For the avid compound archer, selecting a bow sight for purchase can prove quite tedious. There are likely more individual bow sights on today’s market than there are actual bows leaving much for us to sort through. Further complicating matters is that sights of this nature come in a vast number of configurations, and are offered at a wide range of prices.
When purchasing a compound bow sight you’re usually getting what you pay for. Economically priced sights are typically void of additional features while those sights with all the fancy features come with a steep price tag; pretty standard. But every now and then a sight will hit the market that reaches a perfect compromise between cost and capability. One sight that does this in earnest is the Dead Ringer Tack Driver DT.
The Dead Ringer Tack Driver DT is a moderately priced compound bow sight that offers numerous micro-adjustments and is relatively rich in additional features. This alone caught my attention which ultimately led me to purchase a Tack Driver DT sight for my bow just over a year ago. The Tack Driver DT ended up taking its place as one of the best compound bow sights in our appropriately named article.
Tack Driver DT Specs
The Dead Ringer Tack Driver DT is a 5-pin, multi-point adjustable bow sight, for use in compound applications. This sight features pins of .19” diameter, all of which are spooled with premium fiber-optic inserts. Another unique feature of the Tack Driver DT is its wide range of integrated toolless adjustment points. This makes it easy to quickly and effortlessly set your sight’s windage and elevation.
Notice the large knurled adjustment knobs and long fiber optics.
The Tack Driver DT also features a dovetail style mount, which allows it to be set further away from a bow’s riser if an archer sees fit. The sight’s frame is of all-aluminum construction, which eliminates extra heft that would otherwise be added to the bow itself upon installation.
Additional features of the Dead Ringer Tack Driver DT include an integrated sight level and removable rheostat light. The Tack Driver DT’s outer halo is also painted in fluorescent orange, providing increased visibility in low-light conditions.
Tack Driver DT Bow Sight Reviewed
I purchased a Dead Ringer Tack Driver DT bow sight approximately one year ago, putting this sight through its paces, under a wide range of circumstances. Here are some observations that I have made while using the Tack Driver DT.
Structural Composition
In the world of bow sights, lightweight is not always better. Sometimes ultra-light can mean… cheap. If you’re anything like me cheap sites won’t last the beating you’ll be applying to it during deer season. This doesn’t appear to be an issue for the Tack Driver DT. This sight, though extremely light, has fared very well for me.
The Tack Driver DT’s dovetail mount remains rigid and without flex when set in place. All of the sights adjustment knobs and pins are equally as rugged. After a year of use and many trips to the stand I have yet to expose any weak point in the Tack Driver DT’s construction.
Pin Visibility
I have been quite impressed at the visibility of the Tack Driver DT’s individual pins. Each pin can be easily distinguished from one another through a bow’s peep sight even when the Tack Driver’s dovetail mount is fully extended to its outer reaches. This was a pleasant surprise as I initially thought my older eyes would struggle with it. The adjustment of the dovetail allows you to set the concentricity of your peep and sight housing to your needs.
The fiber optics used are equal in quality. As you are probably aware fiber optics allow each of the sight’s pins to remain vibrant, even in low light conditions; highly valuable when attempting to take a shot in the final moments or very beginning of legal shooting time. Some sites I’ve used in the past don’t have enough fiber (or their designs are just trash) to correctly illuminate the pins. The Tack Driver is spot on. There is plenty of well protected fiber to collect light and deliver where needed.
Adjustability
The Tack Driver DT has been dead simple to operate, setup, and use. This comes primarily as a result of Dead Ringer’s use of toolless adjustment knobs. These knobs can be easily manipulated for on-the-fly adjustment make it quick work of tweaking your bow’s point of impact while on the range. Tracking down a set of allen wrenches from the garage has always been a hassle when attempting to dial in my bow’s sight adjustment. Usually my allen ends up hiding in the grass waiting to ambush my lawn mower, so I’ll gladly pay a little extra for toolless knobs.
Another angle of the Tack Driver
Additional Features
Like most high-end bow sights, the Tack Driver DT includes an integrated sight level. I am big fan of Dead Ringer’s decision to coat the outer halo of the Tack Driver DT in fluorescent orange. This helps with getting my peep in alignment which greatly affects left/right misses. When drawing my bow, especially in low light conditions, it seems as if my eye naturally locks onto the orange.
The Tack Driver DT also comes equipped with a glow-in-the-dark top pin. While I initially felt as if this would add little to the sight in way of value, I ended up loving it. It’s another point of reference at night which only helps me focus on where that pin is and how level I am holding my bow.
With increased low-light visibility in mind, Dead Ringer has outfitted the Tack Driver DT with a rheostat-controlled sight light. As the sun begins to set, this light can be turned on to illuminate the sight’s pins, extending your shooting time window. When shooting my bow in the evening after returning home from work, I am able to squeeze out an additional 15 minutes of practice due to of the sight light and Tack Driver’s top pin. The setting sun no longer forces an end to my daily practice.
On a side note, the Tack Driver DT’s sight-light is quite fond of batteries. It’s a good idea to have an extra set of batteries at your disposal!
Overall Evaluation
After a year of use, I am just as pleased with my Tack Driver DT bow sight, as I was the day that I purchased it. This sight should be ideal for use by most archers and can be used in both hunting/target archery applications. With an infinite range of adjustability at the ready and more additional features than one can ask for it is hard to imagine there is a sight that offers any more value for the money than the Dead Ringer Tack Driver DT. The Tack Driver DT can be purchased for less than most hunters will spend on a tank of fuel to travel to and from their hunting lease. On a working man’s budget, the Tack Driver DT bow sight is an investment worth making.
