liquid,

Being big in body is NOT the key ingredient to being able to handle the recoil of mid-bores like the 338WinMag or big-bores like the 458 and up -- it can help (a little) but not much. A 338 mag at 35 pounds at 15 fps is not much of a kicker -- something is out of whack with either technique or fit or some past injury that you may be " getting away with" on small bores but not with your mid-bore.

I' ll address flinch, but let' s not ignore that it could be a loose/damaged scope or some gun " issue" . Also, these techniques may or may not reduce aggravation of a pre-existing injury.

RECOIL/COMFORT AND CONTROL TECHNIQUES:

1. Does your stock fit you? -- Do you know what good stock fit is?

2. Good eye relief (3.5/4.0 inches) with scope set well forward?

3. What' s your trigger pull? -- Over 4 kinda heavy (which means you will suffer anticipation as you are pulling the trigger, Under 2 is too light (can go off before you really expected it).

4. Decent recoil pad? (Try a slip on one over whatever you have as an experiment)

5. Do you wear a " over your shirt" shoulder recoil pad for bench rest?

6. Go with VERTICAL posture at your bench rest, DON' T bend down in the classic " hunched over" bench rest stance to where you have little flexibility so you get hammered down your spine, rather sit with your spine straight up and down with your belly touching the bench' s edge -- now, your body can " whip" with the recoil a little bit instead of getting hammered.

Yes that means you' ll be " different" at the range -- you' ve got a 338, you are already different. I' ve carried in a smallish stout card board box to get the elevation I wanted - figure it out at home using a card table BEFORE you go to the range. If the range limits you to 2 sand bags then bring 6 or 7 of your own sand bags -- build a perfect rest. If you can shoot on private land, then bench shoot over the pickup hood standing up. (This isn' t a light small bore you' re playing with)

7. Fast squeeze (or pull) - practice squeezing the trigger " fast" (i.e. NOT slow) without moving things, a trigger finger with a " near right angle" in it is better than one that snakes straight back towards the grip, the " right angle" can fast squeeze/pull without affecting grip whereas the " snakes stratight back" one can affect your grip and move the stock and hence your barrel. Taking a long time to fire is NOT beneficial to accuracy -- when the cross hairs are on the bullseye immediately go to the fast squeeze on the trigger and SHOOT -- if you don' t accomplish it before the cross hairs waiver off target, then stop look up and start the whole process over from scratch -- shots that take forever are a sign something is wrong -- and is poor training for hunting realities.

FLINCH DETECTOR:
Have some one else load single rounds into your gun for you and hand it to you (safety on) only instruct them to sometimes put a cartridge in and sometimes don' t put a cartridge in (60%) -- it will be painfully clear if you are flinching when you dry fire it once or twice.

INSTANT FELT RECOIL REDUCER:
Find someone with a rifle a couple notches bigger than the one you have -- say a 416. Fire a few rounds through it (offhand standing up), then yours will feel nice and comfy by comparison when you return to it. This sounds silly but it does work and it' s quick!

COOLING:
After 3 rounds let your rifle cool back down with the action open. Play with something else while you wait, I recommend a light small bore and practice your mid-bore technique.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM