Flinching

Full Metal Jacket · February 17, 2005, 10:25 PM

At the range i flinch every so often when i shoot the .45, but i'm okay with the .357 magnum

anyways, anyone have any tips to reduce my flinching with a 1911 model .45ACp?
thanks

-FMJ

Archie · February 17, 2005, 11:04 PM

Dry Fire Practise.

However, this is more than just 'snapping' away at the television.

Find a plain white wall, or mount a plain white paper on the wall. With an appropriately unloaded pistol, dry fire at the sheet of paper or wall. The goal is not to keep the sights lined up on some imaginary bullseye, but to make the hammer fall without disturbing the sights. If you are watching, you will easily see the movement of the sights when the hammer releases. Keep working on this until you can drop the hammer with no movement.

To begin with, ten to twenty good 'calls' is worth 100 'yanks'. But if you keep this up, you will find your live shooting improving. You will have trained the 'flinch' out of yourself.

Bear in mind, you will flinch more the more tired you get. However, as time goes on, the distance you can go until you get 'tired' will increase. Recoil also adds to the flinch mechanism. Last night, I shot a 900 point bullseye match with my new hardball gun. With my wadcutter gun, I can pretty well stay 'good'. With the hardball gun (and hardball ammo) I was getting pretty loose by the end of Timed Fire.

XavierBreath · February 17, 2005, 11:32 PM

Buy a couple of packages of snap caps and have a buddy mix them into your ammo and load your magazines for you. Then shoot in front of your favorite woman. When you flinch on a snap cap, the movement will be so grotesque and embarrassingly obvious without the recoil that you will make yourself stop it immediately.

Jungle Work · February 18, 2005, 01:10 AM

XB has it right, Ball and Dummy. Concentrate on trigger control, sight alignment and breath control. Enough pratice and you can overcome flinching.

Jungle Work

OBIWAN · February 19, 2005, 11:02 AM

I used to mix .44spcl with my 44mag rounds and play flinching roulette

I felt real stupid when I would catch myslef "pushing" the .44spcls

carolinaflats · February 19, 2005, 01:02 PM

I noticed I was flinching after shooting a 9mm and .40 then going to a .22. I shot a box of ammo thru the .22 and went back to the other two and shot a lot better. Now whenever I go to the range I start with the .22 and really focus on making a smooth trigger pull and when moving up to bigger bore centerfires, try to carry the same action over. I've also noticed I shoot a lot better outdoors. At the indoor range I think the muzzle blast is a lot more noticeable and can cause me to flinch.

Byron Quick · February 19, 2005, 01:16 PM

I found myself flinching before opening day of deer season when I would be sighting in .300 Win Mag. The Browning BAR is fitted with the BOSS system and the blast was more disconcerting than the recoil.

I noticed three things that changed my tendency to flinch.

1)With regular shooting of the .300 Win Mag, the flinch went away.
2)If I shot some with a heavier caliber before I returned to the .300 Win Mag, there was no flinch. In fact, it was like my mind was saying,"What recoil and blast?"
3)When shooting deer, I cannot even recall noticing the shot's recoil and blast.

I haven't tried the dry firing or snap cap route. They sound promising. I have tried going from lighter to heavier calibers which doesn't help me.

Tim R · February 19, 2005, 01:46 PM

Ball and Dummy is sage advise.

As far as the 300 Win Mag....buck up bucko, and work through it. If I can shoot my Win F/W in '06 and not flinch so can you. And trust me I hate going to the range with that rifle. But it is easy to carry in the field and there is no boot or boom when the cross hairs are on a animal.

February 17, 2005, 10:25 PM	#1
Full Metal Jacket Senior Member Join Date: December 8, 2004 Posts: 260	Flinching At the range i flinch every so often when i shoot the .45, but i'm okay with the .357 magnum anyways, anyone have any tips to reduce my flinching with a 1911 model .45ACp? thanks -FMJ

February 17, 2005, 11:04 PM	#2
Archie Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2000 Location: Hastings, Nebrasksa - the Hear Posts: 2,209	Yes. Dry Fire Practise. However, this is more than just 'snapping' away at the television. Find a plain white wall, or mount a plain white paper on the wall. With an appropriately unloaded pistol, dry fire at the sheet of paper or wall. The goal is not to keep the sights lined up on some imaginary bullseye, but to make the hammer fall without disturbing the sights. If you are watching, you will easily see the movement of the sights when the hammer releases. Keep working on this until you can drop the hammer with no movement. To begin with, ten to twenty good 'calls' is worth 100 'yanks'. But if you keep this up, you will find your live shooting improving. You will have trained the 'flinch' out of yourself. Bear in mind, you will flinch more the more tired you get. However, as time goes on, the distance you can go until you get 'tired' will increase. Recoil also adds to the flinch mechanism. Last night, I shot a 900 point bullseye match with my new hardball gun. With my wadcutter gun, I can pretty well stay 'good'. With the hardball gun (and hardball ammo) I was getting pretty loose by the end of Timed Fire. __________________ There ain't no free lunch, except Jesus. Archie Check out updated journal at http://oldmanmontgomery.wordpress.com/

February 17, 2005, 11:32 PM	#3
XavierBreath Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2002 Location: North Louisiana Posts: 2,800	Buy a couple of packages of snap caps and have a buddy mix them into your ammo and load your magazines for you. Then shoot in front of your favorite woman. When you flinch on a snap cap, the movement will be so grotesque and embarrassingly obvious without the recoil that you will make yourself stop it immediately. __________________ Xavier's Blog

February 19, 2005, 01:46 PM	#8
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	Ball and Dummy is sage advise. As far as the 300 Win Mag....buck up bucko, and work through it. If I can shoot my Win F/W in '06 and not flinch so can you. And trust me I hate going to the range with that rifle. But it is easy to carry in the field and there is no boot or boom when the cross hairs are on a animal. __________________ God Bless our Troops especially our Snipers.

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February 18, 2005, 01:10 AM	#4
Jungle Work Junior member Join Date: January 31, 2005 Location: 20 Miles from Water, 2 Miles from Hell Posts: 282	XB has it right, Ball and Dummy. Concentrate on trigger control, sight alignment and breath control. Enough pratice and you can overcome flinching. Jungle Work

February 19, 2005, 11:02 AM	#5
OBIWAN Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 1999 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,340	I used to mix .44spcl with my 44mag rounds and play flinching roulette I felt real stupid when I would catch myslef "pushing" the .44spcls

February 19, 2005, 01:02 PM	#6
carolinaflats Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2005 Location: Charleston,SC Posts: 165	I noticed I was flinching after shooting a 9mm and .40 then going to a .22. I shot a box of ammo thru the .22 and went back to the other two and shot a lot better. Now whenever I go to the range I start with the .22 and really focus on making a smooth trigger pull and when moving up to bigger bore centerfires, try to carry the same action over. I've also noticed I shoot a lot better outdoors. At the indoor range I think the muzzle blast is a lot more noticeable and can cause me to flinch.

February 19, 2005, 01:16 PM	#7
Byron Quick Staff In Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Waynesboro, Georgia, USA Posts: 2,361	I found myself flinching before opening day of deer season when I would be sighting in .300 Win Mag. The Browning BAR is fitted with the BOSS system and the blast was more disconcerting than the recoil. I noticed three things that changed my tendency to flinch. 1)With regular shooting of the .300 Win Mag, the flinch went away. 2)If I shot some with a heavier caliber before I returned to the .300 Win Mag, there was no flinch. In fact, it was like my mind was saying,"What recoil and blast?" 3)When shooting deer, I cannot even recall noticing the shot's recoil and blast. I haven't tried the dry firing or snap cap route. They sound promising. I have tried going from lighter to heavier calibers which doesn't help me.