# Single pin vs. Fixed pin



## Lakertaker44 (Jan 23, 2019)

Thinking about buying a single pin after 3 years using a 5 pin sight. I feel more confident with shooting tight groups on a single pin, but the drawback of having to adjust while in a hunting scenario is the only thing holding me back. What is your experience and is it worth it for hunting in Michigan? 


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## jigornot (Dec 29, 2010)

Put on a single pin for 1 season. Went back to a 5 pin. The ability to change yardage is a plus but found it to be a hassle in hunting. Forgetting to move it back, the deer presents a shot at a closer range, didn't tighten adjustment knob and it rattled like crazy. UGGHHH. Unless you plan on taking shots at 70 yds like some on hunting shows, 5 pins are good enough.


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## SteelShot (Jan 26, 2011)

Been using a single pin for 20 years and love it. While hunting I usually set it at 25 yds and hold high or low depending on where the deer is. I find one pin a lot easier to focus on than having multiple pins. 


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## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

Depends on what you are trying to do. For hunting use the 5 pin but take off 3 pins. Make one 20 and one 40. Deer at 30 shoot the gap, deer under 20 use the 20 pin. Less pins= less confusion.

If you want to shoot leagues I would put on a single pin adjustable sight.


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## Sewey (Jan 10, 2017)

I went to a single pin last year and love it so far. It's a big confidence booster knowing that you can dial out to 100 yards and that pin is accurate, just gotta do your part. 

I do agree about the quick yardage adjustments being a draw back to the single pin setup. I spent a lot of time prior to heading out west and deer season here at home shooting multiple yardages with my sight dialed at different ranges. Out west I was walking around with my pin set at 30 yards knowing what my hold was for 20 and 40. Deer hunting I kept it at 20 with the adjustment knob loose for a quick turn if needed.

I would look into some of the multi-pin adjustable sights that are out there as well. Gives you the best of both worlds being 2 or 3 pins with the ability to adjust for longer yardages and quick transitions for the 20-40 range.


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## Joe Archer (Mar 29, 2000)

I use a 4-pin for hunting. I don't draw until a shot presents itself, and more often then not the window of opportunity is very limited. Adjusting a pin based on distance at the time of the shot would have definitely cost me some really nice deer through the years!
Now, if you use a single pin and hold over, or hold under.... that is a different story, and the only way that I think is a comparable option to multi pins.
<----<<<


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

When shooting a compound, I always preferd using 2 pins. 20/40 pretty idiot proof for me.


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Single pin for me. Anything over 30 yards would be extremely rare for me. I keep it set at 20 and I can hold over/under or if time allows, I move it to pre set marks. How many times have you heard "I used the wrong pin" on a missed shot? I don't need the confusion.


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## the green tracker (Apr 16, 2016)

I had a 5 pin sight to start out last year and I couldn’t focus on the pin I needed everything was blurry so I switched to a double pin and it is amazing I shot all the way out to 120 yards with a 6” group as far as adjusting it is super quick and quite Just practice a lot with it and get used to adjusting it and you will love it I highly recommended getting one


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## bowhunter1313 (Oct 17, 2005)

I shot 5 and 7 fixed pins 4ever....loved the idea of single pin dialing exact yardage for long range practice shooting....but my main focus is hunting and i did not want to have to always dial yardage when hunting so i always kept multiple pin sights because i am a hunter first. Well last year i found option archery sights. Absolute game changer.this sight is pricey. But it is BOTH!! Fixed and slider pin....the design of this sight is genius!! You have the 5 pins for most huntin set 20 thru 60.....then u can flip the 5 pin housing out of way and u have a single pin set up. Only the pin moves...so wen u flip the 5 pin housing back it is on....regardless of where slider pin is set. Now i can shoot 95 yards with single pin during practice sessions to perfect form.....when huntin i have the 5 pins set at 20 thru 60.....covers most hunting. I hunt out west too so if i do want to take a 65 or 69..or 72 yard shot at elk or moose i can flip 5 pin housing out of way..dial in exact yardage and make shot with confidence. If taking a long shot all has to be perfect or i wont attempt.no wind...animal relaxed and unaeare of my presence....including not rushing so i have time to range..dial pin and execute. I center punched a nice bull in montana at 72 last fall... without that sight i would not have made shot. It allowed me to practice all yardages all summer long and i knew i could make the shot. Option archery.....check it out. They are getting very popular out west where run and gun and long shots are the norm. Best piece of archery gear i have ever purchased.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

I'm tinkering with zero pins this year. I only hunt whitetails in the midwest and most of my shots are within 30 yards. So far, I've been very please with the results and I truly believe this sight will eliminate the need for a range finder within 40 or 50 yards. My accuracy has not suffered when shooting at block targets or 3d.


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## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

I have used 2 pins for a long time, but a 20yd and a 30yd for me, beyond 30, I am not very accurate and my eyes don't adjust well anymore,& beyond 30 and my groups open up a lot, I should just use one pin, I used to have a lighted sight with a *Rheostat* , wow that was a nice sight, I still have it, not sure if it works anymore!




stickbow shooter said:


> When shooting a compound, I always preferd using 2 pins. 20/40 pretty idiot proof for me.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

mattawanhunter said:


> I have used 2 pins for a long time, but a 20yd and a 30yd for me, beyond 30, I am not very accurate and my eyes don't adjust well anymore,& beyond 30 and my groups open up a lot, I should just use one pin, I used to have a lighted sight with a *Rheostat* , wow that was a nice sight, I still have it, not sure if it works anymore!


At least you know your limits, some don't.


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## CDN1 (May 27, 2018)

SteelShot said:


> Been using a single pin for 20 years and love it. While hunting I usually set it at 25 yds and hold high or low depending on where the deer is. I find one pin a lot easier to focus on than having multiple pins.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I started doing the same 2 seasons ago so much easier and I don't shoot at deer beyond 30 yrds 
If you set up to be deadnutz on at 23 yrds most bows ( speed) will allow you to hold center mass and still hit vitals out to 30yrd.


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## snortwheeze (Jul 31, 2012)

Multi pin for me. 4 pins , 10-20, out to 50.. Won't attempt a shot past 50 at an animal. Can't see adjusting in time too shoot at an animal with a single pin. 3D maybe 
I do practice out to 60 and even horse around with bro's out too 100. Bottom of my sight and about 1/2" above the target can hit "sometimes"  
Single pin I could see if you hunted 1 area but I spend my time in a lot of different areas


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## Drakedog (Feb 28, 2019)

single pin -all day


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## kevin2 (Nov 19, 2010)

I’ve killed about 10 deer since switching to my single pin dial site, HHA for 6-7 years and now a spot Hogg fast Eddie double pin. I like the fact that your field of view is really clear, and then I love that you can dial-in the exact yardage for a deer that’s outside 25 yards. I hunt with a 50 pound bow now, so having that exact yardage for the deer has become really important the last 2 seasons. The difference between 25 and 30 yards is like 10 inches, so having a pin set up would be almost impossible for me at this point. 

I was looking at those single pin sites that have the yardage laser built into it last fall, the Burris Oracle and Garmin Xero, and I really liked them. I hope they improve on that technology. Seemed pretty cool when I was demoing them at the LBS.


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## shanny28757 (Feb 11, 2006)

Oven never hunted with a single pin but I considered it a few years ago. My conclusion was that in the areas I hunt, adjusting my pin to the yardage I wanted to dial was not practical. Takes too long to dial and the deer don’t always stay in one place long enough before needing to redial. 

I bought a sliding 5 pin and ended up taking one of the pins out. My bottom pin is the ‘floater’ that I can dial I’d needed. Realistically for tree stand hunting I will never tough that dial. Bought it more for elk hunting out west.


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## ckosal (May 20, 2013)

I went to a single pin HHA and love it. I totally can understand guys who spot/stalk suggesting it is hard on the move or where you need to be quick. But for us fixed tree stand guys, i am not sure how frequently you get surprised on range. If the deer is moving that fast through the zone, you might be taking a dangerous shot anyway.

For me, i know my stands. I hunt my own private land. (a factor in this). So, i have 10 stands i hunt and i know them. When i sit, i range my shooting lanes (when i hang them i put in my phone). I review each sit and in some cases have put marks out on trees when i hang them. So, i have a good idea where i am going to shoot when a deer hits a zone. I set my single pin at the yardage i expect. I put the stands in a place where there is a run, scrape, etc. generally. So, i can anticipate and set. 

On some stands where i am over a plot i have a range so i put it in the middle of the range. So, one of my plots i can shoot from 15-40 yards (never shoot past 40). I set it just under 30 and i am good if i need to take quick one. But, even in a place where there is a broader range, the reason i am hunting there is i expect the deer to be browsing when they come through so there is plenty of time. 

I am not trying to call anyone out. Don't get me long, i get drowsy like everyone else and every so often open my eyes to a deer in a lane. But, in those very rare cases looking back my "average" was pretty safe if not exact (because i set it at the range i expected). I have not had a single example where a big buck shocked me and was moving fast... to an area i didn't know the range.. etc. 

If you move a lot. Got it. If you are in a fixed position you should be able to eliminate a lot of the variables. With the HHA it does not rattle when you leave it barely loose enough to adjust. I keep it there. 

And one more point (although to each their own on selecting a choice here), my groups are much tighter with a single pin. When i practice and had 3-4 pins and moved down the range to 30 to 30+ my sight picture is noisy. And my groups (vertically) really expand. I am not exaggerating when i say they loosen by 4-6 inches. That is a BIG range. With a single pin i do not have this issue. No guessing.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

single pin. now, I think , you have to decide , what is your maximum ethical shot.. if it 20-30, you don't need pins in 5 yd increments.. for me ( as stated in Mi.) I am always under 30 shooot. not that I can't shoot farther we practice out to 50 and farther, but confidence is not an issue come kill time.and almost always in the season, I want a clear, broadside, slightly quartered 17-25 yd. shot. It seems that if I wait for it , it does present itself., So one pin is good for me. I also have a friend will take a shot between 20-30. He has one pin set at 25, and said he never thinks of shooting low or high, depending on the distance. Go to your practice area put your target at 20, if you put all 6 arrows in the kill shot, your good continue, out until you cannot put all 6, then you have found your ethical shot distance, and that may make up your mind for you. good luck this year, and be safe, imo


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

also, this year, I just started shooting again from a shoulder injury that occurred last Jan. I am good at 20, and may go to 25, but that will be it


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## -MJC- (Jan 13, 2015)

I always use multi pins and have been very hesitant in switching to a single pin for the same reason. Loved the thought of flexibility of it but adjusting on top of everything else going thru your head when drawing back scared me. I just recently bought a new sight so here is my experience...

I previously used a black gold 5 pin which I had no issues with but want to do the total archery challenge so I know the 60 yard max would limit me and to be honest a 5 pin is a little cluttered. This season I bought a black gold ascent verdict 3 pin and went .019, .019 .010 pin size. I got them set at 20, 30 and 40 while using my 40 as my floater pin for the adjustable. The fixed pins are my wheelhouse hunting ranges and I now have my 40 yard pin adjustable from 20-100. In my eyes this is the most versatile setup for me. 

I'm now confident with my fixed pins taking a deer and if I want to use my smaller pin as a "single pin" in a sense I can


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## Drakedog (Feb 28, 2019)

Exactly what Martian said. I use one fixed pin,no adjusting, set at 22 yds and only in extreme cases have to aim high or low and even then it is minimal. Try to keep it as simple as possible, having more than one pin would make me have to think to much on a quick shot and couldn't even imagine having the time to adjust a sight.


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## Joe Archer (Mar 29, 2000)

Drakedog said:


> Exactly what Martian said. I use one fixed pin,no adjusting, set at 22 yds and only in extreme cases have to aim high or low and even then it is minimal. Try to keep it as simple as possible, having more than one pin would make me have to think to much on a quick shot and couldn't even imagine having the time to adjust a sight.


"Quick Shots" are an accident waiting to happen anyway. 99% of the time you can see the shot opportunity developing. You should already know the distance. For example, the thought and process for me go something like, "when he emerges from behind that tree he will be 20 yards". I am now WAITING for the deer to present the shot. As the deer emerges, I draw my bow (I NEVER draw and hold to wait for the shot), I judge the angle of the deer, take my 20 yard pin (add 2 second to confirm correct pin and aiming point) and place it just below midline to exit behind the far leg. Then I gently touch off the release and make sure that I have a good follow-through.
The best advice I could ever give anyone is to slow down, take your time, pick a spot, aim, and follow through.
<----<<<


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