In the world of archery, precision is paramount. A high-quality 5-pin sight is one of the most critical investments you can make for your bow setup, directly influencing your accuracy and confidence at the range or in the field. With pins pre-set for various distances, these sights offer a versatile solution for dynamic shooting scenarios.
Choosing the right model, however, can be a challenge with the vast array of options available. Factors like pin size, construction material, and adjustment capabilities all play a significant role. This expert guide breaks down the top contenders for 2025 to help you find the perfect 5-pin sight that aligns with your shooting style and needs.
Our Top Picks for 5-Pin Bow Sights
- Viper Archery Venom V1000 5 Pin Compound Bow Sight
- CBE Tactic Micro Sight
- Southland Archery Supply SAS 5-Pin Bow Sight with LED Light
- TRUGLO Carbon XS Xtreme Ultra-Lightweight Bow Sight
- Trophy Ridge React H5 Archery Bow Sight
- Black Gold Ascent Verdict Dovetail 5-Pin Bow Sight
- Spot-Hogg Fast Eddie XL MRT Long Bar 5-Pin Bow Sight
- Trophy Ridge Master Hunter Kit with Volt Sight
- Trophy Ridge React Pro 5 Pin Archery Bow Sight
- TruGlo Range Rover 5-Pin Bow Sight
Viper Archery Venom V1000 5 Pin Compound Bow Sight
Built for durability and performance, the Viper Venom V1000 is a rugged sight manufactured entirely in the USA. Its CNC machined 6061 T6 aluminum body and stainless-steel hardware ensure it can handle the rigors of the hunt. The fixed plate design contributes to increased accuracy over long distances, providing a stable and reliable platform.
This model offers superior visibility with its five ultra-bright horizontal fiber optic metal razor pins. Available in multiple pin sizes, including the .019 model featured here, it allows you to choose the configuration that best suits your preference. The inclusion of 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments further refines your aim for precise shooting on uneven terrain.
CBE Tactic Micro Sight
The CBE Tactic Micro Sight is engineered for the shooter who demands precision and flexibility. Its smart-mount system features multi-positioning mounting holes, allowing for a highly customized fit on your bow. This level of adjustability ensures you can achieve the perfect sight picture and shooting form.
Refined adjustments are a key benefit of this sight, with micro windage and elevation gang adjustments that feature clear, laser-engraved markings. The 5-pin housing is equipped with durable .019″ blade pins, offering a clean and precise aiming point. This sight is an excellent option for archers looking for professional-grade tuning capabilities.
Southland Archery Supply SAS 5-Pin Bow Sight with LED Light
The SAS 5-Pin sight offers fantastic value, combining precision CNC machining with user-friendly features. It is built to provide maximum accuracy without a hefty price tag, making it a great starting point for new archers or a reliable backup. The .029 fiber optic pins gather ample light for clear visibility in various conditions.
This package stands out by including a detachable LED sight light at no extra cost. This light enhances pin visibility during low-light situations at dawn or dusk, extending your shooting window. The mix of red, green, and yellow fiber optics also helps in quickly distinguishing between pins while aiming.
TRUGLO Carbon XS Xtreme Ultra-Lightweight Bow Sight
For archers prioritizing a lightweight setup, the TRUGLO Carbon XS Xtreme is a top contender. Weighing less than 4.2 ounces, its carbon-composite construction significantly reduces weight on your bow’s riser. This can lead to less fatigue during long hunts and a steadier hold.
The design incorporates numerous shooter-suggested improvements, including a longer mounting bracket and extended adjustment ranges. Its PRO-BRITE Pin Technology ensures the pins remain highly visible. This sight is also ambidextrous, being fully convertible for both left and right-handed shooters, and features a user-friendly glow-in-the-dark shooter’s ring.
Trophy Ridge React H5 Archery Bow Sight
The Trophy Ridge React H5 is built around innovative React Technology, which simplifies the sighting-in process. This system automatically sets the pin gap for you as you sight in your top pin, taking the guesswork out of the equation. It’s a fantastic feature that saves time and effort.
Constructed with the Ballistix CoPolymer System, this sight effectively reduces vibration while maintaining a light yet strong profile. A built-in rheostat light allows you to adjust the brightness of the pins to match any lighting condition, from bright midday sun to dim forest cover, ensuring optimal visibility when it matters most.
Black Gold Ascent Verdict Dovetail 5-Pin Bow Sight
Black Gold is renowned for its high-quality sights, and the Ascent Verdict lives up to that reputation. A standout feature is the top-mounted SkyCoil light gathering system, which captures 300% more ambient light to make the fiber optic pins incredibly bright and easy to see without a battery-powered light.
This sight offers full 2nd and 3rd axis adjustability, which is essential for maintaining accuracy on steep uphill or downhill shots. The level head sight ring is designed to be far easier to adjust and more secure once set, providing a reliable reference for maintaining proper bow orientation during your shot.
Spot-Hogg Fast Eddie XL MRT Long Bar 5-Pin Bow Sight
The Spot-Hogg Fast Eddie XL is a premium sight known for its bombproof construction and smooth, precise adjustments. The MRT (Multi-Range Technology) housing allows for versatile pin configurations. Its reputation for durability is well-earned, making it a favorite among serious hunters who encounter tough conditions.
It features a lightweight 6″ dovetail sight bar with a quick-release bow mount for easy installation and removal. Like other high-end models, it includes micro-adjustable 2nd and 3rd axis settings, giving you complete control to fine-tune your sight for maximum accuracy regardless of the shooting angle.
Trophy Ridge Master Hunter Kit with Volt Sight
This product is more than just a sight; it’s a complete accessory kit designed to get you fully equipped. The core of the kit is the Volt 5-pin sight, which features ultra-bright .019 fiber optic pins for clear aiming points. It’s an ideal all-in-one solution for a new archer setting up their first bow.
In addition to the sight, the kit includes a 6″ static stabilizer with customizable weights to help balance your bow and reduce torque. It also comes with the reliable Kill Shot Whisker Biscuit arrow rest, which includes its own windage and elevation adjustments for perfect arrow flight.
Trophy Ridge React Pro 5 Pin Archery Bow Sight
The React Pro takes the innovative React Technology a step further, offering a premium version of this user-friendly system. It automatically calculates and sets the optimal location for all five pins as you sight in your top pin, ensuring mathematically perfect pin gaps for various distances.
This model features advanced tool-less micro-click windage and elevation adjustments, allowing for easy and precise corrections on the fly. To strengthen accuracy at severe angles over longer distances, the React Pro also includes a third axis adjustment, making it a highly capable sight for challenging hunting scenarios.
TruGlo Range Rover 5-Pin Bow Sight
As a well-known name in the optics industry, TruGlo’s Range Rover sight brings dependable performance to a wide range of archers. This model is designed to be a solid, no-fuss option that provides reliable service season after season. It incorporates the essential features most shooters need without unnecessary complexity.
You can expect bright fiber optic pins for good visibility and straightforward adjustments for sighting in. While specific features for this model are not listed, TruGlo’s reputation for producing quality, value-oriented sights makes the Range Rover a contender for anyone seeking a trustworthy 5-pin sight from a reputable brand.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best 5 Pin Bow Sight
Choosing the right 5 pin bow sight can feel like a big decision, and I get it. You want something that feels like an extension of your bow, not a clunky add-on. Having tested more sights than I can count, I’ve found that focusing on a few key areas makes the selection process much smoother.
First, let’s talk about construction. You need a sight that can handle the bumps and knocks of the trail and the treestand. I always look for a solid, machined aluminum housing. This material offers the perfect balance of lightweight durability without flexing. A flexing housing will throw off your accuracy faster than you can say “bullseye.” Next, check the pin guard. A good, robust pin guard is your first line of defense against damaging your sight pins, which are the heart of the whole system.
Speaking of pins, this is where your personal shooting style comes into play. You have two main choices: fiber optic pins or metal pins. Fiber optics are the popular choice for a reason—they gather ambient light and make your pins glow brightly, which is a huge advantage in low-light conditions like early mornings or late evenings in the woods. The quality of the fiber and how it’s housed matters. Look for .019-inch pins for precision at longer distances or .029-inch pins for easier visibility. Some sights even offer a combination, which I find to be a fantastic compromise.
The mounting and adjustment system is your next big consideration. A micro-adjustable windage and elevation system is non-negotiable. This allows you to make tiny, precise clicks to move your entire pin housing. For the individual pins themselves, you want a system that lets you lock them in securely but also move them easily for fine-tuning. The best 5 pin bow sight to buy in 2025 will have a tool-less or micro-click vertical adjustment for each pin, saving you a massive headache during setup.
Finally, think about the level and sight tape. A good, easy-to-see bubble level integrated into the sight is crucial for consistent form. If you plan on doing any shooting beyond your top pin’s range, a sight that supports a slider or sight tape for a single-pin setup is a fantastic multi-purpose feature. By weighing these factors—durability, pin type, adjustability, and extra features—you’re well on your way to finding a sight that will improve your confidence and your groups on the range and in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the advantage of a 5-pin sight over a single-pin sight?
The biggest advantage is speed. With a 5-pin sight, you have five pre-set distances ready to go. In a hunting situation, when a deer steps out at an unexpected yardage, you don’t have to fiddle with a dial; you just pick the right pin and shoot. Single-pin sights are incredibly precise for known-distance target shooting, but the need to adjust for every shot can cost you a critical moment when hunting. For an all-around setup, especially for whitetail hunting, a 5-pin offers a great balance of versatility and quick target acquisition.
How far apart should I set my 5 pins?
This really depends on your typical shooting scenario and your bow’s speed. A very common and effective setup is to set your pins at 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards. This covers the vast majority of ethical shot opportunities for big game. If you primarily hunt in thick timber where shots are close, you might set them at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards. I always recommend starting with the 20-60 yard spread and then adjusting based on where you find yourself shooting most often. The best 5 pin bow sight to buy in 2025 will have an easy-to-adjust system so you can experiment with this.
Are more expensive fiber optic pins really worth it?
In my experience, yes, they can be. Higher-end sights often use superior quality fiber optics that are brighter and more durable. They also typically feature better sealing systems around the fiber to protect it from moisture and physical damage. A broken or dim fiber strand on a hunt is a real problem. While you don’t need to buy the most expensive sight on the market, investing in a quality brand with a reputation for good fiber optics will pay off in reliability and visibility when you need it most.
Can I use a 5-pin sight for 3D archery tournaments?
Absolutely. A 5-pin sight is a very popular choice for 3D archery. The multiple pins allow you to quickly estimate and engage targets at varying, unknown distances, which is the whole point of 3D. Many competitive 3D shooters use a 5-pin setup because it eliminates the guesswork of dialing a single pin under time pressure. You can “gap shoot” between your pins for distances that fall between your set yardages, making it a highly effective and fast system for this style of competition.
What does a “micro-adjustable” sight mean?
Micro-adjustable refers to the mechanism used to move the sight housing for windage (left/right) and elevation (up/down). Instead of loosening a bolt and sliding the sight, which is imprecise, a micro-adjust system uses a threaded knob that you “click” to move the sight in tiny, repeatable increments. Each click might move your point of impact a quarter-inch or less at 20 yards. This allows for extremely precise sighting-in and makes it easy to make fine-tuning adjustments later on. It’s a feature I consider essential on any modern bow sight.