One of the key elements of making the perfect bow shot is being able to pinpoint the exact distance the arrow has to travel to hit the target. A single pin bow sight can be moved up and down to let you see the distance of the shot.
To get an idea about the best single pin bow sights we reached out to some archery experts and competition pros. We also called a few archery instructors to come in and tell us how these bow sights work and what makes one sight a better option than another one.
Best Single Pin Bow Sights
1. Truglo Range Rover Pro
The Truglo range rover pro LED bow sight is specifically designed to aid in hunting, tactical competition shooting and military usage. It can be used by bow and arrow shooters, paint ball participants, hunting, and target practicing competitions.
This range rover pro device provides an accurate measurement of distance between your weapon and the target you are aiming for. That accurate measurement will improve your skill at making contact with the target with the first-shot.
Truglo range rover pro has an increased field of view that gives you more precise determinations to increase your accuracy. It comes with everything you need to mount it. It is versatile, durable and accurate.
2. Truglo Pendulum Sight
Truglo pendulum sight is specifically designed to aid you when you are hunting. It can be used in competition situations, and it sports like paint ball as well. It weighs less than one-pound, and it will fit any standard bow.
This pendulum sight is extremely precise and accurate and any archer will benefit from using this device to determine distance to a target. It is a light enhanced sight that is predominantly made for right-hand shooters.
You will get more than 100 range stickers to help you determine how accurate the sight is with your bow. The light is battery powered.
3. Trophy Ridge React One Pro
The Trophy ridge react one pro sight is excellent for hunters, competition shooters, tactical maneuvers, gaming and more. If you use a bow and arrow to do it then this sight will improve your skill at it.
This react one pro sight has fiber optic yardage indicators that help you to compensate for environmental factors like uneven ground, bushes, and obstacles. It has a tool-less adjuster that allows you to adjust windage and elevation in just one click.
React one pro sight will mount to the majority of bows, and it will provide you with precise and accurate calculations. It is capable of enhancing your vision even in times of low light or when the light is changing.
4. Trophy Ridge Pursuit Vertical Pin Bow Sight (Best for the Money)
The Trophy ridge pursuit vertical pin bow sight is perfect no matter what the lighting conditions are where you are hunting. It has ultra-precise adjustments that allow you to control the brightness of the light enhancement so you get more accurate visualization.
This vertical pin bow sight has glow indicator pins that allow you to be certain of the distance even when the light is changing as dusk sets in or as the dawn breaks. It also works well in the low light of the coming dusk. Your accuracy will be increased and your confidence in your shot will be unquestionable.
This is a durable item that works with the majority of all bows. It can be used for hunting or competition archery. The windage and elevation adjustments are simple to make and require no tools.
5. Spot Hogg Right Hand Wrapped Sight
This sight comes with yardage tapes that have a maximum distance of 100 yards. Those tapes will allow you to accurately configure the distance using your bow. The pins are vertical and the adjustments are crazy easy to make.
It is a large sight with a large thumb screw that that makes the dovetail bar easy to mount when you are setting it up. It even comes with a plastic storage case to protect it when it is not mounted to the bow.
It will fit most bows, but is rather large and is specifically designed for use on right-handed bows. It is a little heavier than average because of the large size.
6. Apex Gear Covert 1-Pin Sight
Apex Gear Covert sight is capable of having both the vertical and horizontal tilt adjusted. The adjustment possibilities on the windage and elevation are greater with this sight than with the majority of all other single pin sights.
The shooters ring glows in the dark. It allows the scope housing to be perfectly aligned to the peep. It is a rear facing device that allows you to quickly determine the yardage and distance.
Apex Gear Covert sight does come with the light and the aluminum construction keeps the sight light even though it is quite large. Once you take the time to sight this in using the yardage tape provided you will have a weapon that is more accurate and precise than it has ever been before.
7. HHA Optimizer Tetra
HHA Optimizer Tetra easy to use device is made from machined aluminum. That makes it light and weather-proof. It will not interfere with the stability of your bow, and you will not have to compensate for the weight of the sight when you are shooting.
The green sight ring makes it more visible and easier to home in on. The accuracy of this Optimizer Tetra device cannot be beat. It does not come with a light, and it does not have a threaded hole that would make it work with a light. It does have a screw hole that allows it to be used as either a left-hand or right-hand device.
8. Truglo Range Rover
Truglo range rover sight has an adjustable yardage stop that allows the maximum yardage to be set more precisely. It is a hunting sight that allows the hunter to know the exact yardage they have to their target so that each kill shot is more likely to result in game taken home.
The bracket can easily be adjusted with just one hand and no tools. It is completely adjustable so that it can be used by either a right-hand shooter or a left-hand shooter. It will also accept a cope lens that measures 1.87”.
Truglo range rover is light, it is practical, it is single pin adjustable bow sight, and it is durable. It is also a confidence-boosting item that allows you to make the proper adjustments for windage and elevation so your trajectory path is true and accurate.
9. HHA Optimizer
This sight is designed to be beneficial to archery competition shooters, hunters, and target practice shooters. It can be used in low or changing light. It can also be adjusted for windage and elevation differences without using any tools to make the adjustments.
This device is machined aluminum so it is light, and it is weather proof. It will not rust or corrode. It will not change the stability or handling of your bow. It will fit onto the majority of all bows and can be used by right-handed shooters and by left-handed shooters.
10. Trophy Ridge Drive Slider Bow Sight
This is the best single pin slider bow sight. t has an adjustable indicator pin that allows you to make precise adjustments that compensate for the environmental conditions of the area in which you are hunting. It is specifically designed for hunting.
It has a bubble level that allows you to line up your shot with the level so you make an accurate hit each time. It has nylon bushings so it has smooth movements that are quiet and will not alert the game when you are making an adjustment.
Buying Guide for Best Single Pin Bow Sight
Before you start shopping for a single pin bow sight there are some things you need to take into consideration and understand. The features and adjustments of the sights change their capabilities and their performance. You need to understand those features so you can get a sight that works best with the type of hunting you do, the area that you hunt in, and the lighting conditions you hunt in most frequently.
Sight Styles
Single pin sights come in a variety of styles. Knowing what each style can do for you will allow you to choose what is best for your hunting needs.
- Sliders – These sights have a simple lever that you adjust to change the shooting distance. They cost less than the other styles of sights. They are lighter that the other styles of sights because they have fewer parts. The sight tape with this style of sight is not going to be marked for every yard, it is going to be marked in large increments. These sights limit the distance that you can shoot accurately. They make great beginner sights, and they do pretty good if you hunt in an area that is pretty clear.
- Dials and Wheel Sights– As the name implies the adjustments to these sights are made with either dials or wheels. They allow you to make more precise adjustments and they will allow you to shoot at farther distances with accuracy and precision.
Adjustment Capabilities
The main thing that causes one sight to be better than another sight is the adjustment capabilities of the sight. The ability to adjust the windage, elevation and make other micro adjustments can improve the odds that your shot will be true and accurate.
With a micro adjustment you generally have a knob that you lock by tightening it while turning in one direction and loosen by turning the other direction. This prevents the knob from moving after your adjustment is made.
If you are an experienced or advanced shooter you are likely to want a sight that has 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments. These adjustments allow you to align the sight housing perfectly to the bow. These sights improve your skill and reduce left and right misses.
Application Considerations
How you plant to use the sight determines which sight is best for you. If you rarely use your bow then you are probably going to buy a less expensive sight than the person who is a hunter and competition shooter.
If you are going to be hunting in a terrain that requires you to shoot at an extreme angle then buy a sight with 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments instead of micro adjustments.
Distance
If you never intend to make shots at distances greater than about 50 yards then almost any sight is going to be capable of fulfilling your needs. If you need to make long distance shots then you want sights with 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments.
You also want a sight that allows you to use a magnifying lens.
Pin Size
The smallest pin size will be about .010 and the largest will be about .029. Most archers say that the smaller pin size is better for long ranges and the larger pin sizes are better for closer ranges. At increased distances the larger pin sizes tend to cover a great deal of the target and interfere with visual acuity.
Larger pins are better if your eyesight is poor. The best selection may be to go with a .019 which falls right in the middle of little to large, and will suit most shooters.
Weight
The actual weight of the sight is extremely important to some hunters. The carbon sights are probably the lightest, and the machined aluminum are also light and weather resistant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Single Pin Bow Sight?
A single pin bow sight has one aiming point. You move that point up and down to match the distance to correspond with a yardage tape.
With a single pin you only have to concentrate on one pin so it makes the calculations of the shot easier to make. They are accurate devices that can be used in many different lighting situations and terrains.
They are an aiming device that allows the shooter to determine the exact distance their arrow must travel to reach the target. They allow the shooter to make calculations and adjustments to their trajectory according to the windage and elevation needs, and they allow the shooter to determine the proper angle and alignment of the shot.
How to Sight in a Single Pin Bow Sight?
You need to mark the distance to your target by marking every ten yards. Do this for at least forty yards to get an accurate setting and adjustment. It is very helpful if you purchase a rangefinder to use with the pin sight.
You start sighting in the pin by standing on the ten-yard mark from your target. You want to be perpendicular to the target you are shooting at. Draw your arrow back and look down the sight at the pin.
If the arrow you shoot goes higher than where you were aiming then move the sight box up on your bow.
Do this over and over until the arrow does not go higher than your intended location.
Now move back to the twenty-yard mark and do the same process again.
Continue to move back in ten-yard increments and make your shots and adjustments so that you can look down the sight and your arrow will hit exactly the spot on the target that you had your pin sighted in on.
Why Should I Use a Single Pin Bow Sight?
A single pin sight allows you to accurately judge the distance to a target. You only have one pin to consider so it removes all of the confusion that can occur when you have multiple pins to keep configured properly. The single pin is easy to adjust, lower priced, and very accurate.
How Does a Single Pin Bow Sight Work?
Which Bow Sight is Better, a Single Pin or a Five-Pin?
This is going to depend on the application you are using the sight for and your personal preferences. For the majority of all shooters a single pin is preferred because you have less to worry about. You set one pin on the target and concentrate on that one pin so you do not have to align several elements. A single pin leaves your visual sight of the target less cluttered.
Final Word
Sights for your bow are accessories that enhance your abilities and precision. The single pin bow sight is capable of increasing your shot accuracy, and decreasing your miss-fires. These devices allow every archer to improve their skills, and they make it possible to shoot in different lighting situations without losing confidence.