When using a crossbow, you want to have the best aim so you can hit your target almost all the time. No matter how sharp your eyesight and aim are sometimes you are just bound to miss the shot. Here is where a scope comes into play which lets you improve your aim by leaps and bounds.
The Barnett red dot scope is an amazing scope that you could buy if you have a Barnett crossbow, and if you set it up right your archer skills will significantly become better. So that you can get the best shots, we have written a comprehensive article on sighting in a Barnett red dot scope. In addition to that, we will also be taking a closer look at the Barnett red scope as a whole item.
How to Sight in a Barnett Red Dot Scope?
Produced by BSA optics Barnett red dot scopes are specifically designed for crossbows that have been manufactured by Barnett. These Barnett red dot scopes come with 3/8th of an inch mounting brackets that easily snap onto the 3/8th of inch dovetail mounts that are on the Barnett crossbows.
Some people construct their crossbow quickly, and go outside and start shooting. However, you will only be able to get the best out of this scope if you set it up properly. In this section, we will be giving you a step-by-step guide on how to sight in a Barnett Red Dot Scope.
Step 1: Set a Backstop That Has Some Hefty Weight to It
You want to take a target and place it on a surface that has a high enough mass for it to act as a backstop. A high mass is needed so that the target does not move or fly away when you shoot at it. Something like old car tires, thick rugs, or hay bales will definitely do the job well.
It’s best if the target that you are going to set up has some thick and heavy foam padding in addition to the hefty weight.
Step 2: Determine Your Sight Correction
After you have set up your target against a heavy backstop, walk 10 yards away from it. The 10 yards distance will be the range through which you can start sighting in your red dot scope.
There are three red dots on the scope, and they are arranged vertically. You have to cock your crossbow first and then move your crossbow, so your target is aligned with the top red dot.
Then, you want to make sure your hands are steady along with your crossbow, and then you have to squeeze the trigger gently so that the crossbow starts to fire. In order to determine your sight correction, you will have to shoot bolts in groups of three.
Step 3: Adjust Your Scope for Windage and Elevation
When you sight in your crossbow, you will see that this process is almost entirely based on trial and error. To adjust your scope for windage and elevation you will have to use the dials that are built into the right side as well as the top of the scope.
To make sure that the Barnett red dot scope is set up correctly, keep adjusting these dials. You have to keep making these small adjustments with the dials of the scope until the topmost red dot of the scope can correctly mark the target where the bolt is hitting it.
Additionally, once you feel like it is correctly marking the target shoot multiple times just to determine whether the scope is consistent or not.
Step 4: Increase Your Range and Then Shoot the Target again
As we have said before, there are three dots in the scope, and each of them corresponds to certain ranges of distance. After you have ensured that the scope is marking the target correctly and is consistent, increase your range from 10 yards to 20 yards.
From 20 yards distance, use the middle red dot of the scope to aim onto your tag and then shoot. Just like you did from a range of 10 yards, check whether the scope is able to mark on the target right where it is shooting it and is relatively consistent.
If you see that the scope is accurate at a range of 20 yards, then further increase your range from 20 yards to 30 yards. When you are 30 yards away from your target, you will have to use the lowest dot on the scope to take your aim. Again, you will have to ensure that the scope is accurately and consistently able to mark the spot where the crossbow fires at.
At any point during the shooting, if you notice that the scope is being inaccurate, you can simply use the dials on the top and right to make minor adjustments.
How Good Is the Barnett Red Dot Scope?
This scope is a great option if you have a Barnett crossbow. It is very accurate if you set it up properly, and is very reliable. Furthermore, the scope is also easy to use, so you don’t have to be an expert with crossbows to use it. Let’s get to know more about it.
Size and Weight
Sometimes if you add too many accessories to your crossbow, then it might get heavy, which will make aiming with it more difficult.
However, you don’t have to worry about that with the Barnett red dot sight because it is only 0.05 pounds. So, you could actually say that this won’t make any difference to the weight of your crossbow.
It is also quite compact with dimensions of 11 x 9 x 8 inches, which means your crossbow won’t look too bulky.
Materials
Since a crossbow is an item that you are likely to take into the wild with you, the material it is made from must be durable. The aluminum construction of the Barnett red dot scope does a great job at enduring bumps and drops.
Thanks to the aluminum built the scope is also able to have a very low weight of merely 0.05 pounds. Additionally, the aluminum used to make the scope looks great.
Dot Intensity
To make for a simple shooting experience, the Barnett red dot scope can be used with both eyes open when you are shooting. This scope has varying dot intensity, which will let you get high-level accuracy.
One of the best features of this Barnett scope is that the dot reticle has 11 dot intensity settings which make this scope very accurate.
As we have said before, this scope comes equipped with a 3/8″ mount or even a 7/8″ mount. There are dials on the right side of the scope, and the top of it – which will let you adjust the scope.
There are 3 vertically aligned dots on the scope where the top dot is used to aim at targets that are about 20 yards away from the crossbow. Secondly, the middle dot is used to aim at targets that are at a range of 30 yards. Lastly, the third dot is for aiming at objects that are at a distance of 40 yards away.
If you utilize the dot intensity settings and use the three dots according to the range they are supposed to be used for, you can get extremely accurate shots.
Compatibility
The Barnett red scope is only suitable for Barnett crossbows and so cannot be used with crossbows of other brands. Some scopes by Barnett are only suitable with a certain type of Barnett crossbows. However, this one is compatible with both recurve as well as compound Barnett crossbows.
Pros
- Has 11 dot intensity settings which give users a lot of flexibility
- Can be used with both recurve and compound Barnett crossbows
- Very easy to use with a simple shooting experience
- Varying dot intensity allows for very accurate shots
- You can keep both eyes open when you are shooting
- Lightweight so doesn’t add much weight, lets you aim comfortably
Cons
- It is a bit overpriced, so if you’re on a budget, this might not be a good option for you
Final Words
Sighting in a Barnett red dot scope isn’t very difficult, as you can see. If you follow our detailed step-by-step guide on how to sight in a Barnett red dot scope, then the process will take you only a few minutes to complete.
As you can see from our article, the Barnett red dot scope is a stellar option if you own a Barnett crossbow. When you’re sighting in this scope, please be very careful because crossbows can be very dangerous. Have a good time with your scope and crossbows, and stay safe!
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