Sighting in a crossbow ?

[Country Boy]

At what distance should I sight in my crossbow ? I have a Red dot sight on my Ten Point titan. It is not unusual to shoot a deer at 50 yds where I hunt. That would be my selfimposed limit. :grin:

[jh45gun]

50 yards is stretching it for a crossbow or any bow for that matter. Most xbow companies stress a 40 yard limit for hunting and closer is better. If your xbow is sighted in for say 20 yards at 40 it will drop about 2 feet if not more and at 50 it will really drop. If you have a 3 dot red dot sight it in at 20, 30 and 40. Sight in using your middle dot at 30 then your 20 and 40 should be on. Like a bow long shots with a xbow takes practice and a long shot the deer has a better chance of jumping the string. If you only have a one dot sight then you better learn how your arrow drops at distances and learn how to compensate for it. new folks to archery use figure that they can shoot long distances and it does not work that way. For a lot of folks 30 yards is a long shot. I would skip the 50 and worry about shooting at 10 to 30 yards.  It's ok to practice for 40 too  but that is a long shot and most folks would not take that shot unless they know they could make it.  There is a huge difference in punching a bull at 50 target shooting and doing the same for hunting. That bolt or arrow is loosing energy by the time it gets out there so closer is better no matter what archery system you may choose.

[jh45gun]

Here is a arrow balistics calculator using these numbers I came up with the following. feathers 4 inch half inch high 20 inches long 425 grains in weight a 2219 arrow.  305 FPS.

yards

0=0
10= -2
20 = -8
30 = -18
40 = -34
50 = -53

Now this is a bit confusing as no one uses a 0 zero but normally starts out at a 20 yard zero ect maybe more maybe less. Still you can see that out at 50 yards there is quite a bit of drop. If you do a search for arrow ballistic charts you can figure out your own to get a fair idea what is going on. Of course lots of variables here a slower xbow will drop faster and a faster one will be more flat shooting. Also every one uses a different arrow set up which may change things. Most folks use a 20 yard zero and adjust from there. Like I said if your useing a 3 dot red dot they told me to sight it in using the middle dot at the middle range which could be for your set up 20/30/40. I would start out at 10 yards to keep it on the target then work out to 20 then 30 then 40. Sight in at 20 using the top dot then go to 30 and sight in using the middle dot. Then try it at 20 using the top dot and 40 the bottom dot. If your using a one Dot red dot sight it in for 20 yards and then see how much it drops at 30 and 40.

[smokepolehall]

I have a peep and i am sighted in at 10-20-30 yds. If yer red dot is a single do 20 and practice your hold under and over 10-30. 50 is really to far, 40 if you had right sight and lots of practice.

[jh45gun]

Smokepolehall gave good advice if your using a fixed power scope or dot sight you have to learn to shoot under at close range and over at a farther range. If you do have a 3 dot red dot sight they stress to sight in the xbow using the middle dot for a certain distance say 30 yards for 20,30,40 with the higher power faster xbows.  ( 175 and higher) For the 150 pound xbows go 10, 20 and 30. as the speed will be slower and you will have more of a rainbow trajectory. If you are using a scope made for xbows that have elevation markings sight in at 20 yards using the crosshairs. the other markings should fall in line. Now again them scopes are probably made for the higher powered faster xbows so if some one is using a 150" slower exbow you may want to sight it in a bit closer. It all depends on how the xbow shoots and what your set up is.

[Digger]

Here's just the Ten Point Proview scope you need. Its new this year.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=141534&stc=1&d=1145309475

[Carl Crocker]

Finally got to shoot my crossbow some. I sighted in 2" high at 35 yds, it is dead 0 at 37 yds and 2" low at 40. I did try a few 50 yd shots and by holding the dot at the top of a 9" paper plate I can consistantly hit the lower half of the plate.  I have one of those huge styreofoam blocks 4' x4' and my arrows bury up to the knocks, in fact some have shot so deep I can't find them. Looks like I'm go to go, all my shooting has been off hand in various positions.

[jh45gun]

Just remember the way you have it set up you better try some close shots 10 to 20 yards and you will have to aim low at those distances to hit what your shooting at.