Tips to Sight in Your Crossbow

Follow these tips to quickly and easily sight in your crossbow for the most accurate performance.

Work with Quality Optics

Ensure the crossbow scope you plan to sight in is built for the type of shooting and hunting you plan to do. Consider the type of reticle and any adjustability options you might want in the field. If you purchase a budget crossbow package, you may want to upgrade the scope if it’s poor quality. You don’t need all kinds of extra bells and whistles, but you should stick with a reliable scope that can stand up to the demands of hunting.

Start with the Basics

If you’re new to shooting a crossbow, get in at least 50 reps before you attempt to sight in your new rig. You should be able to achieve tight groups at 20 yards first to ensure you can accurately sight in the crossbow.

Begin with a Firm Foundation

Make sure your scope is properly mounted to the crossbow, your setup is completely level, and all screws or components are tightened before you get started. You’ll have to start all over if you attempt to sight in a misaligned or loose scope.

Don’t Do it Freehand

For ultimate accuracy, use shooting sticks or some type of rest to keep your crossbow in a fixed position as you sight it in. Using some type of aid rather than attempting to do it freehand can also speed up the process.

Remember One Size Doesn’t Fit All

General guidelines can be helpful, but keep in mind that you may have to tweak the approach based on your individual scope — the process won’t be exactly the same for a multi-reticle scope as it is for a variable power scope. Beyond that, each manufacturer may have different recommendations for its specific technologies. Always check manufacturer instructions before sighting in your crossbow.

Get Close

While each scope will have some differences and demand a slightly different sighting in process, you should always start at a close range of 20 yards. Shoot three bolts at your target’s bullseye using the top dot, then inspect your grouping. Based on the position relative to the bullseye, use the adjustment knobs to make small tweaks at a time. Repeat the process until your three-arrow grouping is dead center. You can then move back to 30 yards and fire three more shots using the second dot. If these bolts are hitting center, you’re generally good to go. If they’re slightly off, you can make minor adjustments until you’re hitting bullseyes then move back to 40 yards and repeat the process with the next dot. After you’re zeroed in at 30 and 40 yards, move your target back to 20 yards to verify your settings are right on.