flinching problem
11-12-2006, 07:53 PM
#11
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
RE: flinching problem
Have a friend go with you to the range and load your weapon one cartridge at a time. Sometimes your friend will load a live round. Other times your friend will load a dummy round (empty chamber or a once fired round or a "snap cap" round). This will help notice and correct the flinch.
The other suggestions are good. Increase trigger pull slowly until the firing pin drops unexpectedly. Dry firing is good practice. As far as breathing, what I have heard is take a deep breath, let out half of the breath, then shoot.
Good luck.
The other suggestions are good. Increase trigger pull slowly until the firing pin drops unexpectedly. Dry firing is good practice. As far as breathing, what I have heard is take a deep breath, let out half of the breath, then shoot.
Good luck.
11-12-2006, 08:42 PM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 251
RE: flinching problem
this may sound funny but this is what I do. I pretend like I am posing for a picture. by that I means when I shoot I make a point to keep my gun up. this makes you focus on the shot and not looking at where you shot the deer.
11-12-2006, 09:04 PM
#14
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Findlay, Ohio
Posts: 3,286
RE: flinching problem
Alot of guys have "shooters flinch" and never get over it! I had it till I bet I was about in my mid twenties. You are not scared of the gun or you would not shoot it. But your eyes and the part of your brain that controls your eyes are. Its self defense for the eyes, they want to shut because they think they could get hurt! And as with your case they have proof! Now fallow these steps and you WILL be able to overcome it!
This may sound anal but start out with these small steps and you can do it. It will take a few days but do this exercise and you will be shooting with your eyes wide open!
First you have to have a BB gun with a scope, but iron sites will do. You and I both know that a BB gun will not kick so when you shoot, force yourself to keep your eyes open. Don't worry about hitting the target but just try to squeeze and keep your eyeopen. Once you master that at that level you will feel better. But do not go to the next stepuntil you can shoot your BB gun with the eyeopen the entire time! Remember, you have to be able to pull the trigger fully with your eye open the entire time be fore you are done with the BB gun! Sounds juvenile, but if you cant do it with a BB gun then why are we even talking about a regular gun? Right? If you can plink off a few shots with a BB gun, then put it away before your friends see ya and move on to the next step!
Next you get out a .22 and go to wal-mart and buy what is called CB's. They were made in my opinion for the late night out of season coon poacher, but that is a different issue. But any ways, you get the CB's and shoot them. A CB is a 22 with not hardly any powder in them. They are not much louder then a BB gun, in fact alot of guys shoot them in town all the time to take care of rat and other rodent problems. But this is the next step. You shoot them, they don't kick and the report is low so it will be easy to learn to keep your eyes open with them if you first mastered the BB gun.
Now when you get the CB's mastered you go and get some 22 shorts. work on them the same way. Don't worry about the target, after you master the eye you can master the bullseye! Force your self to keep the eyes open. Once you keep your eyes open, you can work on the target! After the shorts get some longs and do the same thing. This will take a few days, don't try and cram it in one afternoon!
After the 22's are done move up to your 410. And I will not say everything twice but you get the pattern right? Buy small short 410's and work on them. Also wear earplugs, this will help with the sound which will help your eyes. This is alot of work, but it is a good training method that worked for me! Now get out your BB gun and get started!
This may sound anal but start out with these small steps and you can do it. It will take a few days but do this exercise and you will be shooting with your eyes wide open!
First you have to have a BB gun with a scope, but iron sites will do. You and I both know that a BB gun will not kick so when you shoot, force yourself to keep your eyes open. Don't worry about hitting the target but just try to squeeze and keep your eyeopen. Once you master that at that level you will feel better. But do not go to the next stepuntil you can shoot your BB gun with the eyeopen the entire time! Remember, you have to be able to pull the trigger fully with your eye open the entire time be fore you are done with the BB gun! Sounds juvenile, but if you cant do it with a BB gun then why are we even talking about a regular gun? Right? If you can plink off a few shots with a BB gun, then put it away before your friends see ya and move on to the next step!
Next you get out a .22 and go to wal-mart and buy what is called CB's. They were made in my opinion for the late night out of season coon poacher, but that is a different issue. But any ways, you get the CB's and shoot them. A CB is a 22 with not hardly any powder in them. They are not much louder then a BB gun, in fact alot of guys shoot them in town all the time to take care of rat and other rodent problems. But this is the next step. You shoot them, they don't kick and the report is low so it will be easy to learn to keep your eyes open with them if you first mastered the BB gun.
Now when you get the CB's mastered you go and get some 22 shorts. work on them the same way. Don't worry about the target, after you master the eye you can master the bullseye! Force your self to keep the eyes open. Once you keep your eyes open, you can work on the target! After the shorts get some longs and do the same thing. This will take a few days, don't try and cram it in one afternoon!
After the 22's are done move up to your 410. And I will not say everything twice but you get the pattern right? Buy small short 410's and work on them. Also wear earplugs, this will help with the sound which will help your eyes. This is alot of work, but it is a good training method that worked for me! Now get out your BB gun and get started!
11-12-2006, 09:49 PM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Darien, IL
Posts: 6,744
RE: flinching problem
I don't think anyone flinches with a 22.
Lets start with just the basics. You should be breathing not holding your breath. IMO breath normally and try to begin to gently squeeze the trigger when you are almost done inhaling, and firing on the exhale. When I have a deer coming into range and will have to wait for the right shot opportunity I just get everything into position but don't start "hard-sighting" until the shooting lane or shot opportunity is very close to happening.
Trigger. Use the center of the front pad of your trigger finger. I see way too many fingers with the trigger in the 1st crease of the finger.
Flinching? Get yourself a dummy round. Have someone load your gun with a single round without you knowing whether it is the dummy round or a live round. This should help.
However, if you are scared or thecaliber you are shooting is painful to you, you might want to step down some. It is very difficult to achieve good marksmanship with a round you are scared of or hurts you.
I hope this helps you.
Lets start with just the basics. You should be breathing not holding your breath. IMO breath normally and try to begin to gently squeeze the trigger when you are almost done inhaling, and firing on the exhale. When I have a deer coming into range and will have to wait for the right shot opportunity I just get everything into position but don't start "hard-sighting" until the shooting lane or shot opportunity is very close to happening.
Trigger. Use the center of the front pad of your trigger finger. I see way too many fingers with the trigger in the 1st crease of the finger.
Flinching? Get yourself a dummy round. Have someone load your gun with a single round without you knowing whether it is the dummy round or a live round. This should help.
However, if you are scared or thecaliber you are shooting is painful to you, you might want to step down some. It is very difficult to achieve good marksmanship with a round you are scared of or hurts you.
I hope this helps you.
11-12-2006, 11:57 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NW Oklahoma
Posts: 1,166
RE: flinching problem
I get mad at myself flinching when I shoot my .270. I never flinch when I am hunting, though. When I am sighting in, I try to get my rest as solid as possible just so I can sight the gun in. It seems the more solid I can get, the less I flinch.
11-13-2006, 05:25 AM
#17
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 568
RE: flinching problem
1) Shoot a smaller caliber rifle.
2) Install a good recoil pad, something like a sims.
3) Have the trigger worked over, its not as easy to flinch with a ligher trigger because it doesn't take as much force to make the gun go off. Down side NEVER put your finger on the trigger until your ready to shoot.
4) Get a rifle that is heavier. it is a proven fact that a heavier rifle is steadier. Its harder to pulll a heavier rifle off the target if you do flinch. I shoot a savage 243 model 12 varmit rifle with accu trigger and I love that gun. It weights 8.75 lbs bare. lots of people don't want to carry the extra weight. Don't know about you, but I can carry a gun that weights a extra 2 or 3 lbs (3 lbs, big deal), especially if it gives me the confidence I need! If you don't want a 26" barrel, look at Weatherby. They make a varmit gun with a shorter barrel.
5) Spent a lot of time at the range. Every year I see guys show up at a range the weekend before season to check thier rifles and they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. They hunt with them like that to! I ususally take and only shoot a few rounds once a week dureing the summer and early fall.I work on form and squeezeing the trigger. Practice shooting in positions that your going to be shooting in the field. Any moron can hit a bullseye with the rests they make today, but shooting in the field when your out hunting is different.
2) Install a good recoil pad, something like a sims.
3) Have the trigger worked over, its not as easy to flinch with a ligher trigger because it doesn't take as much force to make the gun go off. Down side NEVER put your finger on the trigger until your ready to shoot.
4) Get a rifle that is heavier. it is a proven fact that a heavier rifle is steadier. Its harder to pulll a heavier rifle off the target if you do flinch. I shoot a savage 243 model 12 varmit rifle with accu trigger and I love that gun. It weights 8.75 lbs bare. lots of people don't want to carry the extra weight. Don't know about you, but I can carry a gun that weights a extra 2 or 3 lbs (3 lbs, big deal), especially if it gives me the confidence I need! If you don't want a 26" barrel, look at Weatherby. They make a varmit gun with a shorter barrel.
5) Spent a lot of time at the range. Every year I see guys show up at a range the weekend before season to check thier rifles and they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. They hunt with them like that to! I ususally take and only shoot a few rounds once a week dureing the summer and early fall.I work on form and squeezeing the trigger. Practice shooting in positions that your going to be shooting in the field. Any moron can hit a bullseye with the rests they make today, but shooting in the field when your out hunting is different.
11-13-2006, 05:26 AM
#18
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 321
RE: flinching problem
you flinch basically because you are anticipating the recoil and your brain tells you.... this is gonna hurt.... or could hurt... plain and simple... i had a case of the flinches momentarily yesterday lighting off some hefty handloads but quickly realized and corrected it... and i've been doing this for almost 20 years and lord knows how many rounds... you need to convince yourself that NOTHING is going to happen to harm you... and that you actually look forward to the recoil your shoulder is going to take... Good ear protection and eye protection also assist... kinda puts you in your own little world.... concentration is key... phase it all out... except the crosshairs, the target and your finger on the trigger... deep breath let it partially out... hold it to get everything rock steady and squeeze... do not try to control the rifle.. let it do it's things... it isn't gonna hurt you so long as you don't make the mistake of giving yourself too little eye relief.
ultimately you must convince yourself.... There is no spoon....
happy shooting
Jamie
ultimately you must convince yourself.... There is no spoon....
happy shooting
Jamie
11-13-2006, 06:09 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Berkeley Springs, WV
Posts: 1,293
RE: flinching problem
IMO dry firing wont help at all. If you know there's no recoil before you pull the trigger then your mind knows not to flinch. I think the idea of someone loading your gun(or not) and practicing your shots will help the most.
Heavier gun smaller caliber is a great idea also. Get a scope with a ton of eye relief should also help.
Heavier gun smaller caliber is a great idea also. Get a scope with a ton of eye relief should also help.
