Flinching with both pistol and rifle
Greetings all, long time lurker infrequent poster. I just recently joined my local range and have been shooting quite a bit. I've noticed that I can flinch from time to time with a handgun, at least 1 shot out of every magazine will be a good bit lower than the group.
With a rifle it's a different kind of flinch. If I try to shoot with just one eye I'l blink hard before the shot, but if I shoot with both eyes open it doesn't happen at all. It's not a big deal, and I can shoot both eyes open with a red dot out to 200yds without focus problems. But past 100 with open sights it's hard to focus(20/20 vision) on the front sight with both eyes open, I see it fine with just my dominant eye up until the point I pull the trigger, but then I flinch.
Any tips, tricks, or drills, to help this or is it just something that diminishes with trigger time and rounds down range? TIA
Flinching with both pistol and rifle
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brett Kastl
Prof, there was some good advice here, have you been able to try any of it yet? If so, did it help?
Absolutely!^^^^^^
Remember that people generally flinch for two reasons, immediately after surprise and/or pain. In shooting (or other activities where we anticipate either, we unintentionally induce the response. So when someone is new to shooting, it’s important to understand this and proactively take steps to mitigate the action.
Three things I do when introducing new shooters to firearms:
1. Dry fire every weapon a dozen or more times at the range immediately prior to live fire
2. I have them wear BOTH earplugs AND muffs
3. Always shoot at least 100 rounds of .22LR, typically start with my Ruger 22-45 then SR22
Seems to help take the flinch out as it helps the brain understand that shooting does not hurt the body (assuming you do things in a safe manner and are on the right side of the muzzle [emoji33])
Also, something I also do immediately prior to their shooting their first 9MM round is I have them hold the UNLOADED pistol (we check it twice to ensure it’s unloaded) pointing down range as if shooting, and close their eyes. I then randomly smack the muzzle end of the firearm with the heel of my palm pretty hard to simulate recoil. I then ask them “...did I hurt you?” We repeat this drill several times, a bit harder each time until I’m smacking the gun harder than any 10MM round. When they realize and wrap their heads around the fact by feel that there is no pain involved, it really helps.
Hard to do by yourself, I know, but by aiming the gun, closing your eyes and focusing on “feeling the recoil” just before pulling the trigger, and then concentrating on the sensation and acknowledging there is no pain, can help train yourself to stop flinching.
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