A premium bow sight should do more than simply give an archer a place to aim. It should provide a clean sight picture, precise adjustments and the confidence to settle into a shot when the opportunity presents itself.
The Black Gold MODD 3-Pin Sight takes that concept a step further by building the sight around modularity and the ability to adapt as a hunter’s needs change.
Oh, how the times have changed.
I can still remember being a teenager when my dad bought me a new sight for my bow. It consisted of three brass-colored pins, each held in place with an Allen set screw. To make it even fancier, Dad broke out some fluorescent orange and green model-car paint and put a small dot on the end of each pin to help me see them in low light.
At the time, I thought that was about as advanced as a bow sight could get.
Today, fiber-optic pins, built-in sight lights, micro-adjustments and movable sights have completely changed what archers expect from their equipment. Black Gold’s MODD takes it a step further by creating a premium sight platform you can reconfigure as your shooting style changes.
Black Gold MODD 3-Pin Specs
I mounted the MODD on a Bowtech Alliance 33 and paired it with Easton FMJ Max 5MM 340 arrows. I shot the setup from 20 to 60 yards, with most of my evaluation focused on the distances I would realistically encounter while bowhunting.
Setup and First Impressions
My first impression of the MODD was that this is a sight built with precision in mind.
The machining and overall construction have the fit and finish I expect from a premium piece of archery equipment. Even the box it arrived in had the kind of top-end presentation that immediately made the sight feel like a quality piece of equipment.
More importantly, it doesn’t feel unnecessarily bulky once mounted.
The MODD weighs 10.6 ounces, and mounting it on my Bowtech Alliance 33 was straightforward with the appropriate adapter. Once installed, it provided a solid, balanced feel on the bow.
I tested the three-pin vertical cartridge because that setup closely matches how I hunt. I like having 20-, 30- and 40-yard reference points readily available, and I’m most comfortable keeping my normal hunting shots within 40 yards.
The three .015 pins give me those aiming references without filling the housing with unnecessary clutter.
The sight picture is extremely clean. The 1.75-inch housing gives me enough visual reference without making the view feel crowded, and the vertical pin arrangement leaves plenty of open space around the target.
Field Testing the Black Gold MODD
Field testing is where a sight like the MODD has to prove that its premium price is about more than a long feature list.
I started at 20 yards, moved back to 30 and 40, and then stretched the setup to 50 and 60 yards.
Through 40 yards, the sight picture was excellent.
At 44 years old, my vision can sometimes play tricks on me when I’m trying to focus on the target through a small sight window, particularly once I move beyond 30 yards.
The MODD’s vertical .015 pins worked extremely well for me. They were easy to pick up without cluttering the housing or making the target appear blurry.
That balance between visibility and precision may have been my favorite part of the sight.
The pins aren’t so large that they overwhelm the target, but they remain easy enough to see that I’m not searching for my aiming point at full draw.
Once I moved beyond my typical hunting distances, the MODD continued to impress. The precise elevation adjustment and fine aiming point made it easier to settle exactly where I wanted on the target instead of having a large pin cover too much of it.
Low-Light Performance
Changing light at dusk provided one of my favorite opportunities to test the MODD.
Being able to clearly see a deer and settle a pin on the vitals is critical to making a clean shot when shooting light is disappearing. Late-summer evenings gave me plenty of opportunities to evaluate how the sight behaved as available light changed quickly.
The .015 pins remained easy to see as daylight faded.
Black Gold’s PhotoChromatic Technology also helps regulate pin brightness. That’s more important than simply making a pin as bright as possible.
A pin that is too bright can become a distraction. In extreme cases, it can make it harder to focus on the target behind the pin.
The MODD did a good job of keeping the aiming point visible without overwhelming the rest of the sight picture.
The rechargeable sight light was another feature I liked. It gave me additional illumination when I needed it without turning the entire housing into a glowing distraction. I’ve used sight lights that become almost unusable when turned up too far. This one was much easier to manage.
Adjustments and Sight Tape
Another feature worth noting is the external sight tape.
Black Gold positions the tape on the outside of the sight, giving it a more natural viewing angle and making it easier to access when dialing for a longer shot.
I’m personally most comfortable taking hunting shots at 40 yards and under, with 50 yards possible when the situation is right, so I’m not constantly adjusting a sight tape in the field.
For shooters who regularly practice or hunt at longer distances, however, the location of the tape is a legitimate advantage.
The micro-adjustable elevation and windage controls also made the MODD easy to fine-tune.
Instead of making broad adjustments and hoping I landed where I wanted, I could make small, precise corrections. That became particularly useful as I worked from 30 to 40 and eventually 50 yards.
After shooting at multiple distances and handling the bow in realistic conditions, I didn’t have issues with the sight moving or losing its position. A sight can have excellent adjustment capabilities, but those adjustments aren’t worth much if they don’t stay put. When I’m 20 feet up in a tree saddle, the last thing I want to worry about is a moving sight.
Does the MODD System Actually Matter?
The biggest question surrounding the MODD is whether its modular design is actually useful or whether it’s simply another way to make a bow sight stand out.
After using it, I think the modular concept has legitimate value.
The system allows the bowhunter to change configurations instead of being permanently locked into whatever sight setup they originally purchased.
The MODD can use different vertical pin cartridges, along with other compatible configurations such as a five-pin horizontal head. The platform can also accommodate Black Gold’s 2X and 4X magnification lenses.
For a bowhunter who shoots different setups, experiments with different pin arrangements or wants the option to change the sight as their shooting style evolves, that flexibility makes a lot of sense.
It won’t matter as much to everyone.
If you buy a three-pin sight, find a setup you like and have no intention of ever changing it, you may never take full advantage of the MODD concept.
What I like is that the modularity doesn’t interfere with the basic hunting experience. At its core, this is still a precise and easy-to-use movable bow sight.
Reasons to Buy and Reasons to Consider
“““
|
Reasons to Buy
|
Reasons to Consider
|
The MODD makes the most sense for a serious bowhunter or archer who wants a premium sight, values precise adjustments and likes the idea of being able to modify the sight instead of replacing it later.
If all you need is a simple 20-, 30- and 40-yard hunting setup, there are much less expensive options. If you want premium construction, a clean sight picture and a platform that can evolve with your setup, the MODD becomes considerably more attractive.
If you’re comparing the MODD against other premium options, check out our complete guide to the best bow sights for hunting.
See our complete guide to the
best bow sights
for more hunting sight options and comparisons.
Final Verdict
Per our affiliate disclosure, we may earn revenue from the products available on this page. To learn more about how we test gear, click here.
