Tips to avoid 'flinching"
#11
Originally posted by: thud
Ok so here I am... 6ft 4" 240lbs... and a flinch when shooting a .22 !! Arggh... i think problems originated when I started hunting with shotguns. As ya'll know you dont squeeze shotguns , ya pull them. Well now that habit of pulling combined with ears that seem sensitive to the noise ( and yes i wear hearing protection )has lead to me flinching ALL the time, when shooting .22 all the way up thru 7mm Mag. Strangely it doesnt affect me much in hunting situations where Im kneeling or standing, I can hit running targets with regularity( best shot was a coyote on a dead run at 275yds), but sit me on a bench with a rest and I cant shoot sub 5in groups from 100yds( even with a tag driving .17rem) LOL... Any pointers you can give me would be great.
Ok so here I am... 6ft 4" 240lbs... and a flinch when shooting a .22 !! Arggh... i think problems originated when I started hunting with shotguns. As ya'll know you dont squeeze shotguns , ya pull them. Well now that habit of pulling combined with ears that seem sensitive to the noise ( and yes i wear hearing protection )has lead to me flinching ALL the time, when shooting .22 all the way up thru 7mm Mag. Strangely it doesnt affect me much in hunting situations where Im kneeling or standing, I can hit running targets with regularity( best shot was a coyote on a dead run at 275yds), but sit me on a bench with a rest and I cant shoot sub 5in groups from 100yds( even with a tag driving .17rem) LOL... Any pointers you can give me would be great.
#14
here's my .02--
When I was being taught to properly shoot a pistol, I was having this trouble too.
The firearms instructor had me sight on the target and tell him yes outloud when the sights were aligned, and he would pull the trigger a little bit. As he pulled, he would ask again and I would say yes. Well, after a few shots it became yes yes yes yes BANG and I was surprised every time. Two years ago when I missed a trophy buck, I didn't do this and I was shaking like a leaf. When you concentrate on your sights, you can't really concentrate on the recoil. So just try this excercise. Say yes yes yes out loud over and over as you pull the trigger, and see if it helps. Good luck.
When I was being taught to properly shoot a pistol, I was having this trouble too.
The firearms instructor had me sight on the target and tell him yes outloud when the sights were aligned, and he would pull the trigger a little bit. As he pulled, he would ask again and I would say yes. Well, after a few shots it became yes yes yes yes BANG and I was surprised every time. Two years ago when I missed a trophy buck, I didn't do this and I was shaking like a leaf. When you concentrate on your sights, you can't really concentrate on the recoil. So just try this excercise. Say yes yes yes out loud over and over as you pull the trigger, and see if it helps. Good luck.
#16
why cant everyone be an elite hunter like me...???? (look in the pics!!!) lol
i flinch a lil... just like you say... not as bad as i use to though. i did the blank shell idea... it really works... and it makes you look dumb if its a blank... lol
i bought a .22 bolt to work on my flinch... it helped alot... i can shoot my 30-06 now w/o much of a problem... give me a box of shells and half way through my flinch is usually gone... mind over matter.
i flinch a lil... just like you say... not as bad as i use to though. i did the blank shell idea... it really works... and it makes you look dumb if its a blank... lol
i bought a .22 bolt to work on my flinch... it helped alot... i can shoot my 30-06 now w/o much of a problem... give me a box of shells and half way through my flinch is usually gone... mind over matter.
#17
Best way to cure flinching is to close your eyes. Best if you have someone with you when you do this.
Get a good solid rest, put your sights on the target then close your eyes. Don't worry about where you hit, this isn't about accuracy, it's about self control. Picture in your mind your finger on the triger. Slowly start to squeeze the trigger while totaly focusing on your finger. The gun should surprise you when it goes off. You have to do this many times to get it right. Then when you shoot with your eyes open, you should still be able to concentrate on your trigger squeeze.
Get a good solid rest, put your sights on the target then close your eyes. Don't worry about where you hit, this isn't about accuracy, it's about self control. Picture in your mind your finger on the triger. Slowly start to squeeze the trigger while totaly focusing on your finger. The gun should surprise you when it goes off. You have to do this many times to get it right. Then when you shoot with your eyes open, you should still be able to concentrate on your trigger squeeze.
#18
Those who have problems flinching should check out the new line of ammunition now being manufactured by both Remington and Federal that produces significantly less recoil than standard rounds. By reducing the powder charge and composition of the bullet, the idea is to produce a cartridge that has plenty of take-down power at the range that most hunters will find adequate.
I recently purchased a box of Remington "Managed Recoil" ammo in .270 and quickly fell in love with it. Remington claims that it produces less than 50% of the recoil of a standard .270 which is actually less than a standard .243 cartridge. Being the owner of a .243 as well, I will atest that the claim is without question a valid one.
According to Remington, their Managed Recoil ammo is good out to 150 yards. So in other words, all the powder that is used in a standard cartridge to produce take-down power at much longer distances has been left out, reducing unnecessary energy being forced into the hunter's shoulder.
I understand that Remington produces this new ammo in 30-06 and 7mm Mag as well.
Someone may have already mentioned this but the best way to detect a flinching problem is to have someone go with you to the range and without watching them, have them load the gun with occasional dry (unloaded) rounds. It will be obvious to you and sometimes even to those watching that you flinched when the trigger released on a dry (unloaded) round.
I recently purchased a box of Remington "Managed Recoil" ammo in .270 and quickly fell in love with it. Remington claims that it produces less than 50% of the recoil of a standard .270 which is actually less than a standard .243 cartridge. Being the owner of a .243 as well, I will atest that the claim is without question a valid one.
According to Remington, their Managed Recoil ammo is good out to 150 yards. So in other words, all the powder that is used in a standard cartridge to produce take-down power at much longer distances has been left out, reducing unnecessary energy being forced into the hunter's shoulder.
I understand that Remington produces this new ammo in 30-06 and 7mm Mag as well.
Someone may have already mentioned this but the best way to detect a flinching problem is to have someone go with you to the range and without watching them, have them load the gun with occasional dry (unloaded) rounds. It will be obvious to you and sometimes even to those watching that you flinched when the trigger released on a dry (unloaded) round.
#19
Flinching isn't all about recoil, it's about anticipating the shot. It's about losing concentration right at the point of trigger pull. I agree that anticipating recoil is one of the causes of flinching, but it still comes down to concentration.
#20
Yes concentration is every thing but a light trigger pull can help also i have a 300 WSM and 300 Weatherby mag kicks like hell i have like a 1.5 pound trigger pull on it so i cant anticipat the shot as I pull the trigger because the pull is so low.


