Are you looking for an easy way to sight in a bow? Are you looking for a simplified guide with clear tips on how to sight in a bow without shooting it? There is no need to worry since this guide will provide you with everything you need to learn how to do it right.
For successful archery or hunting, use the best way to sight in a bow if you want to hit your target or prey. To fully understand how archery works, you need to know an easy way to sight in a bow. You may be new to archery and therefore wondering how it all works. Regardless of the type that you buy, you should learn how to use it right. Here is how to set up and use sights on your bow.
To begin, you need to set all the sighting pin adjustments to their midpoint using a bow center shot alignment tool. By doing so, you will create a maximum room for adjustments I’m each direction as required. For a more convenient adjustment of the sighting pins, you will need an Allen wrench.
The sights come in different types which you must be well understood by any user. One way to understand the different types is through determining whether it is a single pin or multi-pinned sight. There is not much to worry about as a new user of both of these two types of sights.
Top Pin Setting
For both open field and timber, sighting at 20 yards is the most common top pin setting. It is important to be cautious and to ensure that the environment in which you are shooting is safe. You need to be aware of both your target and beyond. This will increase not only the accuracy of your sighting but also the safety of the whole process.
Sighting in a bow at 20 yards
When you have a clear or good understanding of how your bow, arrows and sight setup will perform, then you can make accurate and precise shots with the 20-yard pin. Remember, each pin is designed for certain yardage. The three-pin setup is designated for 20, 30, and 40 yards.
Most compound bows these days are swift enough to make you see a minimal difference in arrow trajectory between 10 to 20 yards thanks to compound bow sight distances. In that case, pin 1 is normally set at 20 yards, and can also serve for 10 to 25-yard distances.
You may be some inches low when making a 25-yard shot. Similarly, you can be a few inches high for a 10-yard shot when using the 20-yard pin. So, when sighting in at 20 yards, move the pins downwards then focus precisely on the 20-yard pin.
That is when you can go ahead and shoot at your target when you have confirmed that it is safe to do so.
Single Pin Sights
The single sights have one aiming pin. To change the pin, you have to adjust a couple of dials simply to compensate for different distances. Most archers or hunters prefer the single pin sights instead of multi-pinned ones for the obvious reason; simplicity.
The single pin bow indeed sights simpler to use and to operate. Unlike many of their multi-pinned counterparts, the single pin bow sights boast highly uncluttered sight pictures. As a result, you can see your target as clearly as possible.
Another advantage that single pin sights have as compared to multi-pin sights is that it prevents you from accidentally or unintentionally shooting the wrong pin, which has been a major source of frustration for most hunters and archers.
To shoot a still target with a single pinned bow, you can dial in the exact yardage that you want to shoot. However, this will have to change when shooting a moving target.
Sighting In a Single Pin Sight
First of all, you have to decide or settle on the distance of the yardage that you would want to set up your sighting for. You can begin by setting the sight for 20 or 25 yards. Walk to the distance away from the target. You can use a range finder for this or you can depend on the already accurately measured distance from the target.
To adjust the sight, you need to shoot three arrows as a test. Aim accurately at the middle of your target, take your time and shoot carefully. Repeat the same process with two other arrows that are the same as the first one, aiming and shooting at the same target. They are supposed to group very closely together.
If the arrows group pretty closely together, remove them and this time aim at the center of the target and shoot carefully with just one single arrow. You should adjust the sight to the single arrow you fired.
Which means if the arrow went to the left side upwards, you adjust the sight to the left and upwards. If it went to the left side downwards, you adjust it to the left side downwards.
Most likely, you will have to adjust the sight both vertically and horizontally. Which means if the shot hits above and to the right, then that is exactly where you need to adjust to.
However, if the arrows are not grouping well together, it may mean you are off with your shooting. It may also mean that there is something wrong with one of your arrows. If the latter is the case, you will have to check the arrow to determine what the problem is.
View through the sighting device aiming directly at the center of your target just like before, keep your bow still, and adjust the sighting towards where the arrow that you had just shot is on target. This is how to adjust archery sights until the arrow is exactly where the sight is aiming.
At this moment, you can remove the arrow, also known as the missed arrow, from the target. Then move back to the distance you had chosen, aim at the center of the target and shoot another arrow directly in the middle of the target. This time, the shot will be pretty close. In case it needs tweaking, you should repeat the process above until the bow sight is accurately lined up for the chosen yardage.
Multi-Pinned Sights
On the other hand, multi-pinned sights have between three to five aiming pins. For this kind of archery sights, you must set them up carefully before you go out into the field.
The multi-pinned sights are also referred to asfixed-pin sights. It is a name that is derived from the fact that after the pins are initially set up, they become difficult to move or adjust.
When setting up or sighting through the multi-pinned sights, it requires you to carefully adjust the 3 pin bow sight distances when the setup is completed and the sight is ready for use.
Sighting In a Bow with 3 Pins
With the sighting pin adjustments at their midpoint, set up a durable archery target capable of taking lots of shots that it would take to sight-in a multi-pin sight and get the pins sighted accurately. You also need to understand how to sight in a compound bow 3 pin. In this case, use a range finder to mark the ground at an interval of 10 yards up to 50 yards away.
While standing at the 10-yard mark, aim the top pin directly at the middle of the target. Carefully aim and shoot three of same arrows one at a time. Follow the misses by adjusting the sighting device in the direction and position of the missed arrow. You should then repeat this process until when you make the next shots, the arrows go in line with where you are aiming.
For 20 yards sighting, move to the 20-yard mark and repeat the steps above. You may need to raise the sight box. Again, you repeat the steps until the arrows you shoot to go in line with the point that you are aiming at. You are required to make adjustments both horizontally you need to know how to adjust bow sights left and right.
Using the second pin this time, sight in for 30 yardages. Move to the 30-yard mark and shoot the arrows at your target. Follow the misses, make the necessary vertical adjustments just like before and move the sight box until maximum accuracy is achieved.
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For the 40 yards bow sighting in, you will use the third aiming pin on the sighting device. Stage yourself at the 40-yard mark and shoot three arrows at the middle of the target one at a time. Take your time and aim well before shooting them one at a time.
Unlike in the previous yardages, when you correct the arrows that have hit too low or too high, you adjust the actual pin and not the sight box. Use an Allen wrench for the adjustment. Similarly, and for the same reason, if the arrows hit off vertically, you cannot adjust for it right now. To make the vertical corrections, you have to move back to the 30-yard mark.
Final Verdict
To complete the process, you have to return to 20-yard mark then shoot 3 arrows from the distance again. An off sight here is adjusted at the pin with an Allen wrench and not at the sight box. That way, the sight will have been accurately set up for the compound bow sight distances.