One pin or three pin slider

[Duuane]

I was fortunate enough to have drawn an archery only bull permit in area 700 for the 2024 season. Last year while hunting rifle mule deer and cow elk I told the guide (at 65 my DIY days are over) my plans to apply for the archery tag, and told him I shoot a 62 pound phase 4 with a single pin HHA slider and practice out to 100 yards. His only recommendation was that I might want to switch to a 3 pin slider. For practice sessions and primarily stand hunting for white tailed deer, the single pin has served me well. Any opinions pro or con about switching to the 3 pin slider? My initial thought is, if I have time to make an adjustment on a 3 pin slider for a shot, then I also would have time to adjust the single pin for the same shot. Thanks for any input

 

[JF_Idaho]

I guess the pro argument would be you don't have to adjust a 3 pin until past 40 yards if you sight your pins at 20-30-40.

The con would be a more cluttered sight picture.

 

[guylaga]

If you have time the of course a single pin would be perfect.

But there is no guarantee that that Elk just sits still and waits for you to range and then dial. He could go from 80 to 50 to 30 and then back to 40.

My preference even for hunting white tail is range once for where you are set up and dial so my three pins are at the most probable shot windows.

 

[Taudisio]

I leave my 3 pin at 30-40-50, then if it’s farther than that, hopefully I can move it. I can see it being more useful if a bull comes in and you range it at 55, you wheel the top pin to 55 and you will have other reference points to aim with, without moving the slider, if he walks/spooks away. Necessary? Nah. I do like mine a lot though.

 

[nphunter]

Multiple pins for Elk hunting, I've seen several people miss out on opportunities on Elk trying to adjust single pin sights. One buddy in particular from PA probably missed 3 or 4 shot opportunities in one season because of fiddling with his sight when he should have already been at full draw. Elk are always moving and cover a lot of ground with each step.

Elk like the cover and you normally have time to get several range estimates as they are coming in, when they pop out you should already have several references marked and be at full draw when you hear them coming out of the cover.

Some people like single pins but I assume they are more spot and stalk hunters. I use a 5 pin slider and have never felt my sight picture was too cluttered to make a good shot. I think my average shot distance is like 43yds. I've killed them out past 60 and as close as 13yds, you never know where they will come out and need to be ready when they do.

 

[thayerp81]

I went with a 3 pin, I'm primarily a hunter and Ifigure it'll be useful to have 20, 30 and 40 on my sight at all times. I figure that fiddling with the sight at those distances means a higher probability of being spotted and things can happen fast at those distances also. anything passed 40 I feel better about having the time and cover to dial as needed.

 

[huntnful]

3 pin slider with the pins set at 30, 40 & 50 for sure. Pretty open sight picture & even pin spacing.

 

[Duuane]

Thanks for the replies, I plan to make the switch and try a 3 pin sight. I plan to get it on very soon so I can practice with it before TAC in Vermont next month.

 

[mountainman406]

FWIW I've used a single pin for a few years now and really enjoy the lack of clutter. Another option that you might want to look at is a double pin slider. I know Spott Hogg makes some decent ones that would give you less clutter of the additional pins while giving you more than one option for animals on the move. Good luck at TAC, Killington is a blast.

 

[CCooper]

Surprised the Option sights haven't been mentioned yet- best of both worlds.

 

[Wolf13]

Surprised the Option sights haven't been mentioned yet- best of both worlds.

Haven’t gotten a chance to hunt with mine yet, but have a 4 pin canyon pounder that is awesome while practicing. Flip open the sight and it’s a single pin slider for an uncluttered view. Close it and you have all the pins. It’s heavy, but I’m willing to sacrifice the weight.

 

[MattB]

Unless you hunt animals that don’t move or are intimately familiar with the hold-over/under at all reasonable yardages, there is no way I would use a single pin slider to hunt with.

 

[JorDanTheBowMan]

I can’t speak to single pin since I’ve never hunted with one but I think it’s worth your time to dial in multiple pins out west. The only downsides I could see would be decreased field of view.

 

[George Hamrick]

Based on my experience, go with the 3 pin. Can confidently say I thought I would have time to adjust my single pin. Turned out, I didn’t and it cost me a bull.

 

[butcherboy]

I’ve shot single pin for over 30 years even when there were no single pin vertical sights. The trick is to set it at a distance like 30 or 35 yds and you don’t move it. Practice distances from 45-10 and know what your gaps are. Range distances before the elk comes in so you know what those distances are when it crosses those ranges. I would move the sight if it was over 45 yds on a calm unsuspecting animal. I think the best sight is a two pin vertical moveable sight.

 

[Duuane]

FWIW I've used a single pin for a few years now and really enjoy the lack of clutter. Another option that you might want to look at is a double pin slider. I know Spott Hogg makes some decent ones that would give you less clutter of the additional pins while giving you more than one option for animals on the move. Good luck at TAC, Killington is a blast.

For the first 25 or so years I used multiple horizontal pin sights then I went to the HHA vertical single pin sight and used that for about 20 years. Last year I went with the HHA single but bought the slider so I could adjust for long shots should I go out west, and, to be able to go with friends to TAC in Seven Springs, and as you said about Killington, it was a blast. I'll have to get used to the extra pins, but I'm going to get a two or three pin sight

 

[wapitibob]

I used a single pin for decades. Finally got old enough for brain fade and that single pin cost me. Going back to 3.

 

[Fowl Play]

Another vote for the 3 pin slider. It does not clutter up the site picture much and is very useful. Uses are obvious for a target that has moved, but another use that is not as obvious is for ensuring your shooting lane is clear. This is extremely useful for me when elk hunting in thick timber.

Elk broadside at 40 yards, but... will my arrow clip that low hanging branch at 20? Well at full draw I just check my 20 and 30 yard pins, if they are clear I know the flight path of the arrow is clear.

 

[Duuane]

Another vote for the 3 pin slider. It does not clutter up the site picture much and is very useful. Uses are obvious for a target that has moved, but another use that is not as obvious is for ensuring your shooting lane is clear. This is extremely useful for me when elk hunting in thick timber.

Elk broadside at 40 yards, but... will my arrow clip that low hanging branch at 20? Well at full draw I just check my 20 and 30 yard pins, if they are clear I know the flight path of the arrow is clear.

I never thought about the other pins being used for that purpose, good idea!

 

[GuiltyHammer]

For hunting, I'm using the Option archery 4 pin. Three pins which are fixed for 30,40,50yds can be flipped onto/off sight housing. My "floater" in the fixed housing can go up to 95yds.

When I am hunting big game I have the three fixed pins flipped onto my sight housing, just in case an animal comes out of nowhere and I only have time to range, and not adjust. I can then use pins or pin gap to take a shot.

If the animal is past 50yds or I'm in a blind/stand, I usually have time to get exact range to take an ethical shot with my floater.

If I'm just shooting 3D or with my friends, I use the floater pin with the other three fixed pins flipped out of my sight housing. For that single pin "clear" sight housing.

In short, it's nice to have choices with one sight with my pin setup and do 3/4 pins or just the one. You can also do this with the Ultra-view cartridge system. If you have that kind of money, and want to carry multiple cartridges on you.