Installing a Peep Sight on a Compound Bow

 

 

However the peep sight might be regarded as one of the smallest accessories on the bow, it comes into play with every single shot. A problematic peep sight can affect negatively your archery experience.

If you know what a peep sight is and know how to use it but you are you experiencing difficulty installing a peep sight on a compound bow.  You may want to skip the first part and go directly to the second part How to install a peep sight?

 

What is a peep sight?

A peep sight consists of a ring positioned in the bow’s string so that while you pull away from the string, the hole inside the ring lines up with your eye. So when looking through the hole in its center, you simply need to align the peep sight with the front sight and then aim at the target to shoot with precision.

Basically, the peep sight’s purpose is to give you a consistent anchoring spot.

Think of it this way, a peep sight is to a bow what a rear sight is to a rifle which you need to align with the front pin to achieve an accurate shot.

 

Tube or no tube? That is the question.

Basically, as opposed to a tubeless peep sight, a tube peep sight will help the rotation of your peep in order to be properly aligned with your eye when drawing the string of your bow.

However, keep in mind that this will add a little extra amount of weight which may cause losing a couple of feet per second of speed when shooting arrows. A tubeless peep sight can always be installed and adjusted to be aligned properly, this will be talked further in the second part of this article

A lot of people are therefore opting for a tubeless peep sight but it is essentially a matter of preferences and personal comfort.

 

Size matters!

So as you now know, in order for a pin (front) sight to be as accurate as possible, a peep sight will be required. When deciding on a peep sight, always remember that the bigger the peep’s hole; the lighter it will allow through, however, it will require extra effort from you to look through its exact center, therefore more challenging to shoot the same spot every single time.

The size of your peep sight might depend on the kind of activity you are practicing with your bow. How much light and precision do you need while shooting?

Competition shooting, for instance, needs a lot of precision and minimal light going through is fine so choosing a smaller hole for your peep, like a 1/8” or even a 1/16”, would be good choices.

Although if you are more into bow hunting, you are most likely to be in darker places like in the woods very early in the morning. Precision even if important, is not the same than target shooting so you could easily go for a larger one like a 3/16” hole size ideally and even a 1/4” could do.

 

Peep sights are often overlooked but this little accessory can make a big difference in your shooting. As you can see, they are quite simple to understand and the purpose aims to improve consistency and accuracy with every single shot which allows for better groupings.  

Now that you are able to choose the proper hole size of your peep sight according to your archery practice, you will need to know how to install a peep sight on your compound bow which is the second part of this article.

 

 

 

Locate the desired position

The first thing to do is to decide on your desired peep sight location. Now, draw your bow back to your anchor point and let a friend help you mark the spot where you think you will feel comfortable aiming through.

Alternatively, you can mark your string about 6 inches above the D-loop, then by drawing your bow, you can see if the height of the mark looks right to you.

 

Install the peep…

The subsequent step is to install your peep sight. A bow press will be required to perform this action. The significance of installing a peep sight appropriately is to enable you to locate the center of the string. You will have to separate the strands in order to install the peep sight. This is a very crucial part you need to be aware of; if the peep sight isn’t at the string’s center then I am afraid it might spin too much if you try to draw the bow. So be sure to install it evenly in between.

 

Validate the position

Once the peep sight is installed, take it out of the press, draw it backward and bring your bow to full connection with your eyes closed and allow it to settle in your anchor point. Open your eyes as if you are looking through your sight and you’ll know if the current position is right or if you need to raise or lower your peep.

 

Adjust the height if needed

Now try it with an arrow. Look through the peep sight to be sure everything is in its right position perhaps it might need further adjustment if not done right the first time. Ensure that the peep sight line up faultlessly with your eye and center of the sight window when you are at your anchor point.

 

How is the rotation of your peep?

As soon as you have got the peep sight on the accurate height look at how the peep sight will rotate in the string. If the peep sight is not turning over to your desired level; using the bow press, detach one end of the string from the bow and twist again. One complete turn of the string equals to a quarter turn (90 degrees) of the peep sight. Repeat this process until the peep sight comes back square to your eye on several occasions.

Also, do make sure that your D-loop is aligned with the peep sight.

 

Tie it in!

Tie in your peep sight. When you are sure that your peep sight has been properly positioned and it is at the appropriate location, install stop knots above and below the peep sight. Make sure you do this with a little amount of pressure taken off the string on a bow press.

Avoid tying the actual peep sight to the string. Once the peep stretches, it will cause the peep to lose its forward alignment which will need further adjustment.

 

The fun part…Shoot some arrows!

After you have done all this, shoot the bow numerous times and do final touches if needed. Now you’re all set and ready to shoot your bow accurately!

 

Thank you for reading us! Do not hesitate to ask us if you have any questions or leave a comment below.