Hmmm... Shot Specific Flinch

[TrapperReady]

As some of you may remember, I developed a flinch a while back, primarily due to an ill-fitting gun. I altered the stock to make it fit and the flinch largely went away. I say largely because it still happens once every 200-300 shots -- not often enough to be a problem.

Today I was getting in a little practice and was working on shooting springing teal. I started out taking them on the way up, near the top. That was fine. I started taking them on the way down, just after they'd crested. That was fine.

Then I went to wrap up the session by shooting them farther down on the descent. Flinch. Bad flinch. I tried it a number of times, and my flinch rate was probably 30% or higher on that specific shot. I was not getting "hit/beat/slammed" by the gun in any way, shape or form. This is a 9+ lb gun with a premium recoil pad, custom fitted and shooting 1oz 1200fps loads.

I normally shoot these dropping teal using a pull-away method. I insert the gun on the bottom edge of the target, move the gun and target together for a brief moment and then pull ahead of the bird on the target line and pull the trigger. Normally it works very well for me.

If I took the target a little quicker, such as shortly after it crested, the pull away method worked and didn't induce a flinch. However, it seemed like when I needed to pull away a substantial amount, the flinch was likely to occur.

After the flinch appeared, I shot a variety of other targets (incomers, crossers, quartering away, crossing rabbits, outgoing tower), and none of them brought out a flinch. It truly only seemed to be when shooting a dropping teal that was maybe 5-10 feet off the ground.

Any thoughts as to why that particular presentation could be causing my flinch? Or do you have another way you like to shoot that type of target? I'm not too concerned, since I shoot the vast majority of teal on the way up or right after they crest. I can only think of a very small number (probably 3 or under) of times I've needed to shoot a target like this.

 

[gspn]

I would guess that it is simply the sight picture. It's very unfamiliar to you and that is distracting you. Maybe it's the sight of the barrel approaching and crossing the line of the horizon, maybe in the back of your mind you know you've always been taught not to take low birds...who knows..the mind is a tricky place. I bet if you went out one day and shot ONLY that shot over and over you'd get past it.

 

[Dave McCracken]

How often have you tried this in the past? New presentations can be a bear.

Try it incrementally, first busting it near the top and lengthening the delay until this flinch starts up, if it does. I'va hunch this may go away pretty quick.

 

[sm]

Trapper,

PM Sent.

 

[TrapperReady]

I've practiced teal this way in the past, but not recently, nor as much. When I practice (which is a couple times per week), I pick a couple specific presentations and work on them. I'll shoot them in the "sweet spot" until I'm confident that I'm hitting them well and consistently. Then, I try the same presentation, but take the target early. Once I've got that grooved, then I try taking it late.

It is a new gun, but one that fits very well and is otherwise nearly perfect. That may be a big part of it as well. While the new gun fits, it's more like a brand-new good-fitting coat, as opposed to an old worn one that seems like part of your body. It recoils less than my old gun, but it may be that the recoil impulse is just different enough to cause my flinch to show up on this particular shot.

Steve also gave me an idea to investigate, which I'll check out over the weekend.

Thanks to all, and I'll let you know how things work out!

- Mike