Dealing with shot anticipation.

[TNRifleman]

During my last trip to the range, I seem to have developed a small flinch when shooting. I have shot heavier recoiling rifles my whole life and have never had an issue but this has somehow crept in. I really noticed it when I pulled the trigger in a shot but had not switched off the safety.

I shot my 6.5 CM really well but the shot anticipation was noticeable on my 30-06's I was shooting. Besides a lot of dry firing and range time focusing on trigger pull with a .22 or something similar, any thoughts or recommendations for me?

 

[Jcalder]

I really don't know what would help but you wanna be surprised when it goes off. I always try to get settled on target and take my time. You may be getting recoil sensitive due to various reasons, possibly a lingering injury, ache, or age. It took a long time for myself to get over flinching. After several shots now with a high recoil gun I start dreading the next shot and get sloppy with my concentration. Shotguns are by far the worse, especially this time of year getting your turkey guns ready. Good luck to you.


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[DaveB]

I read about this as something you should do with your primary hunting rifles.

I took my 3 primary rifles to a gunsmith and had the triggers adjusted so that they all "felt" the same. Two Browning A-Bolts and a Winchester model 70. I was so pleased I took another A-Bolt and a Remington 700 for the same treatment. The pound pull ran from 2.9 to 3.6 and it took 3 or 4 weeks to get done and more than 3 trips for testing. When you place your finger on the trigger and begin applying pressure the feel you get is the same amount of pressure and length of travel seems to be duplicated on these 5 rifles.

Rifles I have added after that time have never been changed and I regret not making the investment. I have had flinch problems with two of the newest and it takes a lot of focus to avoid problems at the range. That scratchy sandpaper feel on some rifles is distracting to say the least.

My BIL had a flinch that was so bad I would not take him hunting. We spent nearly 6 months of range time and hundreds of rounds to get it corrected. Part of it was stock design. It was a Mark X InterArms 270 and it kicked worse than any rifle I have ever shot. We changed to a Rem ADL 270, got the trigger worked over, and better hearing protection.

Best of luck.

 

[pressfit]

Seems like the older you get the worse it is.. a lot of trap shooters have to swap over to release triggers..

 

[280longshot]

Describe what you do after the shot, do you look to see where the shot is, do you shoot a three or five then look at your groups.
Dry firing is what normal works and is what I was taught also what Dave is suggesting about having the trigger pull all set the same is a good idea.

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[TNRifleman]

Well, I am pretty sure I know the cause but am thinking I messed up and now have to work my way out of it.

I tweaked my right should early on in hunting season and it has been healing for a couple months. I was back to about 90% and decided to hit the range because of a new rifle I got and a new scope on another rifle.

I am hopeful that if I let it fully heal, it won't be an issue again, but I guess a bunch of dry firing never hurt anyone.

Most of my rifles are all set right at 3 lbs except for one target rifle set at about a pound and a half so I am good there.

I guess I will just shoot the 6.5's, .223's and .22's for a few months and wait for my shoulder to fully heal.

 

[DaveB]

Yep, take your time to heal. Shoot low recoil rounds and snap caps.

If you want to check yourself out, take your big caliber and prime a few brass. Hand feed one, settle down, squeeze it off. Repeat. I did this to unload my tula-primed 223 brass...Had to cover the window with some cardboard, the flash from outside was pretty cool. You will know how you are doing. Wife may get antsy from the noise....Kroger sells its soon-to-expire display flowers for a buck a bunch or so. Works pretty good.

 

[jlanecr500]

Find something else to take the thought of the shot off your mind, I used to think WOW, that 300 WM sure does kick hard but since I got heavily involved in SML's, I enjoy shooting the old 300WM because I can nearly free recoil shoot it with only a light hold and back it up with my shoulder. It's a matter of perception. Anyway, what I've found (in my limited experience) works the best with multiple shooters is to concentrate on holding your mouth "partially" open during the entire process and even during the shot follow-thru. Try not to tense up because you'll never duplicate the hold shot to shot.

 

[infoman jr.]

Dry fire.

 

[mike243]

bb gun 22 and shoot a lot,I don't even try to guess when the rifle is going to go off I concentrate on my spot I'm shooting at,tough habit to break and can come back with lack of practice

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Take someone with you when you go shooting. I have a buddy who had a terrible flinching problem. I would stand behind him and load the rifle for him except randomly, I would load a spent case. He never new if it was a live round or not when he pulled the trigger. It worked great and no more flinching.

 

[TiminTN]

During my last trip to the range, I seem to have developed a small flinch when shooting. I have shot heavier recoiling rifles my whole life and have never had an issue but this has somehow crept in. I really noticed it when I pulled the trigger in a shot but had not switched off the safety.

I shot my 6.5 CM really well but the shot anticipation was noticeable on my 30-06's I was shooting. Besides a lot of dry firing and range time focusing on trigger pull with a .22 or something similar, any thoughts or recommendations for me?

Mind over matter. Refuse the flinch. Squeez ezy.....BANG

 

[Jcalder]

Take someone with you when you go shooting. I have a buddy who had a terrible flinching problem. I would stand behind him and load the rifle for him except randomly, I would load a spent case. He never new if it was a live round or not when he pulled the trigger. It worked great and no more flinching.

that's what I try to do. Or video yourself. I had an uncle shoot my 308 a few years. If you didn't slide the bolt all the way back it would eject but wouldn't pick the next up. He short stroked the bolt and I told my buddy to watch him. Never flinched. I was impressed how well he done with his limited knowledge


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[ronnycl]

I read about this as something you should do with your primary hunting rifles.

I took my 3 primary rifles to a gunsmith and had the triggers adjusted so that they all "felt" the same. Two Browning A-Bolts and a Winchester model 70. I was so pleased I took another A-Bolt and a Remington 700 for the same treatment. The pound pull ran from 2.9 to 3.6 and it took 3 or 4 weeks to get done and more than 3 trips for testing. When you place your finger on the trigger and begin applying pressure the feel you get is the same amount of pressure and length of travel seems to be duplicated on these 5 rifles.

Rifles I have added after that time have never been changed and I regret not making the investment. I have had flinch problems with two of the newest and it takes a lot of focus to avoid problems at the range. That scratchy sandpaper feel on some rifles is distracting to say the least.

My BIL had a flinch that was so bad I would not take him hunting. We spent nearly 6 months of range time and hundreds of rounds to get it corrected. Part of it was stock design. It was a Mark X InterArms 270 and it kicked worse than any rifle I have ever shot. We changed to a Rem ADL 270, got the trigger worked over, and better hearing protection.

Best of luck.

^^^^^^^^^^^
this

 

[Jon54]

Take somebody with you to the range. Let them chocolate chip cookie the rifle while your sitting with you eyes closed. Then let them load the rifle randomly without you know it. Then when you fire, you won't know when a round is in the chamber or not.

 

[chris1976]

Take someone with you when you go shooting. I have a buddy who had a terrible flinching problem. I would stand behind him and load the rifle for him except randomly, I would load a spent case. He never new if it was a live round or not when he pulled the trigger. It worked great and no more flinching.

I did the exact same with my 11 yr old son. It worked


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[Urban_Hunter]

I notice it tries to sneak in on my rifles with heavy triggers... it has to have a light trigger to shoot well for me. It's like my mind is saying "it should have fired already"

 

[MUP]

During my last trip to the range, I seem to have developed a small flinch when shooting. I have shot heavier recoiling rifles my whole life and have never had an issue but this has somehow crept in. I really noticed it when I pulled the trigger in a shot but had not switched off the safety.

I shot my 6.5 CM really well but the shot anticipation was noticeable on my 30-06's I was shooting. Besides a lot of dry firing and range time focusing on trigger pull with a .22 or something similar, any thoughts or recommendations for me?

Mind over matter. Refuse the flinch. Squeez ezy.....BANG

This is pretty much how I see it. I just concentrate on the crosshairs and target until I get the "surprise" boom.

 

[RUGER]

I developed a similar problem one time.
The lighter the trigger the better in my case.
Good luck.

 

[Stingray]

Short action calibers was the answer for me , I don't like recoil since I've got older, I've been through the Mag craze in my younger days, I'm over all that, ability to shoot a well placed shot is exciting :super: I used to love to watchkids, and grown men too sight in the mags.