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If you’ve recently purchased a compound bow, then you may be wondering about what other attachments and accessories you may need. The peep sight is one of them. Are they essential? Could you theoretically go without one? And why would you even want one in the first place? Well, here is all you are going to want to consider.
So, do you need a peep sight on a compound bow? A peep sight isn’t a requirement on every bow, but it’s undeniable that it can help improve a few different factors with your bow’s performance. Aside from this, a majority of archery professionals highly suggest investing in a peep sight for compound bows.
If you’re looking to enhance your archery experience, a peep sight is an accessory that can take your skill to the next level.
You may not see them on every bow, but a decent peep sight can make a world of difference for your compound bow.
If you’re looking into getting a peep sight for yourself, this article will have all of the insight you need to decide if they’re a good fit for you.
What Do Peep Sights Do?
The attachment is meant to line up with your bow sights, and this allows you to narrow your field of view for an overall better aim.
With the many accessories and attachments available for compound bows, some offer more significant benefits than others.
Some of these attachments are geared towards personal preference, while others are almost a requirement for the sake of accuracy, consistency, and more.
Crafted to be installed on the string of a bow, peep sights are a small hollowed-out circle that works together with your bow sights.
It’s a relatively simple attachment, but it serves a vital purpose.
Although it isn’t entirely required, you’ll find it’s widely suggested by many archery enthusiasts.
Peep sights come in many different designs, but they all provide a similar outcome.
You’ll also find that they come in many different sizes that are meant to adapt to a wide range of bow sights.
If you’re looking to narrow down your view, a peep sight is a great attachment to have.
Can You Shoot A Compound Bow Without A Peep Sight?
You can most definitely shoot a compound bow without a peep sight, as the attachment merely helps to increase and narrow your accuracy and field of view.
It’s common to find conflicting arguments online about whether or not the attachment is necessary, but many archers will die by the benefits a peep sight provides.
Many others think it isn’t really essential and will boast that a good bow sight is all you need.
If you’re having trouble narrowing down your bow sights, using a peep sight will help you get there, and they’re pretty affordable, so you won’t break the bank finding the right one for you.
Depending on what you’re trying to achieve with your compound bow will help determine if a peep sight is a logical purchase.
Should I Use A Peep Sight On A Compound Bow?
It’s not a bad idea to look into a peep sight for your compound bow if you’re looking to narrow down the accuracy of every shot.
Bow sights help plenty, but they generally offer a wider field of view that can result in more sporadic shots.
If you’re looking for some assistance hitting your bulls-eye, a peep sight can do an excellent job of helping with that.
For archers who have a more casual approach to archery and simply enjoy the fun of it, a peep sight may not be a necessary purchase.
If you look at it from a sports perspective, it’s an excellent investment that can vastly improve your shooting accuracy and consistency.
It’s also wise to consider the effect that torque has on your view.
No matter how still you may be, you can expect compound bows to move your sights a bit after releasing the bowstring.
Using a peep sight will help you stay dialed in, regardless of the minor movements that are expected from releasing the arrow.
The Pros Of A Peep Sight
Whether or not the archery community thinks it’s needed or not, doesn’t mean a peep sight isn’t highly beneficial.
You can use a compound bow just fine with or without a peep sight, but it provides a purpose that you won’t get out of any other attachment.
Bow sights definitely help, but a peep sight is how you refine your shots to the best of your ability.
Improved Accuracy
If you’re searching for a quick bump in your accuracy, then a peep sight is the way to go.
Improved Focus
It’ll also help train your eyes to focus and will offer you a more accurate experience overall.
Fluid Consistency
Using a peep sight will also allow you to move more fluidly with each action, as each release is as consistent as the one before it.
Versatility
It can also be highly beneficial for many specific archery activities from hunting, competitions, target practice, or any particular goals of yours that require the utmost accuracy.
Stability
Aside from the accuracy, it’ll also help you feel more stable with your shots as you have a more narrow field of view to worry about, and you’re able to stay laser-focused on your target without surrounding distractions.
The attachment truly comes with quite a few desirable pros, but it also comes with its own list of cons that you can read about in more detail below.
The Cons Of A Peep Sight
Cost & Durability
Aside from the cost, some peep sights aren’t as durable as others and may be prone to breaking.
Depending on the material it’s made out of, if it happens to break while you’re hunting in the field or at the archery range, it could entirely ruin the accuracy of your shots.
When a peep sight is dialed in as your primary view, once it breaks, there’s a chance you may need to recalibrate your sights, depending on your setup.
Potential Set Up Challenges
Installation instructions may be pretty straightforward, but if it isn’t perfectly aligned with your sights, you may not find them to be very useful.
Field of View Preferences
They could be more hassle than they’re worth as some people actually prefer the broad field of view that standard bow sights provide.
The narrow view that peep sights offer is an acquired taste for many as it can take a little bit to get used to.
Low-Light Challenges
Another issue with peep sights is they aren’t very easy to work with in low-light situations.
Your view is narrow enough, and low light can sometimes make it impossible to see your target at all.
Minor problems like this seem to be enough to be a deal-breaker for some people, but it comes down to what you do with your compound bow.
When And When Not To Use A Peep Sight
Considering the benefits a peep sight can bring to your accuracy, they’re a great attachment to have for target practice or even competitions if they’re allowed.
Anyone looking to improve their accuracy, stability, and consistency should look into getting a peep sight that’s right for their compound bow.
It may seem like it’s the perfect attachment for something like a competition, but you also need to consider the cons if the performance of the peep sight backfires.
It’s honestly not for anyone, but it serves a specific purpose if you’re searching for a particular outcome with every shot.
In some scenarios, you may need a wider field of view.
For example, some hunters prefer to avoid peep sights as they like to have as wide of a field of view as possible.
This isn’t to say you can’t use a peep sight for hunting; it’s just to show the varying preferences based on particular archery scenarios.
When you consider the varying builds that compound bows have, some archery enthusiasts don’t feel a peep sight is a good choice for just any bow sight.
The design, material, even durability of these attachments are essential for the performance of your bow.
It’s important not to get wrapped into online debates that sway your personal opinion too much.
Online, you’ll often find remarks that say using a peep sight is cheating or is a lazy approach to archery, and this is simply not true.
It is essential to understand how your bow sights and the rest of your attachments work together before entirely relying on your peep sights.
Lastly
When you look online, you’ll find a ton of controversy about the use of peep sights.
Regardless of this, the only thing that matters is your personal preferences and what you plan on doing with your compound bow.
It’s an excellent attachment to aim your compound bow, improve your accuracy and narrow your field of view.
But you shouldn’t ignore its pros and cons as it can do more harm than good for some people.
And if you are looking to buy one, my following guide will be for you:
I live in Alberta, Canada where I enjoy indoor and 3D archery with traditional bows and compound bows. On this site, I share everything I’ve learned about archery along the way.