Sighting in using 20yd recticle only

[sproulman]

Felt like time to sight Micro 335 in no rain today unreal rain we had here in pa...Started at 30 yds and zero in using 20yd recticle using 16.5 inch Quill arrows 400gr ...Next moved back to 20 yds and it shot 4 inchs high little surprised on that ..Then out to 35 yds and it shot 3 inchs low .....Then out to 40 yds and was surprised it shot 8 inchs low...

Was little surprised at 4 inchs high at 20 and 8 inchs low at 40 ..I noticed up to 35 yards arrow flew with power hitting target with snap..At 40 I could see arrow floating and dropping into target with not the energy you see from 0 to 35 yards....Made me think If Buck was there at 40 yards arrow is not hitting with same energy at least in my mind of what I see at 0-35 so I may limit my shots to 35 and under ..

Do you folks feel this is how you would sight in your crossbow for max of 40 yards on Buck using the 20 yd recticle only ?

[Michiganhunter]

I guess I wonder why limit yourself to just using the 20 yd reticle?
Now if you are using a standard rifle scope with only a single reticle then you have no choice.
I shoot a 380 Matrix and sight in for 2 inchs high at 20 yds. I can use the primary reticle all the way from 10-40 yds being 2 inchs low at 40. So I am always in the kill zone from 10-40 with only one crosshair. Now when I go to 50 and 60 yds I have to utilize the next two dots on the scope reticle.
You are shooting a 335 with less speed and therefore need to utilize the range of scope crosshairs or dots in order to hit with any deadly consistency at longer ranges.
You have to sight in your equipment utilizing its sighting capabilities based on the speed of the projectile be it a bullet or arrow. In other words use everything you have available in your sighting system to your advantage based on the physical capability of the weapon.

[paulaboutform]

I think this is a great idea and I actually do the same thing, sort of. The difference being I use the HHA Optimizer or my MOA adjustable scopes. How far you can shoot with a single center crosshair zero depends on the speed you're shooting. For example, shooting a 387 grain arrow from my M380, I'm using a 33 yard zero to put me 2" high at 20yards and 2" low at 40yards. For me that's hunting acceptable. You will never be that tight with a m335 because the same speed is unattainable. It does sound like your max range using the main crosshairs with your setup is 35 yards...you could even tighten it up a bit more making it thirty. You have to do what works for you though. Nicely done Sproul.

Paul

[newbie]

i sighted my micro in at 30 last year. i have a Leopold mark AR scope with the firedot reticle. worked great for my 30 yard max shooting lanes.
Simple for hunting when they just pop out of no where.

[sproulman]

Thanks friends always good advice.MH asked why not using yard increments .One less worry on way we Buck hunt for 52 years..Back then you walked offyour distances and put up red ribbon say at 20 yds then 30 yds circle..Today you have range finder GREAT ..Keeps you from stinking up area...By marking a rock or stump out at 40 yards etc in your MIND you know that is limit to 40 yards ..When buck comes within that circle of 40 yards no guessing or using 20/30 40 yard line or dot..

You hold little high on shoulder of Buck out to 40 or little lower at 20 yards ..Do you know how many hunters get excited and use wrong dot or line?Then wound the buck ..Rangefinders have been plus But still its another problem to grab it and say oh thats 35 yards use that line oh its 25 yds use that line all time the Buck is sly eyeing you and today Bucks are looking up in trees also for you....

Using the 20 yd dot or line and using your rangefinder to 40 yds makes it real simple ,no worrys and no mistakes most times and 1 less thing on your mind ....

NOW I see why some want more speed in their bows flatter shooting out to 40 yards like some said 3 inch drop amd I get 8 inch drop at 40 yds...40 yds to me is unreal distance to shoot at Buck but 35 yds is ok from my testing at least with Micro 335 shooting 400 gr arrow..

[nchunterkw]

Sproulman
If you look at the arrow performance charts on the Excalibur home page, you will see that your data is pretty close to theirs. They shoot 400gr arrows and zero at 20. With that they see about 5 inches of drop at 30 yds and 15 inches of drop at 40 with a bow shooting 300fps. Since you will be faster than 300fps you should see a little less drop. I used to shoot like this with my old Hortons and I found a 25yd zero to work great out to 30. And if I remember right, I could go top of the back if the deer was at 35 and the arrow would drop right in.
But now I just use the multiple reticles
Keith

[sproulman]

It is fun trying this stuff out with help /advice from you folks its GREAT...Now I have to climb telephone pole in yard and mount my Summit Climber 180 max with alum ladder going up pole so I can come down..Then I will see and report where arrows are hitting on target vrs on ground out too 35 yards..This should be interesting up 18 ft in air shooting downward at 20 /30/35 using 20 yd recticle only .....

I was one of a few that invented the sound deadening on Summit climbers so if you need climber and why I like summit over others drop me PM..But if you buy wrong climber for your purpose its not good.....

[vixenmaster]

Like you often times my huntin area dictates the range my shots will be. I have 2 crossbows set up wid scopes that have mutli yardage marks. I have my 2 others wid red dots n they are used in close range huntin. Captain Morgan is set up from 5 yds to 35 yds its min n max yardage n jus the single dot to aim wid. My other crossbow shoots abit faster n has anudder 10 yds additional range out to 45 yds. They be quick n fast n easy to use n no confusion on what to use fer the killin shot

[sproulman]

Like you often times my huntin area dictates the range my shots will be. I have 2 crossbows set up wid scopes that have mutli yardage marks. I have my 2 others wid red dots n they are used in close range huntin. Captain Morgan is set up from 5 yds to 35 yds its min n max yardage n jus the single dot to aim wid. My other crossbow shoots abit faster n has anudder 10 yds additional range out to 45 yds. They be quick n fast n easy to use n no confusion on what to use fer the killin shot

Same here..If I was hunting like on pipelines or open fields I believe I would use the yard lines like 20/30/40 ..This is where deer come to feed and usually you can take longer shot as their heads are down etc and no brush...But of all years 52 I very seldom saw Buck really feeding and if so it was walking trail with laural about 3 ft over his back in brush here in pa.Many I passed at 20 yards because of brush over heart and only shoulders to head seen and some very big horns sticking out....I do believe the Micro 335 is a 35 yd crossbow on energy and drop of arrow just did not sound good at 40 yards hitting target and boy drop you could see in scope almost like forever to get there and sighted in at 30 yards dead ..Personelly if I was hunting with idea of long shots on Buck I would use fixed point not expanding ...In brush I need to be able at times to shoot thru a 12 inch opening in brush at heart so I like expandable points for that ....