An easy way to set up a 3 pin sight on a bow?

Question

I have gone to my Bass Pro shop and shot at 20 yards and have that pretty much right on but am needing to fix the 30 and 40 yard measurements. is there an easy way how to get my sights all lined up? thanks

Answer 1

The "Lewis walking pin" method.

First off, take all the pins out of the sight except two. I use red and green to make it easy. Put the red one exactly in the middle of the first vertical slot and screw it down with it exactly halfway out horizontally. That's your anchor pin. Leave the other one in the next most forward slot and just leave it hanging loose for now.

(You're going to be sighting your pins at 30, 40, and 20 in that order.)

Now, draw an arrow and sight that first red anchor pin right on the bullseye at 30 yards and loose it. Now, still holding your anchor pin on the bullseye, simply move the second pin, the green one, so it hits exactly where the arrow hit. Sock it down tight. That pin is now sighted in perfectly at 30 yards. Takes all of one shot, though three is advised. At 30 yards, the arrows will hit exactly on that green pin.

Do the same again for your second pin....but now use that first, green sighted in pin as your anchor. Put the sighted in pin right on the bullseye at 40 yards range and loose the arrow. Holding your sighted in anchor pin on the bullseye, move the second pin to the arrow impact point. That one is now sighted in perfectly at 40 yards.

I only use two pins....but you guys can easily adjust that to fit your fav sights. Use the red pin as your first anchor to set the green one at 30, then use the green to set the yellow at 40 etc. Go back to 20 yards and use the green as your anchor to set the red at 20 etc.

I've always called it "the Lewis walking pin" method. Makes zeroing bowsights a breeze and gets you shooting fast.

One fellow mentioned that the pins would be in a vertical line if the bow was set up right. Not exactly true. Maybe in the book, but not in the real world. In the real world, we all tilt our wrists....and it's far easier to compensate with a sight than it is to retrain our grip. Helical fletching is another thing entirely. Helicals will tend to walk off to one side and fixing that with the sight is the best way. In terms of firearms, forcing your pins to stay in a straight line is like bending your rifle barrel to adjust the sight.

Answer 2

You need to follow your shot with the pin. For example if you use the next pin, the 30 yard pin, and the arrow hits low and left, you need to move the pin down and left. All the pin adjustments will be the same as where the arrow hits. If you shoot high, move the pin up, etc. If your bow is set up correctly all the pins should be in a line vertically. You shouldn't have to worry about right and left as long as they are all in line. Good luck with the bow. By the way, if it's a fast bow your sight pins might be very close set at 20, 30, 40.

Answer 3

First, practice practice practice. Get your form in close perfect that way you are doing the exact same thing every time you go to shoot. Keep shooting till you are shooting a repetative group in one spot on your target and then move your pins as needed so you get a bullseye everytime. If you sight in your 40 yard pin first it will be alot easier to sight in your 20 and 30 yard pin since your form and consinstancy will be that much better allowing tighter groups. If you get your left and right dialed in at 40 yards all you will have to do is change you up and down for 20 and 30 since it won't change.

Answer 4

Shoot the bow, see the place the arrow hits, and set the pin so it traces up. Then circulate on your next distance, shoot the bow, see the place the arrow hits, and regulate the pin thus.