Sighting my bow in...or Missed it by THAT MUCH!

[Patronus]

So, I'm new to bow hunting. Traded into a (I think) nice bow recently. I have a 4 or so year old Matthews Outback with a drop-free arrow rest some nice Easton arrow with mechanical broadheads and I put a Tru-Glo 4 pin sight setup on it. Bought me a release(never used one before) and a finger-tip rig. That thing doesn't work with this bow. Can't fit 3 fingers on the string with it drawn. So I learned how to use the release without tripping over it, whacking myself in the head(or other places) when it swings all over, etc.

So here we go. I set my target 11 paces(I figger it's 10 yards) out and aim my bottom pin at it. Ten minutes later I find the arrow where it ricocheted into the weeds. Go back inside and pull up a "How to" video on youtube...TOP PIN! got it. Back outside, still hitting low. lower bracket...still low...lower bracket all the way. OK just a little low. Make adjustment to pin. POW! bullseye! Now if the deer will only come to 10 yards and stop broadside.

Move target to 20 yards. slightly low. move top pin up a tad...perfect. Move target to 40 yards. Second pin hits low but no room to move it much so try 3rd pin. still not quite high enough so 4th pin at lowest possible position. Bullseye. Ruh Roh.

OK, who NEEDS 4 pins eh? So I take out one of the middle pins and feel pretty good. Shoot at 40 with bottom pin and just like Robin Hood, right dead center. IMA Archery GOD!

Whut about 50, 60, + yards? Hmmm... well if I turn this bracket over so it sayd Tru Glo if you look upside down it, and then flip the ring to the other side like this and re-thread the fiber optics thru the other side like so...viola! It's lower. Now I should be able to re-sight and get a pin set to 60 yards.

Shoot at 20 yards...ok I got cockey... WOW...even after hitting the ground them dang arrows cover some terrain...5 minutes to find it and try again. Back to ten yards. High and right. Loosen up the windage screw...where's the screw? CRAP!!! When I put it back together I dind't tighten the windage screw after sliding the ring back on the windage rail. So, I finally found the screw...but the nut is gone, gone, gone.

Maybe Monday will be a better day.


SIGH

 

[tlw1179]

I'd say you are pushing it a little at 60 yrds , that aarow has lost alot of momentum at 60 . I have mine at 15 30 45 i was always high or a little low never left or right and it worked out the best for me, 55 i can consistently hit yellow and occasionally red

 

[Patronus]

I'd say you are pushing it a little at 60 yrds , that aarow has lost alot of momentum at 60 . I have mine at 15 30 45 i was always high or a little low never left or right and it worked out the best for me, 55 i can consistently hit yellow and occasionally red

LOL! I never got to the 60 yards yet. May not even try again but I have 3 pins left...seems silly not to use them. Maybe the 15/30/45 is a good range set. Thanks for the tip. As for windage, well the problem was that to invert the bracket I had to take the whole sight rin off of the windage slide. When I put it back it was not aligned right and the screw was loose so it wasn't locked in any way. When I first started I was really pleased with the windage but after monkeying with it...not so much

 

[glock27]

I have 3 pins 20,30,40

 

[blazedawg87]

I run a 5 pin set up, 10,20,25,30,40

 

[bowdoc]

When sighting in a new bow the first thing I would do is make sure the arrow is level on the rest when nocked to the string. Then try to line up the pins (left, right adjustment) with the string. Next, put the sight up and down adjustment in the middle or slightly lower than middle, and move all pins down out of the way except one, the top pin. Stand at 10 yards and get the top pin close to dead on then move out to 20 yards. You want the top pin dead on at 20 yards. Move the 2nd pin up just below the top pin and aim a little low at 20 yards to get an idea where you will be at 30 yards. sight the 2nd pin in at 30, do the same for 40 yards. If you run out of room on the pins to go lower, your peep sight might need moving up. That will move the pins up.. Remember, if the arrow hit low, move the pin down. Same for up, if it hits high move pin up. Left and right works the same, if arrow is hitting left, move pin to the left. If all else fails, see your local Pro shop for help.

 

[Patronus]

When sighting in a new bow the first thing I would do is make sure the arrow is level on the rest when nocked to the string. Then try to line up the pins (left, right adjustment) with the string. Next, put the sight up and down adjustment in the middle or slightly lower than middle, and move all pins down out of the way except one, the top pin. Stand at 10 yards and get the top pin close to dead on then move out to 20 yards. You want the top pin dead on at 20 yards. Move the 2nd pin up just below the top pin and aim a little low at 20 yards to get an idea where you will be at 30 yards. sight the 2nd pin in at 30, do the same for 40 yards. If you run out of room on the pins to go lower, your peep sight might need moving up. That will move the pins up.. Remember, if the arrow hit low, move the pin down. Same for up, if it hits high move pin up. Left and right works the same, if arrow is hitting left, move pin to the left. If all else fails, see your local Pro shop for help.

ALl that info is great. It not only supports what I saw online but it also fills in a few things. Thanks.

Only thing I would have to say I couldn't readily do is verify that the arrow is level on the rest. When the string is at rest the arrow sits on the fixed rest but when you draw the string the drop-out rest raises up, bringing the arrow(I think) level with the nock. I will be seeing my local shop tomorrow...to see if they have a spare hex nut to replace the one I lost.

Also, the left/right alignment was great before I took the pin ring off of the windage rail. When I put it back I didn't get it centered right.

I'm also not sure I like the idea of having 2 different brand of arrows. I wonder if I need to stay with all identical shafts and heads for consistensy or if the difference is so little as to be irrelevant.

 

[144P&Y]

I have 20-40&60 yard pins,but I'm pulling 75lbs on a perfectly tuned bow.Farthest shot taken to date (on a deer)is only 35 yrds.I have no doubt I can take one at 60 yds-jst never had the oportunity.That being said-you should seek prof. help setting your bow up.Bow hunting is unforgiving and you must eliminate all possibilities for failure.

 

[Patronus]

ya know...people are ALWAYS telling me I need professional help..OH with my BOW...Never mind...

My bow maxes out at 70 lb but it's backed down about 2 turns(I'm guessing 65# or along there). I hope to "grow into" 70 but not having launched an arrow in YEARS, I'm a tad out of practice. I think I am going to go with tlw1179's 15/30/45 ranges. I like the even division and closer steps than 20 yard intervals. Once I can handle the full 70# easier I may move up to 20/40/60.

 

[Tonyf6188]

The very best thing you can do to a bow is paper tune it.
I spend alot of time tuning mine before I ever shoot the first arrow at a target.

Just as an experiment. Shoot one of your arrows with a field point on it through paper
and see what the hole looks like. That will tell you all you need to know. After that, it is easy.

I always stick with the same brand and model of arrow. Too many differences in manufacturers
to produce consistent results.