after a hiatus, getting back into shooting.

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Spike_akers

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A while ago I went on hiatus because of an encounter, and I quite honestly respected my firearm in a new light. One that made me want to leave it in its case. After some time I'm getting back into shooting.

My question is, I've developed a flinch, and don't know how to get rid of it. It's not bad enough for others to notice, but when squeezing a round off, I try to shut my eyes (not completely) and I can feel that I stiffen my arm and pull slightly left. I'm wondering what I could try to counter this.

Any advice is welcome, I want to get back to where I was.
 
I don't really think its the caliber. I'm not afraid of the noise, I'm not afraid of the recoil. I think maybe I'm just still not completely sure I'm ready maybe. I wonder if its just a time thing? Maybe I just answered my own thread. Not completely sure at this point.
 
A lot would depend on what set you back in the first place, details of which you need not share here.

For simple recoil-anticipation flinching, becoming more actively aware of it can help. For revolvers, load one chamber with a spent shell and give the cylinder a spin before firing all chambers off. Watch your gun's muzzle when the dud's turn comes up. For autoloaders, have someone else load your mags, inserting a snap-cap in them at random positions.

Spend more time with dry-fire (assuming a non-rimfire gun.) Lay a coin across the barrel, if one will stay, and try to keep it from falling as you run the trigger.

And yes, going down on load power/caliber may be a good idea as well.

Edit: you answered the recoil issue one minute before my post was added.
 
In addition to the above, perhaps...

Slow-fire target shooting gives you too much time to anticipate the shot. Try working on double taps. Draw from holster or from low-ready. Put 2 hits on paper at center-of-mass rather than trying to group at a bullseye. Start as close as 7-ft. When consistent, increase speed and/or distance. In effect, don't give yourself enough time to do the mental thing. Focus on that target and DEFEND YOURSELF!

Best wishes for success.
 
Try one of the different flavors laser training devices for your gun. Laserlyte even has a blue gun with supposed trigger similar to a Glock that fires a laser beam. You might also want to think Airsoft.
 
change your shooting routine

Try shooting in an entirely different context than what you are accustomed to.

For example, consider shooting some local USPSA or IDPA matches. Once the timer goes, you might find yourself totally engrossed with challenging the multi-target course of fire...and forgetting about the flinch.
 
I have fought a flinch. All the advice about dummy rounds is good for diagnosing a flinch, but won't cure it. All the advice about dry-firing is great for trigger control, but won't solve a flinch.

What will solve a flinch? Your eyes, and a commitment to seeing, not controlling. Take a .22 to the range. Don't put up a target, or, if you must, put up a large blank piece of paper. Raise the gun and fire rounds into the backstop. Don't try to hit anything in particular. Just try to watch the gun go off. See as much as you can. See if you can see the brass eject. See if you can see the slide cycle. See if you can see the muzzle blast. Just see what you can see.

If you can't get past that, then go get an airsoft pistol or CO2 pellet gun. Do as I describe above. Once you can do it with a .22, move up to a centerfire with soft-shooting ammo (.38 wadcutters are ideal, or soft 9mm in a full-sized gun). When you can consistently see the gun go off, then you can start carefully aiming. And your flinch will be gone. (Until it comes back, in which case you just go back to the .22 and repeat).

twofifty has a valid point as well: sometimes, time-pressured shooting can diminish the flinch, simply because you don't have the anticipation building before the shot. But if you're flinching on EVERY shot, not just occasionally, then time pressure probably won't get it done, IMO.
 
ATLDave said:
I have fought a flinch. All the advice about dummy rounds is good for diagnosing a flinch, but won't cure it. All the advice about dry-firing is great for trigger control, but won't solve a flinch.

What will solve a flinch? Your eyes, and a commitment to seeing, not controlling. Take a .22 to the range. Don't put up a target, or, if you must, put up a large blank piece of paper. Raise the gun and fire rounds into the backstop. Don't try to hit anything in particular. Just try to watch the gun go off. See as much as you can. See if you can see the brass eject. See if you can see the slide cycle. See if you can see the muzzle blast. Just see what you can see.

If you can't get past that, then go get an airsoft pistol or CO2 pellet gun. Do as I describe above. Once you can do it with a .22, move up to a centerfire with soft-shooting ammo (.38 wadcutters are ideal, or soft 9mm in a full-sized gun). When you can consistently see the gun go off, then you can start carefully aiming. And your flinch will be gone. (Until it comes back, in which case you just go back to the .22 and repeat).

twofifty has a valid point as well: sometimes, time-pressured shooting can diminish the flinch, simply because you don't have the anticipation building before the shot. But if you're flinching on EVERY shot, not just occasionally, then time pressure probably won't get it done, IMO.
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i gave this a try earlier today, and seeing as i only have 45 in a handgun now, i had to work with what i had. i found it odd i dont flinch with a rifle or shotgun though..

but anyway, i fired several mags into my backstop constantly trying to watch the slide and brass first, then once i found myself able to watch those without any flinching or issue, i moved to watching the backstop. i took a break, and came back to it, starting from the beginning. after the break the flinch was back, but after a few rounds i wouldnt notice it anymore.

i think its going to be time, and doing this. thanks everyone for your replies.
 
Yep. A flinch in shooting is like a slice in golf. A few people can ditch one quickly and permanently, but a lot of people have to really work against it. I shot THOUSANDS of rounds of .22lr in ditching mine. And if I don't shoot for a while, it can still come back (though it's always faster to solve than it was originally). Keep at it, don't expect it to go away all at once, just keep seeing as much as you can. You'll get there.
 
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