The Accurate Reloading Forums
curing a flinch
30 March 2010, 22:55
mori shultzcuring a flinch
I shot a 30 shot Schuetzen match last Sunday and used my Shiloh sharps 45-70 with full bore long range loads that I had already loaded up. The load was 63 grains Swiss 1 1/2 with a 544 Creedmore 30-1 bullet. I developed such a severe flinch that I was shooting under the target at 200 yds. To componsate, I raised my sight setting up approx 9 clicks. When I was telling an old friend about my abysmal shooting he said" you were flinching" . So, how do I cure the flinch? ( I was shooting this rifle as I don't have the 32-40 Schutzen hi wall up and running yet) Mori
30 March 2010, 23:05
jeffeossoget a 22 LR boltgun
have a friend go to the range with you
friend loads the gun for you .. might be live, might be fired ...
reteach yourself that the 22 doesn't kick and not to anticipate the shot
it took me MONTHS to get rid of my flinch after TWO eye brow cuts in a week
30 March 2010, 23:06
GrumulkinI have a couple of suggestions:
1. Shoot something with real recoil like a 458 Lott, a 460 Weatherby Magnum or maybe even Saeed's 577 T-Rex. After you shoot those some, a 45-70 with anything you can put in it won't seem so bad.
2 Take a martial arts class; preferably something with moderate to firm contact allowed in sparring. Once you've worked your way up to brown or black belt, even a 458 Lott won't make you flinch.
3. I know it would be sacrilege with a Sharps, but cushy recoil pads and muzzle brakes can go a long ways toward making recoil tolerable.
4. Have someone load your gun randomly with dummy rounds and with real ones. Then practice squeezing the trigger gently. If you're flinching, your flinch will be very obvious when you pull the trigger and the gun doesn't go bang.
5. There is always Pamprin.
30 March 2010, 23:24
analog_peninsulaquote:
Originally posted by jeffeosso:
have a friend go to the range with you
friend loads the gun for you .. might be live, might be fired ...
reteach yourself that the 22 doesn't kick
This is great advice.
I take either a .22 or a quality air rife with me whenever I take out my big boomers. After every couple of shots with the big guns, I get out the air rifle and practice my form for 5 or 6 shots; you'll be surprised how much it will help.
analog_peninsula
-----------------------
It takes character to withstand the rigors of indolence.
30 March 2010, 23:43
TerryRAnother vote for the 22lr.
Don't make the mouse gun a safe queen, if you want to improve your shooting shoot a 22lr.
31 March 2010, 00:04
GerardHope this helps.
http://www.gsgroup.co.za/flinch.html31 March 2010, 00:08
boom stickMichael458 uses 3 shots of alcohol

31 March 2010, 00:15
Extremist458Come train with me, I'll cure all your ailments
Or you can just stick with

and

-Extremist
"Pain is weakness leaving the body" -Instructor
Victory in life is dying for what you were born to do.
"I hope you live forever" -300
"Never judge an enemy by his words, he might turn out to be a better shot then a writer"
http://www.gscustomusa.com Another one for the .22 Rimfire or another small calibre.
Shoot it at the end of every range session and it will help enormously.
31 March 2010, 04:19
chuck375quote:
Originally posted by Grumulkin:
I have a couple of suggestions:
1. Shoot something with real recoil like a 458 Lott, a 460 Weatherby Magnum or maybe even Saeed's 577 T-Rex. After you shoot those some, a 45-70 with anything you can put in it won't seem so bad.
2 Take a martial arts class; preferably something with moderate to firm contact allowed in sparring. Once you've worked your way up to brown or black belt, even a 458 Lott won't make you flinch.
3. I know it would be sacrilege with a Sharps, but cushy recoil pads and muzzle brakes can go a long ways toward making recoil tolerable.
4. Have someone load your gun randomly with dummy rounds and with real ones. Then practice squeezing the trigger gently. If you're flinching, your flinch will be very obvious when you pull the trigger and the gun doesn't go bang.
5. There is always Pamprin.
Pamprin, that's not even a little bit nice ... lol My shooting friends call my PAST recoil pad my "Maxi-Pad"

Chuck
Regards,
Chuck
"There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit"
Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness"
quote:
Originally posted by chuck375:
Pamprin, that's not even a little bit nice ... lol My shooting friends call my PAST recoil pad my "Maxi-Pad"

Chuck
Chuck
We joke and call them sissy pads, but the last bloke who said that when I was wearing it was offered 20 shots out of a 500 Jeffrey WITHOUT the pad on - he declined !!!
31 March 2010, 05:07
fourboreI have two Shiloh Sharps and stock design is everything. Straight stock - crescent steel butt plate will hurt you. Shotgun butt and pistol grip will not. If you got the wrong stock, think about sending the gun back - it matters big time.
I have seen some champion shooters firing 45/70 in Metal silhouette using the PAST or similar shoulder pads. The others tend to shoot the lighter 40/70. Those are 500 yard matches.
I dont think shooting a 458 Lott will cure anything. I would temporarily switch too a very soft practice load. Maybe buy some cowboy loads. Then work up a medium hand load. I dont think you need that heavy a bullet for 200 yards, not nearly.
Another old time trick was too blind shoot some dummies with the live rounds. Already suggested above.
31 March 2010, 06:14
465H&HSpend a lot of time at home dry firing. Strive to get a trigger break with no movement of the sights. Even cheeper than using a 22 and can be practiced anytime while you are at home.
465H&h
31 March 2010, 06:30
fourboreAnd, 45-70 snap caps, readily available. But I have to say, when you know the chamber is empty its a whole different emotion. That goes for firing a heavy hitter vs a 22. I would get back in the saddle with cowboy action shooting loads.
(edit. seems like a lot of advise for the 22, so what do I know?, probably works)
But, no BS. A crescent steel butt plate is a killer for match shooting.
31 March 2010, 06:43
Jim ManionOr, if you can't admit you have a flinch and figure it has to be the rifle, you might try the mechanical fix:
quote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
I replaced the front mounting screw on my lott with a new one and decided to tighten it with greater torque to see if it would make any difference.I received a SS screw instead of the normal blued,used some red loctite and started tightening it to 65 lbs-the setting I usually use.I then got out my Brownells screw driver and put a huge monkey wrench to the tightening nut.I then gave the screw an extra half turn,where it came to a stop.
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01 April 2010, 06:37
shootawaycuring a flinch?? I wouldn't know because I've never had one.I am not scared of my lott.I might be if I had a scope on it.Jeffe must be scared.He has gotten bit twice and is obsessed with the subject.
01 April 2010, 09:53
BrandoInstall a new trigger with a pull weight of 6oz. and with a creep of 1/1000th of an inch...You will not be able to flinch, just dont take off the safety when the wind is blowing...
I can let you shoot my 308 with some hot loads and its newly installed 1 LB trigger. After about 5 shots you will not longer care about anything but advil, icey hot and 1 week of bed rest.
01 April 2010, 17:07
Grumulkinquote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
I replaced the front mounting screw on my lott with a new one and decided to tighten it with greater torque to see if it would make any difference.I received a SS screw instead of the normal blued,used some red loctite and started tightening it to 65 lbs-the setting I usually use.I then got out my Brownells screw driver and put a huge monkey wrench to the tightening nut.I then gave the screw an extra half turn,where it came to a stop.
If I had problems with incontinence, I would have peed myself on that one.
I think the trigger advice is actually good though I would probably go with a bit more than 6 oz. About 1.5 lbs. works for me.
01 April 2010, 20:08
fourboreThe shiloh sharps comes standard with a top grade set trigger, it is down in the ounces range. This is not some italian knockoff.
01 April 2010, 20:27
Idaho SharpshooterI got one of these, but in 45-90. Whomper special.
Best advice, get a 22 and a friend to load, or not, and just shoot. You shooting with the Modesto Club?
Regards,
Rich
01 April 2010, 21:36
BaxterBquote:
Spend a lot of time at home dry firing. Strive to get a trigger break with no movement of the sights. Even cheeper than using a 22 and can be practiced anytime while you are at home.
Walter Bell was a major proponent of dry firing, said he wold snap off thousands of shots and practiced incessantly.
02 April 2010, 00:09
mori shultzMy Shiloh is a custom built rifle ,(by Shiloh). It has the saddle rifle buttstock, straight grip, cheekpiece, and a ebony grip on the lower tang. I had a standare pistol grip Shiloh, but my fingers are too short to acquire the front trigger, so I sold it and had this one built. With the ebony grip, the reach is shorter and works just fine. I had a 30 inch round business rifle barrel put on it and it has a nice "hang". I have both a shoulder pad and a "butt ugly" butt pad, I will just have to dig them out and start using them. I don't seem to have the flinch when shooting off of the bench rest, only when shooting offhand . I'm working on it. Thanks for all the suggestions. Mori
02 April 2010, 02:13
jeffeossoquote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
curing a flinch?? I wouldn't know because I've never had one.I am not scared of my lott.I might be if I had a scope on it.Jeffe must be scared.He has gotten bit twice and is obsessed with the subject.
yeah -- scared --
apparently if one loosens the screws on their guns and ramdomly tightens them, whilst wearing a skidoo helmut and using one ring, on OBVIOUSLY over pressure reloads, one can never blaime the flinching ... aint that right, flinchie?
only a babbling idiot states they have never flinched...
03 April 2010, 08:03
CrazyhorseconsultingJMO, but I don't believe flincan be cured.
I have a terminal case of flinchitis, ESPECIALLY when shooting at paper.
Shooting at hair, I have no problem, shooting at paper and I am like a cat in the dog pound, jerking all over the place.
Even the rocks don't last forever.
03 April 2010, 09:20
Use Enough GunYes, a full size, bolt action 22lr with a scope is just the ticket.

quote:
Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
JMO, but I don't believe flincan be cured.
I have a terminal case of flinchitis, ESPECIALLY when shooting at paper.
Shooting at hair, I have no problem, shooting at paper and I am like a cat in the dog pound, jerking all over the place.
A flinch can be cured. I cured mine a couple of times using smaller cals,
.22's.
03 April 2010, 12:20
86thecatTry a muzzle loader. Percussion is good but flintlock is even better. You have to hold steady for about five seconds after pulling the trigger for the bullet to get out of the barrel. Seriously though they really require holding a steady follow through. You can load fairly light then work up to heavier charges.