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

[bojangles808]

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

 

[Tahoe1305]

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.

 

[graniteghost]

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.

 

[JNDEER]

Never been a fan of having to fiddle with a sight to get more yards when you can have a pre set for that distance.

 

[the_young_gun]

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

 

[Tilzbow]

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.

 

[2Stamp]

I've gone to a 3 or 4 pin mover the past 6 yrs. My current hunting bow has a 3 pin mover, set at 25, 40, 50.

 

[MoeFaux]

I shoot a little over 60 pounds with a 5 pin fixed. I'll never use a slider. It's another bit of kit that needs to be fiddled with to set up a shot, and I don't care for that. I've also had at least one experience where my target was changing the distance between us while I was drawn and waiting for a broadside presentation. As he ambled away from me, I could adjust my aim on the fly as he passed by markers I had already ranged. I followed him from 35 to 50 yards out, utilizing three of my pins and ready to pull the trigger at any time. That's a simple function you don't get with a slider.

 

[TheTone]

I just swapped from a 5 pin fixed to three pin slider. Been shooting 5 pins for 20+ years and have found in all that time I’ve only taken one shot at over 40 and I had tons of time and could have easily dialed for yardage. I’m alamoat exclusively an elk hunter and most of that is in thick stuff. I’ve also found as I’ve gotten older my eyes don’t like seeing a ton of pins in the picture

 

[RimRunner]

I like 3 at 30,40,50 use the middle pin as the slider to center everything modern bows are fast enough you don’t need a 20 especially if you are after elk

 

[Trial153]

Three pin, 25-35-45 and float that bottom pin....your gtg

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

How much poundage you pull does not matter for the sight you choose. Arrow speed can have an impact, but you could easily shoot mid 290s if you chose. What does matter is your eyeball range finding ability and, whether you rely on a laser or not. If you have accurate eyeballing out to 60 yards ( aprox max distance of fixed 5 pin ) then a fixed 5 can make sense. If your ranging anything over 40 or 45, then the fixed sight is only adding a second or two, but if the shot is that rushed I want an opportunity to pause before drawing the bow and ripping. I am weird and still set 20,30,40.

 

[OverInfinite]

I should 60lbs and 350-400 gr arrows. I use to shoot 5 pin slider. This last year I handed that off to my wife's setup and picked up a 3 pin slider. 20, 30, 40. any further than 40 yards, having a floating pin is required. I use to be really good at shooting pin gaps at distance and at one point had a fixed 7 pin. I took a 2 year break and when I came back to archery, pin gaps were almost impossible for me.

 

[cwitt]

How far are you willing to shoot in a hunting situation? How confident are you in counting pins in the heat of the moment? And is your accuracy affected by the extra clutter of the 5 pin sight housing? What are you hunting the most often and how often do those encounters allow time to dial?Those are the questions I’d have for you.

I am personally a fan of the 3 pin slider that I set at 27, 40, 50. Less clutter in the sight housing and if it’s 50+ I likely have time to dial. But if you’re never shooting past 60 yards, then a 5 pin would eliminate dialing and moving parts.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

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

At least for me, 3 pin is king. In the heat of the moment, having 5 is just too busy for my brain.

I also like that I can dial exact yardages and being a western guy myself, who shoots 60 ish pounds, I’ll send one up to 60 yards on first shot. But follow up is no limit. I don’t want to be limited to 60 if I need to send a follow up at 80 and have to guess holdover.

 

[bojangles808]

How much poundage you pull does not matter for the sight you choose. Arrow speed can have an impact, but you could easily shoot mid 290s if you chose. What does matter is your eyeball range finding ability and, whether you rely on a laser or not. If you have accurate eyeballing out to 60 yards ( aprox max distance of fixed 5 pin ) then a fixed 5 can make sense. If your ranging anything over 40 or 45, then the fixed sight is only adding a second or two, but if the shot is that rushed I want an opportunity to pause before drawing the bow and ripping. I am weird and still set 20,30,40.

How would I shoot mid 290s, just lighter arrows? Broadhead? (I'm 28in draw btw) I do like a rear deploying mechanical which complicates things.

How far are you willing to shoot in a hunting situation? How confident are you in counting pins in the heat of the moment? And is your accuracy affected by the extra clutter of the 5 pin sight housing? What are you hunting the most often and how often do those encounters allow time to dial?Those are the questions I’d have for you.

I am personally a fan of the 3 pin slider that I set at 27, 40, 50. Less clutter in the sight housing and if it’s 50+ I likely have time to dial. But if you’re never shooting past 60 yards, then a 5 pin would eliminate dialing and moving parts.

Most I would likely shoot confidently is 60. I do like if something was wounded I can shoot further with a mover but I kinda like how it limits me to my "effective range".
The 5 pin picture is a little annoying and I can definitely see myselff screwing up in the heat of the moment and shooting the wrong pin. Even practicing I have to double check myself for the 40/50 middle pins. I mostly hunt deer and mouflon sheep spot and stalk usually feeding or rutting with goal of an elk tage sometime in the future. you really have to get lucky to get inside 60 of the sheep. The 3 pin mover I have is .019 .019 and .010 bottom so it's kinda perfect using the bottom as a mover. I could sell it and probably get 300 for it and not sure the mover is really worth keeping at that price. I'm not getting much for my 5 pin

At least for me, 3 pin is king. In the heat of the moment, having 5 is just too busy for my brain.

I also like that I can dial exact yardages and being a western guy myself, who shoots 60 ish pounds, I’ll send one up to 60 yards on first shot. But follow up is no limit. I don’t want to be limited to 60 if I need to send a follow up at 80 and have to guess holdover.

That's a good point about having a rovr that will let you get a longer follow up if needed. Hadn't thought of that

 

[bojangles808]

I should 60lbs and 350-400 gr arrows. I use to shoot 5 pin slider. This last year I handed that off to my wife's setup and picked up a 3 pin slider. 20, 30, 40. any further than 40 yards, having a floating pin is required. I use to be really good at shooting pin gaps at distance and at one point had a fixed 7 pin. I took a 2 year break and when I came back to archery, pin gaps were almost impossible for me.

What broadhead are you shooting?

 

[cwitt]

Most I would likely shoot confidently is 60. I do like if something was wounded I can shoot further with a mover but I kinda like how it limits me to my "effective range".
The 5 pin picture is a little annoying and I can definitely see myselff screwing up in the heat of the moment and shooting the wrong pin. Even practicing I have to double check myself for the 40/50 middle pins. I mostly hunt deer and mouflon sheep spot and stalk usually feeding or rutting with goal of an elk tage sometime in the future. you really have to get lucky to get inside 60 of the sheep. The 3 pin mover I have is .019 .019 and .010 bottom so it's kinda perfect using the bottom as a mover.

I think for those reasons the 3 pin is the right choice for you.

 

[mighteywhitehunter]

I like a vertical 2 or 3 pin mover. It gives a very clean uncomplicated sight picture. I only do Western hunting and I have not missed an opportunity due to dialing.

I shot 60lbs last year in the desert (AZ) and killed my buck @ 30yds. I shot a QAD Exodus with a 425gn arrow @ 270 fps.

HHA has been my go to sight for vertical 2 pins, now the Nytrix has 3 vertical. Unless you really need a lot of range I always have the top pin as my mover so there is never any confusion as to what pin I am aiming with.