I have a flinch
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No4Mk1
Member
Get a 22lr.
No4Mk1
Member
Well, there are some really crummy cheap 22's out there that I would not encourage you to purchase. You'll go from having a flinching problem to jerking the trigger.... 
I would suggest a used Buckmark or Ruger MkII.
BTW, I agree that dryfiring can help too, but for me the 22lr is like magic medicine, plus it is a LOT of fun. Nothing like a brick of 22 for a cheap day of entertainment!
I would suggest a used Buckmark or Ruger MkII.
BTW, I agree that dryfiring can help too, but for me the 22lr is like magic medicine, plus it is a LOT of fun. Nothing like a brick of 22 for a cheap day of entertainment!
Black Majik
Member
oh my! me too!
best thing to do is lots of dry firing (of course unloaded) and/or get a .22 pistol.
Flinching also occurs after you become tired, or had too much soda. I notice my shooting declines after I am caffeined up on soda pop.
I was flinching so bad on sunday's shoot that I had to sit down for a bit to rest, get up and continue dry firing. Its frusterating. I got the flinch bad
Oh yeah, practice makes perfect. Theres 2 main reasons why people flinch, 1st they anticipate the recoil. 2nd, they anticipate the noise.
What I suggest is to double up on hearing protection. It definitely helps. But oddly enough, even after I tell myself these things... after shooting a while i still catch myself flinching. Even if I squeeze the trigger slowly.
I got caught flinching by igsr96 and kevlarman sunday. That was embarassing!!
Only thing to do is to learn from it and practice. Practice practice practice!
best thing to do is lots of dry firing (of course unloaded) and/or get a .22 pistol.
Flinching also occurs after you become tired, or had too much soda. I notice my shooting declines after I am caffeined up on soda pop.
I was flinching so bad on sunday's shoot that I had to sit down for a bit to rest, get up and continue dry firing. Its frusterating. I got the flinch bad
Oh yeah, practice makes perfect. Theres 2 main reasons why people flinch, 1st they anticipate the recoil. 2nd, they anticipate the noise.
What I suggest is to double up on hearing protection. It definitely helps. But oddly enough, even after I tell myself these things... after shooting a while i still catch myself flinching. Even if I squeeze the trigger slowly.
I got caught flinching by igsr96 and kevlarman sunday. That was embarassing!!
Only thing to do is to learn from it and practice. Practice practice practice!
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
You don't always get what you pay for, but you never get what you don't pay for.
KriegHund
Member
Breathe
I used to flinch when i forst shot my mauser 8mm.
I dont anymore. Know why? I focuse on the target- all my thoughts exit the head. That way, i dont even think about recoil. I just pull the trigger and...bang.
I used to flinch when i forst shot my mauser 8mm.
I dont anymore. Know why? I focuse on the target- all my thoughts exit the head. That way, i dont even think about recoil. I just pull the trigger and...bang.
chris in va
Member
What firearm do you have? There may be a .22 conversion slide kit for yours.
You'll see it in action when you slip a snap cap in your mag halfway down.
IMO, not really. Flinching is your subconcious trying to compensate for an action being applied to your body. Similar to walking sideways on an incline, then suddenly you hit flat ground. For a split second you'll lean the opposite direction of the camber.
You'll see it in action when you slip a snap cap in your mag halfway down.
No short cuts and no free lunch. But the best way I know (retired instructor) is a decent quality revolver and shoot it "ball and dummy". Load two chambers, skip one, load a third. Spin the cyl without looking and do six hammer falls. The goal is to get perfect hammer falls and not disturb the sights at the hammer fall and a bit beyond (followthrough).
To do this properly you really want a decent quality gun with a good trigger. Translation, double action S&W. Even a solid Model 10 .38 Spl would do and not break the bank. White box ammo is inexpensive, skip loading stretches your supply, and who knows--it might be all the gun you need or want once you master it.
The .22 caliber S&Ws, including used K-22s are not cheap--but all of them will last a lifetime.
Like I said--no such thing as a free lunch. But you can make the best of what you have.
To do this properly you really want a decent quality gun with a good trigger. Translation, double action S&W. Even a solid Model 10 .38 Spl would do and not break the bank. White box ammo is inexpensive, skip loading stretches your supply, and who knows--it might be all the gun you need or want once you master it.
The .22 caliber S&Ws, including used K-22s are not cheap--but all of them will last a lifetime.
Like I said--no such thing as a free lunch. But you can make the best of what you have.
Mixlesplick
Member
The extra hearing protection, the dry firing and practicing with a .22 are good ideas. After doing these you might want to shoot with some mild loads for a while. I shoot WWB .40 in my Kahr and I unknowing bought some hot loads (gold dots). I had to intersperce the gold dots throughout my shooting session because I was starting to flinch. Whatever you shoot, find some mild loads if you can.
scott.cr
Member
I agree with Dienekes. Having a number of "duds" in the mag or cylinder will really kill a flinch.
You can also try using a gun with a heavy trigger so you can gradually apply pressure to the trigger and when the gun fires it will be a surprise.
You can also try using a gun with a heavy trigger so you can gradually apply pressure to the trigger and when the gun fires it will be a surprise.
eclipse1
Member
a lot of dry fire and a lot of practice will help
DRYFIRE while focusing on keeping the front site steady. While dry firing use a blank wall with no aiming point. This allows you to focus on the front site only. On the range, the front site should be clear with the target a blur. Good luck and great gunning....
geekWithA.45
Moderator Emeritus
Couple of thoughts:
We all get the flinchies, sooner or later, and until you've shot a lot (!), they make regular appearances. Even after you've shot a lot (!) they'll still show up from time to time.
If you have an autoloader, get some snap caps that fit, and mix them into your mags. It's also good practice to integrate this in as a failure drill.
When dry firing, balance a penny on your front sight, and practice trigger control until you can do it reliably without dropping the penny.
Reality check your hearing protection, make sure you've got at least -25 db, and preferably closer to 30 or better.
Mostly, though, its a matter of mentally over riding your natural reactions. Feel free to flinch away, AFTER the hammer has dropped and the round discharged. You can actually zen it out: "I will not flinch until after the hammer has dropped...I will not flinch until after the hammer..."
We all get the flinchies, sooner or later, and until you've shot a lot (!), they make regular appearances. Even after you've shot a lot (!) they'll still show up from time to time.
If you have an autoloader, get some snap caps that fit, and mix them into your mags. It's also good practice to integrate this in as a failure drill.
When dry firing, balance a penny on your front sight, and practice trigger control until you can do it reliably without dropping the penny.
Reality check your hearing protection, make sure you've got at least -25 db, and preferably closer to 30 or better.
Mostly, though, its a matter of mentally over riding your natural reactions. Feel free to flinch away, AFTER the hammer has dropped and the round discharged. You can actually zen it out: "I will not flinch until after the hammer has dropped...I will not flinch until after the hammer..."
pauli
Member
as suggested, dry fire what you've got, and get a 22 that's as similar to your primary firearm as possible, without being crap (i say this in case you own a p99 or a sig). if there's a conversion kit, all the better.
my rule of thumb is to shoot the same dollar's worth of ammo through a 22 as through all centerfire guns combined, at every range trip. and that doesn't count the 22 only trips.
again as suggested previously, make sure you're doubling up on hearing protection, and that what you're using *works.* ill fitting plugs and muffs are nearly useless.
well it's going to hurt when you pull a tricep from overdoing the pushups.
my rule of thumb is to shoot the same dollar's worth of ammo through a 22 as through all centerfire guns combined, at every range trip. and that doesn't count the 22 only trips.
again as suggested previously, make sure you're doubling up on hearing protection, and that what you're using *works.* ill fitting plugs and muffs are nearly useless.
won't help, but it sure won't hurt.
well it's going to hurt when you pull a tricep from overdoing the pushups.
spacemanspiff
Senior Member
bring your flinch over to meet mine. they get lonely sometimes.
Kramer Krazy
Member
Isn't a flinch a type of bird?......Oh, wait.....that's "finch". 
When I start to flinch, I either pull out the 22 or take a few minutes to recollect my nerves. I don't flinch much at all, these days, but it will show up on occasion. I tend to start flinching with the 44 mag, but I have caught myself with the 45ACP on occasion. I just try not to think about the gun going off, but concentrate on my sighting and target and squeeze the trigger......well, I'll still flinch, sometimes.
When I start to flinch, I either pull out the 22 or take a few minutes to recollect my nerves. I don't flinch much at all, these days, but it will show up on occasion. I tend to start flinching with the 44 mag, but I have caught myself with the 45ACP on occasion. I just try not to think about the gun going off, but concentrate on my sighting and target and squeeze the trigger......well, I'll still flinch, sometimes. suprised no one has mentioned this one:
mix your regular ammo with blanks. that way you get used to just a docile "click", then the "boom" won't suprise you and thus giving you a flinch.
also, hearing protection works well. i jump when i fire my .22( ) and after putting on some muffs, all gone.
~TMM
mix your regular ammo with blanks. that way you get used to just a docile "click", then the "boom" won't suprise you and thus giving you a flinch.
also, hearing protection works well. i jump when i fire my .22(
) and after putting on some muffs, all gone.~TMM
Pietro Beretta
Member
I always wear Muffs, wether it be a .22lr or 25auto, Always Wear Muffs!
What you NEED is a double action revolver. Load all but 2 or 3 charge holes. Turn the cylider a couple times, turn it while NOT looking at it, and close it. Raise the gun and shoot 6 tries DOUBLE ACTION. This gives you two things, one you don't know where the live rounds are and a flinch will be very apparent and even embarrassing. Two, you learn to stroke a longer and harder trigger without disturbing the sights, something that will make a WORLD of difference in your overall shooting not to mention helping to tame the flinch. You want a bonus? It means you have a solid reason to go buy another gun if you don't have a DA revolver.
B
boofus
Guest
If you want a doodad to help get rid of flinch, get a suppressor.
It helps by lessening recoil, makes the boom not as loud and there will be no fire shooting out the front.
If you want to train yourself to not flinch, then just keep practicing. Concentrate on keeping the sights steady and on your trigger pull. Don't even think about the upcoming shot. It should just happen, don't anticipate it. You could try dry fire practice with a nickel balanced on top of the gun. Keep practicing until you can pull the trigger without moving the coin. But don't watch the coin, watch the sights. You'll know if the coin falls when it hits your foot.
It helps by lessening recoil, makes the boom not as loud and there will be no fire shooting out the front.
If you want to train yourself to not flinch, then just keep practicing. Concentrate on keeping the sights steady and on your trigger pull. Don't even think about the upcoming shot. It should just happen, don't anticipate it. You could try dry fire practice with a nickel balanced on top of the gun. Keep practicing until you can pull the trigger without moving the coin. But don't watch the coin, watch the sights. You'll know if the coin falls when it hits your foot.
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