# What's the best bang for buck recurve/FITA/Olympic style sight?



## mycowwentmeow

Cartel Medalist Sight

it's what i'm using now for my intermediate stuff. it's not expensive and it's not all that bad


----------



## Steve N

Shibuya Double Click, about $150. Has all the adjustments you need, stays locked in place, sturdy construction. Can't beat it with a stick.


----------



## straat

Of the top end sights the Shibuya Dual click will get you a lot of quality for a good price. Most times it will be worth saving some money to invest in one instead of buying a cheaper alternative which is lesser made. It will last your whole shooting life without coming loose or rattling etc. Then when you're too old to pick up a bow you can probably still sell it for a good price


----------



## Morisato

Oh, interesting... I thought everyone was going to suggest the sure-loc quest or contender.


----------



## BloodyCactus

I have a dual click and its rocksolid. Those sure-locs you mentioned look nice but are uh.. pricey  I guess you pay a premium to drop an ounce in weight.


----------



## BobCo19-65

mycowwentmeow said:


> Cartel Medalist Sight
> 
> it's what i'm using now for my intermediate stuff. it's not expensive and it's not all that bad


My son and I both use this site. I would consider us both beginners in this style. This site is nice and provides all the needed adjustments. I would suggest it for a beginner as long as you don't mind tightening everything up after every 12 or so shots.


----------



## ScarletArrows

can't go wrong with Shibuya


----------



## Xcreekarchery1

i shoot the shibuya ultima rc carbon and think its the best sight i have ever shot, no sureloc guys here apparently :shade:

the dual click is a great, sturdy sight that will last a long time.

Chris


----------



## engtee

Shibuya Dual Click, unless you want the ability to easily and quickly change apertures-then look at the SureLoc Contender.


----------



## Big.Dave

Spend money on a good sight you can always move it to a new bow and it will be one less thing to worry about.

As for sights I'm in the Sure-loc camp the quest-X is a good sight.

I have owned a Shibuya duel click a rock solid sight with an unbeatable track record in competition. changing pins will take longer and require a hex key. Also don't break the sight block on them very expensive to replace!!! I found this out the hard way thats why I shoot Sure-loc now.


----------



## Jim C

For the Money the dual click is the best, and I own most of the popular stuff

the cartels-even the activas fall apart

The best in terms of cost/value though is the RC Ultima in aluminum. 

top of the ine-the top sureloc and the RC in carbon-hard to say-I use them both. But back to best for the money.

One thing that I really like about shibuyas is that the bolt you need a wrench to losen keeps your aperture from moving. If you use one of Barry's apertures they will sometimes turn in the Sureloc aperture holder. I know a Top archer who is on sureloc's staff who modified the holder to mimic the shibuya with a set screw for that reason

I like being able to take the whole bloc off as well

the cheap sureloc is still more than either the dual click or the RC in aluminum IIRC.

One of my students had the WW copy and it was pretty good as well. it was an older model circa 1999. The newer one with the carbon bar looked pretty nice.

One of my students had the aperture block on a shibuya crack. She shoots ALOT. LAS replaced it. It was a dual click

the ultima block isn't plastic so I doubt that would happen with it


----------



## robdav

I've been using the Avalon Tec One, and it's an excellent sight. To my eye, it's identical to the Sure-locs, but it costs $65 at Alternatives (http://alternativess.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/004497.9.5615781890718107421).
It's a great sight, for an amazing price!

Rob


----------



## agillator

robdav said:


> I've been using the Avalon Tec One, and it's an excellent sight. To my eye, it's identical to the Sure-locs, but it costs $65 at Alternatives (http://alternativess.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/004497.9.5615781890718107421).
> It's a great sight, for an amazing price!
> 
> Rob


Good tip, Rob. How long have you been using the Tec One? Could you describe it in a bit more detail. In particular:

Are any of the parts plastic? If so, which ones. 
There appears to be a locking screw for windage. Is there a locking mechanism for elevation?
Any problems with vibration, either noise or screws loosening?
Any problems with the color/finish?

Thanks.


----------



## atjurhs

1) don't waste money on a cheap sight, it is one item that you will either praise or curse, and cheap ones you'll curse!

2) the shibuya ultima rc is in my view the highest quality and best bang for the buck, you will always thank yourself for spending the little extra money to get it


----------



## HikerDave

atjurhs said:


> 1) don't waste money on a cheap sight, it is one item that you will either praise or curse, and cheap ones you'll curse!
> 
> 2) the shibuya ultima rc is in my view the highest quality and best bang for the buck, you will always thank yourself for spending the little extra money to get it


My wife and daughter surprised me with an Ultima RC this morning -- I'd been making do with a factory-second Cartel Spectra. Wow, what an improvement. The main difference is that the Shibuya has absolutely no backlash -- which means that five clicks up and three clicks down isn't five clicks up now and three clicks down the end after next after it shakes into place. And of course the Ultima RC looks so much better too. I was too cheap to spend the money for the nice sight in the first place, but sooner or later every archer ends up with a really fine sight so you might as well buy it right away. It doesn't hurt that it comes in red!


----------



## DWAA Archer

Buy cheap pay twice!!


----------



## robdav

no plastic parts... all nicely finished metal.
The windage is adjusted by turning the screw... no need for locking screws, as everything works by a nice friction hold... like sure loc.
I've had mine for almost a year and no loose screws or vibrations.... yea!
I have the silver, but all the colors are anodized finish, so it should last forever.
I showed it to my coach (Canada's Olympic coach) and she's now recommending it to all her students, so that seems a good endorsement.
I've really enjoyed it and it's holding together perfectly.
Rob


----------



## agillator

robdav said:


> ...
> The windage is adjusted by turning the screw... no need for locking screws, ...
> Rob


Rob-

What's that screw under the sight block?









Do windage and elevation adjustments click as you turn them?
Any backlash in either windage or elevation?

Thanks.


----------



## jocala

I just set up two Cartel medalist sights on my wife's Polaris & my SF. They are our first target sights, so we have nothing to compare them to, but they seem well made and solid. After about 50 shots they are rattle-free.


----------



## Texas Fletcher

My very first site was the W&W SF Premium Carbon sight. It worked really well, but once I decided that I would pursue a competitive career in archery, I sold all my initial gear and upgraded everything to premium status. I have two of the Shibuya Ultima RC Standard Aluminum site. I can tell you that I have had absolutely no problems with these sights. They are rock solid, light weight, and extremely accurate. 

Also something to consider, if u decide to become a serious competitor, the shibuya models are compatible with most archery software such as Archers Advantage.


----------



## chrstphr

buy once and be done with it. In 2004 i bought a Sure-loc Quest-X. It still works perfectly 9 years later, and Sure-loc still stands behind the product if i do develop a problem with it. I never bought any of the cheaper ones and i saved money by not doing so. The $325 i spent on my sight has now averaged out to $36 dollars a year. I will shoot this sight another 9 years as well. 


Chris


----------



## EABB

chrstphr said:


> buy once and be done with it. In 2004 i bought a Sure-loc Quest-X. It still works perfectly 9 years later, and Sure-loc still stands behind the product if i do develop a problem with it. I never bought any of the cheaper ones and i saved money by not doing so. The $325 i spent on my sight has now averaged out to $36 dollars a year. I will shoot this sight another 9 years as well.
> 
> 
> Chris


Exactly my opinion! Unlike the rest of your equipment the sight should last you a lifetime! My sureloc supreme has lasted 10 years now, and still as good as new, and it is still practicaly the same thing that the new sights. Spend once on a great sight and then forget about it for the rest of your life!


----------



## jocala

chrstphr said:


> buy once and be done with it. ... The $325 i spent on my sight has now averaged out to $36 dollars a year.


Would you advise the OP to do without until they can afford the best?


----------



## Crunch

I don't know how good it is but the SF Ultimate carbon is on sale at Alt right now. $100.00


----------



## elarock

agillator said:


> Rob-
> 
> What's that screw under the sight block?
> 
> View attachment 1597470
> 
> 
> Do windage and elevation adjustments click as you turn them?
> Any backlash in either windage or elevation?
> 
> Thanks.


I just received my Avalon Tec One from Alternative and have only been shooting with it for a week or so, but I can say the quality is surprisingly good. Sure it's not the same level of a Shubya/Sure-Loc, but it's quite impressive for less than a third the price of comparable sights. The screw you have circled is the release for the aperture assembly for storage. Yes, it has micro click adjustment for both elevation and windage and is pretty lightweight. I shoot at the US Oly Training Center here in San Diego and one of the RA's (resident athletes) was checking it out and was surprised at the quality. And at $65 plus $7 shipping from the UK, it's hard to go wrong. It did take over 2.5 weeks to arrive, but it arrived intact and ready to go. It's anodized and comes with a sight case as well (although not that great). Just my .02.


----------



## LittleJP

Before I got a nice secondhand one in the classifieds here, I spent about $0.50 on a homemade sight. Namely a sewing needle taped to my riser. Worked well enough for indoor shooting, and probably would have been fine for outdoors. The main disadvantage was the lack of finely controlled adjustment both for windage and elevation, but at my level, I didn't really need it. Not sure if it would be legal for tournament though.


----------



## martinkartin

Shibuya Dual Click is best bang for the buck? I would have thought the Ultima RC would since they are both selling for $299. I went for the RC when I bought my sight so I could quickly shift distances. A 1 time purchase thats for sure! Absolutely love it!


----------



## LittleJP

The Dual Click is $179.99 at Lancaster


----------



## martinkartin

Oh right. I was looking at the Dual Click Carbon. I agree then, best bang for the buck would be the standard dual click. Cant go wrong with Shibuya's neat construction.


----------



## limbwalker

Best bang for the buck could also be a good clean used Toxonics target sight. I've found many of them and buy them right up whenever I see them. They are heavy, but built like tanks and great for students to learn with. Some of the old Check-it sights were pretty good too. But you have to know which models.

John


----------



## dmassphoto

I had a hard time finding the Dual Click when I got mine, and found that Arrowsport Archery had them. He was easy to deal with and I got my sight quickly. Mods if this is bad ju-ju giving the link, please feel free to delete.

http://www.arrowsportarchery.net/sights-pins.html


----------



## robdav

that screw is for removing the aperture block for storage... very simple, secure and reliable.
yes, there are clicks on both elevation and windage.
Backlash? If you mean what I think... just a bit on the vertical, though it can be minimized by tightening the small set screws on the vertical alignment slider.
Hope that clarifies.
Rob


----------



## target1

I use a sureloc supreme...never a problem.


----------



## chrstphr

jocala said:


> Would you advise the OP to do without until they can afford the best?


you can find them used for $275 on AT from time to time. I say make the investment if you are going to be shooting long term. So yes, i would say, save up and get a high quality one once. it will save you money in the long run. archery is not a race, and plenty of people starting out shoot for awhile before buying a sight. 


Chris


----------



## limbwalker

Of course, unless your dream is to make an Olympic or USAT team someday (under the present rules and formats) you could simply forego the sight completely and shoot barebow. I mean, you're going to get there eventually someday anyway, so you might as well just shoot it while you're still young. LOL!

John


----------



## grantmac

That Aurora sight seems to be getting good reviews in Europe.

Anyone else thinks it looks like the X-spot sight on LAS? Rebranding for different market maybe.
I've been impressed with the X-spot stuff I've bought, good price and quality. But none of it has been more complicated than a tab.

-Grant


----------



## limbwalker

Best bang for the buck is the Accra 300 I just got off Ebay for $49.  Sweet. One of my students is going to love that sight.

John


----------



## DWAA Archer

limbwalker said:


> Best bang for the buck could also be a good clean used Toxonics target sight. I've found many of them and buy them right up whenever I see them. They are heavy, but built like tanks and great for students to learn with. Some of the old Check-it sights were pretty good too. But you have to know which models.
> 
> John


 Yep +1 on that I've seen a few all old ones defiantly built to last.


----------



## Lostnthewoods

Any opinions on the Davis System sights? My daughter is using one. It seems rock solid if a little heavy. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Ranger 50

I have the Davis System and love it. Great sight for the money, well engineered and American made.


----------



## atjurhs

Almost every JOAD student at my local archery shop is shooting the same Cartel, even the advanced students. It's a piece of %^&@ and several times throughout a round, they'll be tightening screws, some even come apart. I don't mean this as a dig on Cartel. I mean it to say, DON"T BUY A CHEAP SIGHT. Yes, a Shibuya or a SURE LOC or a Fivics will cost you a penny you'll never have to worry about screws coming loosing or the sight rattling or jumping about, and when you move up to your next bow you can take that sight with you forever!



atjurhs said:


> 1) don't waste money on a cheap sight, it is one item that you will either praise or curse, and cheap ones you'll curse!
> 
> 2) the shibuya ultima rc is in my view the highest quality and best bang for the buck, you will always thank yourself for spending the little extra money to get it


I said it before, and I'll say it again.


----------



## larry tom

This thread has really peaked my interest 'cause I have been thinking about getting a sight for my recurve. But Chris' comment in post 35, and John's in post 36, resonates with me. I've only been shooting seriously since last November, and am making good progress shooting bare bow. So I think I will go that way for a little while longer. Although John, being 63, I don't know that I'll wait too long. :smile:

Regards,
Larry T.


----------



## Lostnthewoods

Ranger 50 said:


> I have the Davis System and love it. Great sight for the money, well engineered and American made.


The American made aspect was one of the main attractions of the Davis System for me. I love to support American business, especially a small American business competing in an imprt dominated market. There is something satisfying about emailing a small local company and getting tech support and advice from the guy that owns the company and actually machines the sights. I was able to get a sight built for my daughter to our specifications for less than $200 shipped to my door. I can think of a few things I would change in the design but they would only be for weight savings not for reliability improvement.


----------



## sbblackbelt

I didn't see Viper1 jump in here but figured I would throw this quote out there from one of his "first bow & accessories" posts. SureLoc Contender-X takes the cake. 

"Sights –
Do NOT scrimp on a sight! A good sight should last as long as your bow.
Best – Sure-Loc Contender-X. Sights from Shibuya or Cartel in the $200 – $250 range are very
serviceable as well. Again, if your budget is tight, don’t forget the used market."


Though I must say i am quite intrigued by this Avalon Tec One from Alternative that has been discussed in the thread…seems like an easy purchase. If it lasted only a couple years it would have the same yearly cost as Chris's $36 a year he spent for his Sure-loc Quest-X. Very solid thread guys. Thanks for the info.


----------



## indebtmd

I'll have to agree that the Sure-Loc Contender-X is absolutely fool proof and rattle free. Viper1 recommended it to me and I managed to find a used one on eBay for only $150. For being a year old the site looked perfect and the screws don't up at all.


----------



## Jim C

limbwalker said:


> Best bang for the buck is the Accra 300 I just got off Ebay for $49.  Sweet. One of my students is going to love that sight.
> 
> John


I have several

the weaknesses are based on what Ann Hoyt told me and the repair kit she sent me

the little knob that locks the aperture has a history of following out-I know this because the dealer repair kit she sent me had at least 10 of every possible part but NONE of those little knobs. You can buy a bolt at the hardware store that does the same thing though

2) they can move. the original shibuya (like DP used in 79 to set that 10 year WR of 1341) was a copy of the ACCRA (which was a big improvement over the much heavier Killen CHEK ITS or the Reynolds sights) was reputed to correct the movement of the ACCRA. 

3) I shot an accra for a couple years until the lighter (open isogrid extension) sure loc came out. its too bad they went back to making oil rig machinery and bagged sights


----------



## knotdodger

> Best bang for the buck is the Accra 300 I just got off Ebay for $49. Sweet. One of my students is going to love that sight.


This is the sight I have been using for a couple of years.. It does just fine.. Except I did not put my sling around the bow and shot.....
And there went the bow, crashing on the concrete floor. Bent the extension bar. Still use it though. 
I gave the sureloc to the daughter. Now that Sureloc makes a lot of noise. Bushings are bad already.. Costs 100.00 to send it in to get new .05 cent bushings................ Grrrrrrrrrr


----------



## fluke

agillator said:


> Rob-
> 
> What's that screw under the sight block?
> 
> View attachment 1597470
> 
> 
> Do windage and elevation adjustments click as you turn them?
> Any backlash in either windage or elevation?
> 
> Thanks.


the screw is to hold the pin holder

windage and elevation do click but i've found a bit of slack in the elevation. i can tighten the sight block until there's no more slack but then the block would barely move with the adjustment knob. overall i liked it as my first sight but if money is scarce i would recommend SF sights


----------



## larry tom

larry tom said:


> This thread has really peaked my interest 'cause I have been thinking about getting a sight for my recurve. But Chris' comment in post 35, and John's in post 36, resonates with me. I've only been shooting seriously since last November, and am making good progress shooting bare bow. So I think I will go that way for a little while longer. Although John, being 63, I don't know that I'll wait too long. :smile:
> 
> Regards,
> Larry T.


Just an update .... Well, as you can see from my signature line I purchased a Shibuya Ultima RC sight. Have been shooting with it for several months. As stated by other posters, it is excellent. Easy to use, well made, and stable. My scores have jumped higher since I started using it. Larry


----------



## kballer1

Take a look at the DS Advantage you will not find a better made sight for the money.


----------

