# Sight picture/sight alignment?



## romad2006 (Jun 4, 2006)

When I am looking through my peep, should I be placing the pin that I am aiming onto my target in the middle of my peep picture? Or, should I be centering the sight ring in my peep and then placing the pin on target? I am figuring that my questions are probably a little confusing but I do not know how to articulate what I am trying to say without visual reference.


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

There is "aiming" and there is "sighting". 

Aiming is focusing on the spot you want to hit. Generally this starts as focusing on the center of the target. Not on the center of the "x". The human mind can only super focus for a certain amount of time. Usually only seconds. One should be going thru their shot process during the "aim" portion of the shot. But never take your eyes off the target. 

"Sighting" is the process of bringing the sight of the bow into your sight picture. The head should never move and you should never loose your "aim". The alignment of the housing with the peep should be natural. You should not have to think about. The only time you should notice is when it is out of alignment. Usually "sighting - aiming" to long will cause a break down in the process which could lead to peep drift. 

As you come into anchor and settle in and you turn your total conscious process over to the subconscious you start your "aiming moments". Your focus turns to the center of the "x" and you super focus. Within 4-7 seconds you need to "execute" the shot. Don't wait on it to go off. Don't be a "waiter". Be an "executioner". There is a small window where the everything settles in and you execute the shot. 

You can fix most peep/sight alignment problems by moving the sight in or out or changing peep size. 

Sorry I went overboard. Sometimes I just can't keep my fingers shut.


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## romad2006 (Jun 4, 2006)

No this is all good. I am very proficient rifleman. I have been shooting for over 30 years and 20 of that competitively. I think part of my problem is that I have treid to bring some of the same thought process over to archery. When shooting a rifle, you aim in on your target and then super focus on your from sight post while not worrying about the target going fuzzy. I was trying to do this with my bow which is completely wrong according to your definition of aiming. I will heed your advice and give this method a try my next time out to the range. Now, in regards to moving down on the pins, meaning that I am shooting 30, 40, etc... I am assuming the same process applies?


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## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

It is the same process - different pin. Alignment should be the same.


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## Splitshafts (May 7, 2012)

You should have all three lined up at full draw, peep lined up with sight ring, sight ring with pin in focus. When you allow your pin to FLOAT DOWN into your target. Let it just " be there". Stop looking at the pin ( its already where it's got to be). Then focus all your attention on the point of impact. It should happen that your brain takes over as far as the pin being centered. Your subconscious takes over the release part. So all you have to consciously be aware of is AIM, AIM, AIM, AIM.


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## oldgeez (Sep 29, 2002)

just watched griv's "thing a week." this week he was talking about centering the target in the "peep!!" very different from centering the sight housing in the peep!! I believe this was the original question. he talks about the focusing length and forgiveness by centering the target, 20 yards away vs. centering the housing 30" away. I must say, it's seems pretty revolutionary to me!! I tried it, and it works. you can go to much smaller micro peep, which clarifies higher powered scopes better w/o a clarifier. the problem is my scope housing keeps creeping into the sight picture, so I can't get a good obstruction free view of the gold part of the vegas target. I tried moving the peep, but the very top of the aperture keeps creeping in. I don't know what to do?? I guess buy a bigger scope, but that will cost a lot of money, lol!! i'm going to try moving the sight in towards the bow tomorrow. i'm using an 8x lens, 1 3/8" aperture, just a little red showing around the center gold.


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

romad2006 said:


> When I am looking through my peep, should I be placing the pin that I am aiming onto my target in the middle of my peep picture? Or, should I be centering the sight ring in my peep and then placing the pin on target? I am figuring that my questions are probably a little confusing but I do not know how to articulate what I am trying to say without visual reference.


Two schools of thought.

1) unit aiming..fixed shooting position...

collar bones and the bow arm are ALWAYS ALWAYS dead parallel to the arrow firing angle.







Scope housing, the RIM is always centered inside the peep sight aperture.

20 yard shot?

Collar bones and the bow arm and the arrow will be ALL level.

70 meter shot (about 80 yards)
the collar bones,
the bow arm
the arrow 
ALL at the same launch angle.

So,
the AIMING is happening at the hips and waist (called leaning backwards for the LONG distance shot, on level ground...GOTTTA LEAn back for the 80 yard shot).


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## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

romad2006 said:


> When I am looking through my peep, should I be placing the pin that I am aiming onto my target in the middle of my peep picture? Or, should I be centering the sight ring in my peep and then placing the pin on target? I am figuring that my questions are probably a little confusing but I do not know how to articulate what I am trying to say without visual reference.


Second style.

CENTER up your aiming pin with the peep.

So,
if you have no frame of reference (small peep sight aperture...LARGE enough scope housing so you cannot see the RIM)
and you CENTER UP the target face
and you CENTER UP the aiming pin

all inside your field of view of the aperture

20yd pin
30 yd pin
60 yd pin

this presumes TRULY EXCELLENT posture memory.

WHY?

Say you fire 10 arrows at 60 yards.
3 shots, you center up the target rings, the ENTIRE target face and the AIMING PIN in the middle of your field of view, for your SMALLER aperture, (peep sight)
and your chin is HIGHER than usual.

3 arrows group tight, and miss a little high of the bullseye.

Since you have NO frame of reference (the RIM of the scope or pin sight), you cannot tell that your CHIN is higher than normal, and you miss high.

NEXT 7 shots, you group tight, and miss a little LOW of the bullseye.
Chin was LOWER on these next 7 shots.
Since you have NO frame of reference (RIM of the scope or pin sight is not visible).

Ever have this happen to ya?

TWO really tight groups,
different heights
at longer distances?


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