3pin mover or 5pin fixed with 60lbs western style hunting ?

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Sep 10, 2014
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hawai'i
I used to shoot a double pin at 65-70 lbs before I got a shoulder injury. I took a year off and after rehabbing I've been shooting at 60lbs comfortably. I bumped up to 66 lbs but only went from 269 fps with a 423 grain arrow to 277 fps with a 429 grain arrow. I can hold 60 so much better I don't think the extra poundage is worth it. I have a 5 pin fixed and also a 3 pin mover. Question is a 3 pin mover stupid on 60lbs for western style hunting? Anyone else do that and if you did what was your pins set at? I was going to do 30 40 50 when I had my mind set on 66lbs but now I'm not sure what to do
 
Good question. When I was in your neck of the woods many moons ago I mis pinned a goat on Oahu using a 5 pin. (Right over his back at 40 yds).

IMO it’s very easy in the heat of the moment to look at the wrong pin.

I actually use a sliding 3 pin now and live in CO and western hunt. I typically use my top two pins as 20, 30 yd and float my third. I find the “process” much more deliberate and less likely for error now. I also think there is more time in western hunting and more use for a LR floater.

IE you can get to cover. Range. Set the pin. Think, etc.

You could also set the middle pin and allow 1 and 3 to bracket for small movement (but still a deliberate setup) to account for that.
 
I shoot a 3 pin slider and have them at 20, 30, 40. I’ve found that I personally suck at estimating ranges past 40 yards with the accuracy needed to make a good shot. So I know I’ll need to range and dial before shooting. Use my top pin as my slider just because I usually shoot better without the extra pins in the way.
 
I agree with not having to adjust a sight in the heat of the moment. I have used a 5 pin for elk/deer hunting with 60lbs for 12 years with what I call good success, and I run mine at 30-70.

I have found that with my first pin at 30, and only 2-3” high at 20, I don’t have to think about >70% of my scenarios; aim at the heart and execute. I pre range the rest of my setups and have found it to be very quick and efficient when an opportunity shows up.

No re-ranging, sight adjusting (how many times even at tournaments along do you hear about mis-setting), re-hook release extra motions when economy of movement and stillness is probably what seals the deal most of the time.

One more thing about committing to fixed pins…. I find that because I have to practice year round with estimating the odd ranges (58, 63, 72, 44) by holding the pin under/over, when it come to hunting scenarios, I haven’t had to think about it with more than two brain cells. It’s all I got though haha. None of the indecisivness of do I gap or do I dial. Or the game of letting down, sight adjusting, redrawing; animal still doesn’t stop - re let down, sight adjust, redraw.

Oh and fixed pins, with less moving part/things to get bumped or go wrong that slider sights, are probably by definition a little bit more

Just my 2 cents: clink clank in the jar.
Hope it helps :)
 
I used 5 pins since the 80’s and never had an issue. Started using a 5 pin slider with the bottom pin as my floater about 15 years ago. All was well until I passed up a 40 yard shot at a bull elk at dusk because I couldn’t find my 40 yard pin in the low light quickly enough. I’ve since transitioned to a 3 pin Spot Hogg Boonie with the pins set at 27, 40 and 50 yards, with the 50 as the floater, and I really like this set up. I’ve shot two animals past 50 yards with this set up and both times I’ve had time to range, dial the bottom pin to the exact range and take my time to shoot a high quality arrow. If you’re shooting an animal past 50 yards and don’t have time to dial the sight because the animal is nervous or moving then you probably shouldn’t be taking the shot. I won’t go back to 5 pins.
 
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