Can You Use A Peep Sight On A Recurve Bow?

Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter, and Outdoorsman.

When you are a newbie, missing targets constantly can be frustrating, and that’s where bow sights can be beneficial.

If you own a compound bow, you might already have a peep sight as most archers purchase the two tools together; however, you surely want to use the peep sights with other types of bows. Now, the question is, can you use a peep sight on a recurve bow?

Well, of course, you can use peep sights on recurve bows even if the sights are made for compound bows. In recurve bows, a peep sight is generally installed with a 3-pin or 5-pin bow sight.

A recurve bow sight will help you fix your aim and maintain a consistent anchor point. This simple tool can be an excellent companion on your journey to master the art of archery. Let’s look at how the peep sight works with a recurve bow.

Can You Use a Peep Sight on a Recurve Bow

In this post, we'll cover:

What Is a Peep Sight?

Peep sight refers to a small circle mounted on the bow string to allow the shooter to maintain a line of sight among the target, aiming pin, and the archer’s eyes. Peep sights are commonly used for bows, rifles, and other firearms.

If you want to practice archery hunting in short distances, installing multi-pin peep sight on your recurve bow will help you achieve accuracy while shooting.

Benefits of Peep Sights

Using a sight has been quite debated among old and new archers. Still, many archers prefer target sights for hunting and to improve their shooting form. Here are some benefits of the archery equipment –

It can help you reduce the sight picture, which helps to lessen the margin error and outside distractions. And this is what you want for shooting a big game like elk or deer.
The tiny peep makes it easy to place the pin in a convenient position. Try throwing an arrow on the same spot with and without a peep sight to see the difference. You’ll notice fixing the pin in the middle is tough without a peep, and the arrow might travel longer than the given distance.
A peep sight and a kisser button can help you be fixed on an anchor point. This will enable you to remain in a sound position while hunting.

Types of Bow Sight

There are mainly two types of pin sights: single pin sights and multi-pin sights. Before buying a new sight, you might want to know the advantages of each pin sight. Here are the key differences and some benefits of the two types –

Single Pin Sight

As the name suggests, this type of sight has only one aiming pin, which you can alter by some dials to cover longer ranges. Compound shooters prefer using single-pin sights as they are hassle-free. You can use the bow sight on hunting recurve for taking down a fixed target. One-pin sights are less suitable for far-range shooting.

Multi Pinned Sight

The multiple or fixed pin sight features three or five pins you need to install before shooting and can’t be adjusted instantly. Multiple pins make it less suitable for quick hunting as you need to use different aiming pins for various distances.

For the three-pin sight set-up, you need to use one pin for 10 yards and two other pins for 20 or 30 yards. Multi-pin sights are suitable for moving targets at long distances.

How to Install Peep Sights on Recurve Bow

You can use a D-loop or a torque-less loop to fit the peep sight on a recurve bowstring for installing. You will need a bow press to separate your bowstring strands. The sight will go into the middle portion of the bowstring, held fixed.

Here are the three simple steps of mounting a peep sight –

Step 1: Choose a Suitable Height

First, insert the peep sight into the string and pull the arrow at full draw. Now stay still at the same place and ask a friend to align the peep in different positions to find the most convenient height.

Step 2: Shoot Some Arrows

You might not find the perfect height at first chance. Before threading the tool, try shooting at least 20 arrows to determine if the peep size is suitable for you. Moreover, it will settle the tension of your bowstring.

Step 3: Rotate the Tool

After all the shots, the peep sight might not be perfectly aligned. Try rotating the tool slowly to find the proper position. Once everything is set, use some threads to fix the peep sight in its place.

How to Use a Peep Sight

As we mentioned, peep sights are usually used with other multi-pin sights. So, you need to set the tool accordingly before shooting. Here’s how you shoot using a peep sight –

First, you need to determine whether you’re going for shorter or longer shots so that you can set the aiming pins accordingly. Typically, the top pin is set for 20 yards, and the rest are set for 30, 40, and 50 yards.
Pull the arrow to the anchor point for achieving the necessary draw weight for shooting.
Fix one point on the target where you will shoot and look through the peephole to sight the target. Make small adjustments to the peep if needed.
Once the target and your arrow are aligned, shoot in your preferred style. You should shoot at least three arrows to take down the target.

Conclusion

So, can you use a peep sight on a recurve bow? Now you have the answer. If you feel like you need a bow sight for your archery practices, go for it without listening to anyone.

To check the functionality of a peep sight, you can visit an archery shop and try using the tool. Once you find the perfect peep sight, aiming will be more accurate and more fun for you.

Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.

Sources

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