How to sight in a crossbow scope
Quick answer: zero the top crosshair at 20 yards from a steady rest, adjusting windage and elevation until the group is centered. Then set the scope's speed dial (the speed ring or magnification ring) to your bolt velocity in fps, and the stacked lower marks will line up at 30, 40 and 50 yards. Confirm those marks and fine-tune the speed setting, then re-check the 20-yard zero. Sight in with field points, then confirm with broadheads before you hunt.
A crossbow scope is sighted in differently from a rifle scope, because its reticle has stacked aiming points calibrated to how fast your bolt flies. Get the 20-yard zero and the speed setting right and every lower mark falls into place; get the speed setting wrong and the marks miss at distance. Here is the full process, plus the mistakes that cost people arrows.
What you need
- A solid rest or shooting bags, and a way to cock the crossbow the same way every time (rope cocker or crank).
- Targets rated for crossbow speeds at 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards (a crossbow bolt buries deep).
- The bolts you will hunt with, plus matching-weight field points for the initial zero.
- Your bolt velocity in fps (from the crossbow's rating, or a chronograph for the real number), and the scope's turret caps off.
Step 1: Mount level and get on paper close
Make sure the scope is mounted level and set for comfortable eye relief so the ocular clears your face under the crossbow's forward jolt. Cock the crossbow, settle it on the rest, and take your first shot at about 10 to 20 yards just to confirm you are on the target. If you are way off, correct roughly before moving to the zero distance.
Step 2: Zero the top crosshair at 20 yards
Fire a 3-bolt group at 20 yards aiming with the top crosshair, then adjust the windage and elevation dials to move the group onto your aim point (not one bolt at a time). Twenty yards is the standard crossbow zero and the reference the stacked marks are built from. Pull your bolts carefully between shots so you do not damage them, and let the target settle.
Step 3: Set the speed dial to your bolt velocity
This is the step that makes a crossbow scope different. Rotate the speed ring (for example on a Hawke SR reticle) or the magnification ring (on a Vortex XBR-2 reticle) to your bolt speed in fps. Use the manufacturer's rating to start, but a chronograph gives the true number, and a heavier hunting bolt with a broadhead flies slower than a bare bolt, which shifts the marks. See how speed-calibrated reticles work in our best crossbow scope guide.
Step 4: Confirm the 30, 40 and 50-yard marks
Move out and shoot a group at 30, then 40, then 50 yards, using the matching stacked mark each time. If your bolts print high at distance, dial the speed setting up a little; if they print low, dial it down. A small change to the speed ring shifts all the lower marks together, so tune it here rather than touching the turrets. Re-confirm the 20-yard zero when you are done.
Step 5: Confirm with broadheads and lock it in
Swap to your broadhead-tipped hunting bolts and shoot a few at 20 and 40 yards. Fixed-blade broadheads can plane and shift point of impact, so make any final small correction now. If the speed ring does not lock, mark its setting so a bump does not change your calibration, and you are ready to hunt.
Common mistakes
- Guessing the bolt speed instead of using the true fps, which throws off every lower mark at distance.
- Cocking the crossbow inconsistently, which walks your point of impact shot to shot.
- Sighting in with light field points, then hunting with heavier broadhead bolts without confirming.
- Chasing single bolts instead of adjusting to the center of the group.
- Bumping an unlocked speed ring after it is calibrated.
Safety first: keep your fingers and thumb below the flight rail and out of the string path, never dry-fire a crossbow, and follow the manufacturer's cocking and de-cocking instructions. This is general guidance, not professional instruction; check your state's regulations before hunting.
FAQ
At what distance do you sight in a crossbow scope?
Zero the top crosshair at 20 yards. Twenty yards is the standard crossbow zero because it is close enough to get on target fast and it is the reference point the stacked speed-reticle marks are built from. Once the top crosshair is dead-on at 20, you set the scope to your bolt speed and the lower marks fall on at 30, 40, 50 yards and beyond. Some shooters confirm at 10 yards first just to get on paper.
How do you set the speed dial on a crossbow scope?
After you zero the top crosshair at 20 yards, rotate the speed ring (on a Hawke SR reticle) or the magnification ring (on a Vortex XBR-2) to your bolt velocity in feet per second, then verify. Get your fps from the crossbow manufacturer's rating or, more accurately, a chronograph. If your bolts hit high at 40 to 50 yards, increase the speed setting; if they hit low, decrease it. The speed setting is what makes the lower aiming points match real distances for your specific setup.
Should I sight in with field points or broadheads?
Sight in with field points of the same total weight as your hunting bolts, then confirm with broadheads before you hunt. Field points are cheaper and fly consistently for the initial zero, but fixed-blade broadheads can plane and hit a slightly different point of impact, so you always shoot a few broadhead-tipped bolts at the end to confirm or make a small correction. Mechanical broadheads usually fly closer to field points than fixed blades.
Why are my crossbow bolts not hitting the lower reticle marks?
Almost always the speed setting does not match your actual bolt velocity. The stacked marks are calibrated to a bolt speed, so if the dial is set to 400 fps but your loaded hunting bolt only flies 340 fps, the marks will be off at distance. Re-check your true fps (heavier bolts and broadheads slow it down), set the ring to that number, and confirm at 30, 40 and 50 yards. Also make sure you cock the crossbow the same way every time, since inconsistent cocking shifts impact.
How often should I re-check my crossbow zero?
Check it at the start of each season, after any bump or transport, if you change bolts, broadheads or string, and periodically during a long season. A crossbow lives under a lot of stored energy and the scope can shift, so a couple of confirming shots at 20 and 40 yards before you hunt is cheap insurance. Always confirm again if you switch to a different bolt or point weight.
Related: best crossbow scope 2026 · crossbow scope vs red dot · how to sight in a red dot sight · best rangefinder for bow hunting.