Even if you’re an experienced crossbow shooter, you could discover that sighting in a new scope is one of the most difficult aspects of putting it up. It’s crucial to perform it correctly because doing so will ensure that your accuracy is spot-on and that you get those crucial kill shots, but if you don’t know how to do it, it may be a painful procedure.
This guide will take you through the steps of sighting in a crossbow scope so that you can be sure that your next shot is on target. I have used a Barnett Ghost 350 and BARNETT 4×32 here as an example, but the process is almost similar for all models.
Ways To Sight In a Crossbow – Step By Step Guide
A Multi-Reticle Crossbow Scope For Sight
Whatever you want to call it—multi-line, multi-reticle, drop-compensating scope. Once you’re properly aligned, these do the majority of the job for you. You must carry out this action.
- Decide how near you want to approach your victim. The majority of hunters are between 30 and 50 yards away, but you need to have some understanding of accurate distance measurement to determine this. Discover yours to go on.
- Ten yards less than your greatest anticipated shot range should be your top line. Set the top line to 40 yards if you anticipate shooting up to 50 yards.
- Your second line ought to self-correct, but let’s double-check. To check the accuracy of the top line, test fire your crossbow at a target at your selected total range. If so, try firing using line two and see if the results hold. Your bottom lines should also feel rather sensitive if this is the case.
- It can be a calibration issue if your lines are lined correctly but you’re still missing the mark. Be sure to read the calibration instructions included in the packing for each sight. Although many scopes are pre-calibrated, there are a number of shipping-related factors that could have caused it to lose accuracy.
- As necessary, adjust the windage and elevation settings. In most scopes, a small adjustment has a big impact. If necessary, take this step, then use a test shot to double-check your top line. If that’s adequate, the rest ought to be too, however it won’t harm to give them another go just to be sure the results hold up.
Sight In A Crossbow Scope Barnett 4×32
We created particular calibration and sighting instructions for Barnett’s 4×32 lineups because their scopes are among the most well-liked options for crossbow and rifle hunters alike.
- Verify the scope’s top. There is a knob that you may turn to change the red or green for the dot sight. Depending on the visibility you currently have or the weather when you often hunt, adjust this brightness level.
- There is a windage and elevation knob on top of the scope. To make the necessary adjustments, you might need to use a screwdriver. There is 1/4 MOA in every adjustment knob click.
- Set your single dot at a 20-yard distance using the settings we just covered. Take a test shot while keeping your sight set squarely on the bullseye in front of you. This offers you a clear sense of what windage and elevation modifications you need to make, even though you probably won’t strike the bullseye straight away.
- Set up your shot, make any necessary modifications, and repeat. You should be able to strike a bullseye with little to no mistake from the sight when the distance is set at 20 yards.
How to Sight in a Crossbow – Step by Step
Step 1 – First, Assess the Accuracy
You’ve leveled your crossbow and mounted the scope on it. The next step is to find a suitable block target; an empty box will do just fine. This will ensure that your crossbow’s accuracy is at its highest.
The next step is to search the house and the garage for a sizable empty box, which you should then set up around 10 yards in front of your shooting position. The next step is to position oneself and fire a shot at an obvious target spot on the box to gauge distance accuracy (Note: use the highest reticle on the scope and put it dead center on the target when you take this shot.)
Step 2 – Fire at the Goal
You must take the shot as the next move. Fire one bullet at the target’s center into the box that is 10 yards away from you, then watch to see where it lands. The shot will land much clear of the desired target if your scope accuracy is wrong. This implies that you must adjust your crossbow, as usual, to account for the elevation of your weapon and the speed of the wind.
Always utilize a rest when firing the bow; human error is quite difficult to rectify when compared to artificial error. You’ll need to work on resolving those sight issues and enhancing the crossbow’s stance before taking the next level.
Step 3 – Correction
Do you recall the last time you adjusted your hunting rifle’s scope? If so, the necessary adjustments on a crossbow scope are adjusted in exactly the same manner. If not, don’t worry. However, it should be noted that a crossbow sight wouldn’t be able to make fine changes, like a quarter-inch alteration. You must take off the scope caps in order to examine the indicators on the scope that show which adjustments must be made and match them to the shot’s distance from the target.
You would then need to adjust the top down-market wheel up to 10 clicks to the left. What occurs next depends on how inaccurate your telescopic sight is, but assuming it is, you would need to do that. Then turn that 10 clicks to the left on the horizontal axis marker as well. Put your scope caps back on when you’ve made these adjustments, grab your weapon, and fire another shot at the box in front of you.
Step 4 – Hit the Target Once More
Right, you’ve loaded a second bolt, performed your 10-click correction, and adjusted for height and wind speed (or however many clicks it was in your own personal case). It’s time to fire once more at the center target to see if you can hit the bullseye.
Don’t worry if it’s off again; simply go back and repeat the first three steps until your sight alignment lines up with the reticle on the scope. After a few rounds, things will start to become clear, and finally, you’ll hit the bullseye. The most crucial step can be taken once you place your bolt exactly in the center of the target.
Step 5 – Make Certain to Distance It
Therefore, you are satisfied with your adjustments because your bolt missed the inner target on the box by a small amount. We are only 10 feet away, so don’t move so quickly. At distances over 10 yards, what will appear dead on the target and the ideal shot will likely swerve off and miss the objective.
Move your target box back an extra 20 feet and repeat the process from step 1 onwards to ensure that your crossbow scope sight will continue to be precise at extended distances. This is the only surefire way to do so.
Move the box back another 30 feet, repeat the process once the target has been hit in the sweet spot, and so on. Continue doing this until you are at the distance at which your crossbow will operate accurately. You’re good to go with your scope sight because it will be hitting the crosshair mark exactly where you want it to as long as you move your target box out in this way.
Conclusion
A crossbow scope sight is not difficult to use, provided that you understand how to zero it in. You might want to verify the accuracy of your scope by zeroing it in at different distances to see if the trajectory changes. Bear in mind that a crossbow’s accuracy can change over time, so it’s essential to keep an eye on it. Have fun, and be sure to practice safe hunting!
