# sighting in bow



## williamonica0214 (Aug 1, 2006)

i my wife jsut got me a new bow for my birthday . now i need tips on how to sight it in. only looking to sight in for 10 and 20 yards thanks


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

You have a lot of work ahead of you to get it ready for this season so hopefully you have plenty of evening time after work.

Here are a few quick tips I will toss in. I am sure others will add more.

I am going to assume that the bow has already been matched up with the proper arrows and weight of field tip and broadhead. If not that will open up a whole different situation of testing the equipment. I will pass that for now.

You first will want to adjust the center shot shot on the bow. To do this the easiest way is to work off of one pin. You will need to sight that single pin in at say 10 yards. Just remember that when adjusting the pin you want to move the pin toward where the arrow hits. If it hits left move left. If it hits high move up. Once you are hitting fairly close to your bullseye you can move on. At this point you will not be concerned with getting a perfect pin placement yet because if you have to move the center shot it will change your shot altogether. Next shoot the bow a few sequences with shots at 10, 15, 20, 25 using the same pin on every shot. You will not be expecting to hit at the same point on the target from each distance. What you are looking for is that the arrows line up perfectly vertically. If they go left as you back up then the center chot adjustment is too far to the left. You need to bring it back to the right and then repeat. Once you get the perfect vertical alignment then you can proceed to sighting each pin in successively stating with the top pin from whatever distance you choose to designate for it. I would suggest that for now you set one pin that is a 10 yard pin and another that is a 20 yard pin. Depending on the bow type/speed these pins may not differ much.

I am also assuming that you have shot a bow before. If not then I suggest that you choose to use this fall as a practice season. There is plenty to developing consistency in form and getting the proper form that will consume the remainder of the year for you.

I am sure there is plenty more that guys can add to this for you and I am sure they will. Good luck to you. Hopefully you will find the archery as relaxing and reward as many others do.


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## williamonica0214 (Aug 1, 2006)

thanks for the tips i have shot before but the bow i had was already set up


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

bkr43050 said:


> There is plenty to developing consistency in form


Brian gave you very good advice and if you follow it you'll get sighted in easily.

He is also dead on that with todays bows you will not need a 10 yd and a 20 yd pin. The difference in trajectory and points on impact are so minimal that an extra pin only adds to the potential confusion. I hunt with only one pin on my bow, always have.

The best advice I could offer to any new bowshooter (once the bow is halfway tuned) is to concentrate on repetition. Learn to do EVERYTHING EXACTLY the same each and every time. The same draw, anchor point, bow grip, follow through (don't drop bow arm), sight reference(peep sight), release technique (squeeze, don't punch). 

If you perform the basics, exactly the same each and every time you take a shot, the arrow has absolutely no choice except to go in exactly the same place every single time. The arrow has no will of it's own(minus some pretty serious bow or arrow tuning issues), it can only go where you send it. If you do the same thing every single time, even if some of what you do is less than text book perfect, the arrow still MUST go to the same place.

Biggest problems with new bowshooters causing inconsistency.

Bow arm - no follow through, dropping arm at shot

Bow grip - torquing the riser, or grabbing the bow at shot

Anchor point - non consistent

Sight reference - No peep sight, picture varies because of lack of repeatable anchor point.

Release - squeeze so it goes off unexpectedly. Shooting fingers in a whole new area in its self.


One more area of importance.

Draw length. I see bunches of people shooting bows that are too long for them. If you are hitting your left arm and require an arm guard(with just a shirt on) you either have a deformed arm, are gripping the bow wrong, or have a draw length that is too long. The bow arm should be slightly bent at full draw and your right elbow should be pointing straight back 180 degrees away from the target.

Sorry to be so long winded


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I am glad Kim chimed in because as always he has a ton of great helpful info. The comment on bow length is a good point to consider. You said the bow was already set up but that does not necessarily mean it fits your length right now. If it does not, and the talltale signs that Lundy mentioned would indicate such, then I suggest that you take it and get it changed to a suitable length. That, of course is assuming that the bow can be adjusted to the extent that you need. Most bows have about a 3" range of adjustment.


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## williamonica0214 (Aug 1, 2006)

thanks for all the great tips


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