogan company played PowerBilts in the past as they now have a V-Sole on their latest irons.

[Swingingk]

I've got 3-PI sets of both Levelumes and a Grand Slams from the same era. Both are very similar to each other. I measured them and they averaged out to the below specs. When I say "averaged" I mean that I corrected any errors I found and moved any suspect loft or lie to its apparent correct number. I'm only talking about the odd tweak here or there:

 

3=24 loft x 59 lie

4=27 x 59

5=31 x 60

6=35 x 61

7=39 x 62

8=43 x 63

9=47 x 65

P=51 x 66

 

I would guess they are approximately the same specs as your Citations. I've noticed Power-Bilt iron lofts of this era are usually spaced by 3 degrees up to the 5 iron then 4 degrees from there. This is just a casual observation though so take it as you will.

 

You have a very nice set there BTW.

 

[NRJyzr]

I don't know how much help this would be, but here goes nothing :)

 

Years ago, I'd acquired a set of Powerbilt Scotch Blades 2276, they are the 1976-77 model. On a lark, I sent an email to Powerbilt about specs, and they responded with the official specs for this set. Which were more than a bit odd. :)

 

I didn't pay attention to std lie angles, since I would have been changing them to suit me, but here are the lofts they gave me:

 

2 - 20°

3 - 24°

4 - 28°

5 - 32°

6 - 35°

7 - 38°

8 - 41°

9 - 44°

P - 50°

 

They're kind of goofy, but I think it shows a hint that the early 70s clubs might be close to the 20° 2i to 52° PW. That's how I'd go with them...

[birly-shirly]

Those specs actually make perfect sense... if you think you can impress a potential buyer with the distance their 7 or 8 iron goes but don't want to render the long irons unhittable

[NRJyzr]

Birly, I don't know if I'd say "perfect sense," but it's easy to see what they're trying to do. ;)

 

If I'd used them, I'd probably have tweaked them to 3½° gaps in those 6-9 irons to get them about that distance from the PW. Or just go 20-52, but that would require a 4° bend on the 9 iron. That's where I start to get twitchy.

[Rotashark]

I have an old set of Hogan Apex 1972 

2 iron 20                                     Vs New Ping G425

3 iron 24

4 iron 28                                      20.5

5 iron 32                                      23.5 

6 iron 36                                      26.5

7 iron 40                                      30.0

8 iron 44                                      34.5

9 iron 48                                      38.5

PW 52                                          44.5

SW 56                   Utility Wegde 49.5

                               Sandwedge 54

                               Lob Wedge  58

 

I think these new lofts have gone a bit far.   All this new technology claiming to go further.  Heck the new Ping wedge is like an old 8 iron.  Of course they go further  

[Wade Patton]

Thanks for the numbers. I had wondered as I'm stuck in vintage mode.

 

[MrFlipper]

12 minutes ago, Wade Patton said:

Thanks for the numbers. I had wondered as I'm stuck in vintage mode.

 

 

I would suggest those numbers quoted above for the Hogans are inaccurate. Original lofts for Hogans from at least first bounce soles (maybe earlier) to at least redlines (maybe later) were pretty consistent over the years

 

3 iron 23.0

4 iron 26.5

5 iron 30.0

6 iron 33.5

7 iron 37.0

8 iron 41.0

9 iron 45.0

Equalizer 50.0 (at least mine) (have seen 51.5 quoted but I haven't seen it in nature)(redlines dropped to 49.0)

 

You have some round soles, right? Me, too. Lofts are as I've noted above.

 

Other OEM's may be different. As stated earlier in this thread, the 4° between clubs was pretty common but certainly not for all. Look for some threads on specific manufacturers if you want some specifics.

 

Welcome down the rabbit hole lol

[Wade Patton]

Yes I've not checked any of my clubs but now have 2 sets of Wilsons (80's), 3 Hogans (71/78/84), 2 Hagans, a Palmer (85), and a Greentree in route from Scotland. As I was hitting most of the 8 irons yesterday the Palmer seemed a bit strong, especially compared to the Round Sole.  But I didn't have the 78 Apex or PC's with me for another Hogan comparison.  I should check them all, but at this point (in my collecting and game) it's much more about finding the agreeable shafts and best grips than mapping lofts or distances.  The interesting thing here was the comparison to a modern set, of which I have none for head to head comparisons. But I'm having a lot of fun with vintage gear so it's just a curiosity with regard to the modern clubs.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Wade Patton
I didn't get it right the first time.

[Hickory4ever]

2 hours ago, Wade Patton said:

Yes I've not checked any of my clubs but now have 2 sets of Wilsons (80's), 3 Hogans (71/78/84), 2 Hagans, a Palmer (85), and a Greentree in route from Scotland. As I was hitting most of the 8 irons yesterday the Palmer seemed a bit strong, especially compared to the Round Sole.  But I didn't have the 78 Apex or PC's with me for another Hogan comparison.  I should check them all, but at this point (in my collecting and game) it's much more about finding the agreeable shafts and best grips than mapping lofts or distances.  The interesting thing here was the comparison to a modern set, of which I have none for head to head comparisons. But I'm having a lot of fun with vintage gear so it's just a curiosity with regard to the modern clubs.

Having played clubs from the hickory era to the present, assuming that the shaft flex is ok for your swing, loft for loft you are not going to see great differences. Some clubs will be more playable based on design characteristics (ie COG) but there will not be great differences in distance.

 

In season, I play several different eras of clubs on a weekly basis. If I know the lofts, adjusting to different sets is relatively easy. I personally would not learn much by comparing 8 irons or any other iron. I take the set out and play them, best way to get the feel of a given set IMHO.

 

Every guy that I introduce to hickory clubs is surprised at the distances that they hit their irons once loft is taken into account. The woods are of course a different animal.

[Wade Patton]

Thanks for the info. More about my state of being: I've gone from one set to nine in a very short time and rather enjoyed trying out the same numbered club from each set. Being all from early 70's through mid 80's I don't expect much in the way of loft differences. It turned out to be a test of shafts and grips.  One shaft really stood out to the negative and one I loved and the rest worked well enough. I'm testing to see which sets get re-gripped first, or ever. Once that's sorted I'll be free to game full sets each and enjoy them that way.  I've got way more golf to do than time to do it in, but I'm having fun.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Wade Patton
didn't get it right the first time.