ducking the recoil

[Tag]

I was wondering what techniques you guys, and gals, use to keep from flinching/anticipating the recoil. It seems like a lot of the Zen archery methodology could come into play, surprising you with the shot and whatnot.

any advice would be appreciated, as the last time I shot my 'new' rifle by the end of the first box I was really working to not wince/flinch. I suppose my rifles staple gun like trigger pull can't be helping, but it was not an issue when I could... focus.

thanks

 

[redneck]

Shoot lots of low/no recoil stuff like .22 rimfires or air rifles to practice trigger control, breath control etc. The flinch will go away if your not getting thumped every time and can go back to concentration.
Might look into a recoil pad, or how your gun fits and stuff too if your really hurting.
I don't really shoot much heavy stuff so I'm not much help.

 

[Tag]

Thanks anyways Red,

My question was in relation to the mental aspects of the game more than the physical. I'm shooting a .300 WSM w/ a good recoil pad, and the kick itself is not that bad. I'm about 6'3, 200, so I'm not worried about getting hurt.

I just figured alot of you have spent years behind the crosshairs and could offer some wisdom to a rookie.

 

[dakotasin]

overcoming recoil is a mental exercise. almost any shotgun you pick up will kick ya harder than your wsm (i shoot a 300 wsm, too, except i have the factory recoil pad still on mine), yet you won't be bothered by a shotgun recoil. shotguns are very rarely shot from a bench...

on each and every shot from a bench, you just need to focus on the target and your breathing. do not worry about anything else... the gun will go off on its own, and before you know it, recoil is gone, and you didn't have a chance to flinch. flinching comes from anticipating the shot... if you are anticipating the shot, you are not focused on your breathing and sight picture good enough....

also, 20 rounds from a bench is plenty... get 'er sighted in, and get off the bench. recoil is virtually non-existent from field positions, but you will notice it shooting from a bench.

 

[P95Carry]

To be honest ... tho I am big enough and heavy enough to absorb recoil ..... I find that it is all but totally mind games!! Re flinch avoidance of course.

I do because of breadth usually need slip on recoil pads for rifles .. gives me that quick 1/2" extra .. but comfort too is improved. All helps.

If I have a real ''hot load barker'' then I sometimes add a special leather shoulder deal ... padded ... further helps.

But back to mind games ... it is essential IMO (same for me with hot loads in hand cannons!) .... to put aside any concern re recoil ... it has to be seen as a non-event. Thus ... as sights are held and trigger release ... all, slow - smooth .. that sequence following release has to be treated as not existing.

ANY anticipation is bad ... potentially. How anyone individually manages to get their mind set ready as i suggest is not so easy .... all I can say is tell yourself .......''recoil - so what - I ain't bothered''. Or something like that!

It can work .... does for me.

 

[litman252]

As the king of a masterd flinch I can agree that it sucks. Mine is from a shotgun, 1300 black shadow shooting the Win supreme 400 gr. slugs. I take a sweatshirt, roll it up and put it between the recoil pad and my shoulder when sighting in.

I can go down to the indoor range and shoot 200 .22's fairly acurately from standing and other field positions, give me that shotgun and it all goes to crud.

I plan on shooting a lot of .223, .22, and .243 this winter just to work on the flinch.
I can flinch on a .22 if I don't concentrate on trigger controll.

Best of luck,
Tony

 

[Knife_Sniper]

I find myself totally ignoring the recoil using a simple method.

I first remember im on the safe side of the gun.

I then completely concentrate on TWO things:

The sight picture
The trigger finger

I align the sights, and then hold steady. I then concentrate only on my finger and a slow squeeze. I do not think about anything but my finger. I do not think about the rifle blowing me back, I do not think of the loud noise... just the finger. Squeeze slow finger, squeeze.

(poet drums beating, poinga poinga poinga)

a blast!

a scream of noise.

Quiet.

^Anywho, I used to do that^
Then one day I got sick of clearing my mind and focusing on my finger, so I started to actually concentrate on holding my eyes open while flinging massive amounts of lead downrange haphazzardly. This in effect, flooded my senses to the point where I became used to the recoil. Once I had my eyes open and on target all the time, I then reconcentrated on serious shooting with trigger pull, sight picture, ect.

I have a two person recoil excersize I can share if you want it.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Well, obviously anticipation is all mental, so you have to remove the anticipation, as others have stated. I'm gonna try to say the same thing in a different way hoping to turn a light bulb on in your head .

First, make sure the buttstock in squarely up against your shoulder. It should push you a little because it is flush with the pocket between your arm and torso. If not, it will slam into your shoulder and that means you are doing it wrong. Now, line up the sights ontarget making sure to use a very good checkweld, i.e. the side of your face on the comb of the stock. Start to breath in and breath out while concentrating on the front sight. That front sight should be the focus of your attention, and move up and down slightly as you breath. Again, paying attention to the front sight, place finger on trigger. Breath in and breath out halfway, still focused on the front sight. Use brain to send message to finger to slowly increase pressure on trigger incrementally, then return attention to front sight. Still holding your breath, keep focused on front sight. Suddenly, you should be surprised a bit when the gun goes off, because you were paying attention to the front sight and your breathing, and not on recoil!

I always try to tell non-shooters that shooting is a very calm experience because you are using incredible focus and concentration (on the front sight) and requires discipline and self-control (of course, I don't tell them I sometimes mash the trigger on my SKS just for a change of pace ).

Another thing you can do is, following the four rules, get your rifle and a snapcap (dunno if they make snapcaps for .300WSH) and make sure you lock up all the live ammo. Load the snapcap and chamber it, keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Practice your technique as described above with the snapcap. No reason to flinch now, eh? It's a good way to build up good habits that will translate well in live fire. Remember, focus on the front sight (recoil shouldn't even enter your mind) and the round going off should be a mild surprise. HTH.

 

[Navy joe]

Assuming you are using good technique and not getting beat up by the recoil as you say you are a couple of things you could do.

-Double up your hearing protection, even outdoors. That's a pretty barky gun you got and it seems that folks flinch more from the noise than the recoil many times.

-Get off the bench, shoot from field positions. With your body freed from the bench you can use all of your 6'3" to help buffer the recoil. Wear a shoulder pad like a PAST. You may think the recoil doesn't hurt, but it does affect you. I used to think hammer bite on auto pistols didn't bother me, I had a permanent callous on the web of my hand from bleeding there so often. Well, it was making me flinch.

-If you are handloading, download some rounds to a quieter, more enjoyable level to shoot.

-Practice holding the rifle on target at home. You may just be tiring in your arms or eyes and jerking the trigger when the scope looks right.

 

[E=MC^2]

I'm shooting a .300 WSM w/ a good recoil pad,

My co-worker recently purchased a new Savage in .300WSM for whitetail season. It has a synthetic stock and is fairly lightweight. The first round he fired sent the scope crashing into his forehead. Having no hearts the rest of us laughed or snickered. He proceeded to fire around a 2-foot group at 100yds.

I figured it was time to step in and show him how it's suppose to be done. The first shot I took sent the scope into my glasses, knocking the lens out. Now, I hunted with a 7mm Mag for a couple years and never encountered this. This was something that usually happens to young teenagers just starting out.

I don't know what sort of velocities the WSM's generate but in this platform the recoil is just too much. He has plans on trading it in on a new '06. I'll just stick with my whimpy .308's which I manage to comfortably fire 100's of rounds a year through.

For some, including myself, there are calibers that might be too much to overcome and I would not care to take the time to try it. I really have no need for greater energy anyways.

 

[Tag]

You may just be tiring in your arms or eyes and jerking the trigger when the scope looks right.

I'd say that pretty much sums it up.

It has a synthetic stock and is fairly lightweight. The first round he fired sent the scope crashing into his forehead

This would almost happen to me when I had my scope turned all the way up... I was shooting CD's from what must have been 200 yards and my scope was just brushing my forehead, it never actually hit me, but it was real close. This was contributing to the flinch no doubt.

I have no problems shooting the 150 gr. Ballistic Silvertips, but the 180 gr. loads send my Super Shadow (read: light, synthetic) back pretty fast.

I'm thinking of getting one of those velcro/slip on recoil pads to go w/ the one that came on the rifle, this would help with the fit also would it not?

thanks

 

[DeBee]

I don't see why people have to buy a magnum and the first thing they do is to sit down at the bench and hammer themselves with 20 or 40 rounds of ammo... Not you, but others...

First, you have to make sure the stock fits you well. Factory stocks are made for a mannequin. Is the butt fitting into your shoulder pocket correctly? Maybe it's slipping over to your arm on the shot. 308, 30-06, 300 WXX will still hurt you if the stock is wrong for you or if you're shouldering the rifle incorrectly. Perhaps you could round the edges of the buttpad with sandpaper. Pain is making you flinch. Stock shape/design has a surprising amount to do with your recoil tolerance.

Does your range have a standing bench position? Standing is much better for recoil. Roll up a towel and put that between the butt and your shoulder when sitting at the bench- do it proudly without shame- only macho fools hammer themselves with magnum rounds thinking they are toughening their shoulder when actually they are tenderizing it...

 

[Tag]

somthing like this

DeBee,

I don't have a 'range', only an old gravel pit, and most of my bench-like shooting takes place off the top of my car

 

[BigG]

It's mostly mind over matter. Recognize the thing is going to make a sharp noise and rare back and then forget about that and worry about your sight picture, trigger control, and follow through - i.e., don't relax after your trigger breaks. Good shooting!

 

[ksnecktieman]

Suggestions from a recoil wimp. If you send 2,000 foot pounds of energy down range, you are going to flinch. If you do it long enough you will/may someday control it. If you experience pain when you fire, your flinch will be extreme.
#1 Is there any real reason you have to do your range time with hot loads? Load down for range shooting. Zero your rifle with what you hunt with, but there is no reason you can not shoot softer loads for practice. If the point of impact is different with practice ammo, consider that when you evaluate your targets.
#2 Stance is important. If you are firing right handed, and are standing left side forward your body can not twist to absorb recoil. If you are close to face on to your target, your shoulder can yield, and your body twist to absorb recoil. Recoil is as much a matter of time as it is of power. If your body rotates it will accept more recoil than if it has to maintain position. We have all heard about someone shooting with their back against a tree or a rock.
#3 A bad flinch is your shoulder moving towards the gun, IMHO. If you do not have the gun held solidly against your shoulder the recoil is amplified many times. Make a fist, and hit your other palm with it hard from four inches away. Then make a fist, and touch your other palm and hit it as hard as you can and you will see the difference. When I am shooting a "recoil monster" something that helps me is to use four triggers. First, pull with your pinky on the pistol grip, then the third finger, then the second finger. Then pull the final trigger to fire. That seems to help me get the rifle pulled solidly back into my shoulder.

You will not notice the recoil when you fire at game and if you can stop the flinch on the range you will have the confidence to make the shot. My ultimate solution was to get a smaller caliber. If I ever get to hunt anything bigger than Kansas whitetails, I will have to deal with my "no pain is good" attitude, I suppose

 

[Tag]

Excellent advice gentlemen,

I am raring at the bit to get back to the 'range' and try some of your tips, now if exams would just be over and done with :banghead:

 

[Sunray]

I know lots of big guys who cry and whine like the little girly men they are when they shoot. And lots of little girls who shoot extremely well and could care less about recoil. Size is irrelevant. Technique is everything.
"...takes place off the top of my car..." When bench shooting, the first thing you need is a proper bench. Your car is neither stable nor comfortable enough for proper shooting. Cabelas sells portable benches starting at a 'C' note. http://www.cabelas.com/ Then pull the stock tight into your shoulder and ignore everything but the sight picture. When shooting a really hard kicking rifle, allow yourself to go back with the recoil rather than try and oppose it. The most important part is to hang on to the rifle and have it tight into your shoulder. Then your body will recoil with the rifle and it won't hurt you. A good shooting jacket will help too. As will loading your own ammo and having a lighter load for bench shooting.
Offhand you can lean into the rifle a little. Like you do a shotgun.

 

[uglygun]

My 300WinMag caused me to adjust my shooting position a little, used to be I nestled a rifle in close to my collar bone/clavical area for the light recoiling stuff. 20-30 rounds of 300WinMag 190grn bullets at 2950 fps fired from the prone position cured me of that FAST, not without a shoulder pad would I attempt such a thing now. Had a good bruise for atleast a week, nasty yellow colored bruise that was tender and sore. Even then while being downright punished, I'm pretty sure I wasn't flinching because towards the end of the string during sight in I went and printed a 5 shot group just over an inch at 100 yards while being fairly sore. Though another 5-10 rounds from there though and I might have let it start getting to me. All that was from getting a good solid grip and tucking it in tight, it was just placed wrong for me. I know a loose grip allows a rifle to gain a bit of velocity before crushing into you but that wasn't the case, the butt was just placed into a position where there isn't much natural padding(or zero as is the case).


Now, I put that buttstock into a more meaty portion of my shoulder while trying to support it different. Yeah, the stock probably doesn't fit me that well but until I replace that PSS stock with something else I'm gonna do my best with what I got. Now I can fire upwards of 40 rounds from the prone and it isn't too bad, no PAST shooting pad or anything like that. I am pretty sure I'm getting rid of any potential flinch I might have with each additional shooting, I only now have 100 rounds through the rifle so I'd like to think I've begun to settle in and get used to how to shoot the rifle. The first day on the range with it certainly was a wake up experience though coming from shooting mouse guns.

 

[Tag]

Thanks again for the tips, made it out to the range for some pre-exam head clearing and took some of these excellent suggestions with me.

I shot mostly from a sitting position, and with my TOTAL focus on the sight picture I would start gradual trigger pressure... BANG!

by doing things that way I noticed my rate of fire was greatly reduced, which is one thing I hoped would happen, another being a lack of pain/flinching/getting smacked in the head. Good deal.

I've got a long way to go, but I'll get there. I'm thinking about getting a heavy barrel .223 or .308 in the near future and working w/ that instead of my .300... just tooo expensive.

tanks again.


PS. big snowstorm here in the U.P. today