How to stop "Flinching" and recoil anticipation

[onthecount]

I know it takes a lot of practice...but I still revert to recoil anticipation and when I get a good sight alignment I mess up and jerk the trigger instead of squeezing it. What are some recommendations/drills I can practice with? I'm thinking some snap caps would help...maybe have someone load my gun for me and put a snap cap in the magazine along with some live rounds? I've been getting better but I notice that at further distances I must be jerking the trigger because I either miss the target or hit the target in a place other than where I'm aiming. I'm shooting either my Walther PPK/S or Beretta 90-two .40 s&w. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Warhawk83]

I do the same thing, it is slowly going away over time. I started shooting 2-3 years ago and after lots of rounds I'm on target but still no bulls-eye shooter.

 

[Hk Dan]

It's going to be one of three things: the feel in your hand, the sound, or pressure on your face/eyes. Short of wearing a gas mask, the last one is going to take time and ammo to get rid of.

Now, for dealing with a flinch, I usually just throw so much 'stuff' at my shooters that they forget about the recoil and worry more about my stuff. For kicks, I double plug 'em to see if it's the sound, and then add something with each evolution. It goes like this:

First hold the trigger all the way to the rear and keep it there after the shot. Then release it just until you feel it click when the sights are back on target.

We do 5-6 evolutions of that and see what happens. If there isn't enough result, we go to "Tell me which way your sights go in recoil and we'll adjust your grip strength from there", and I watch the sights too, giving coaching as we go.

If we're still in trouble I have them call the shot without looking at the target, sometimes even having them mark it on a mini target next to them, then looking for the hole and marking that.

In short, you need enough distractions that'll teach you something to make you forget about the recoil problem and give you some other problems to solve in the mean time.

If none of that works, I put a target on the berm, walk them up to 1-2 yards range and have them burn through 2-3 mags as fast as they can, correcting fire as they go and trying to keep them all in the "A" zone. Pretty soon they can't flinch fast enough to effect the shot, and they learn not to think about the recoil so much.

Hope somethin' in there helped!
Dan

 

[onthecount]

Hk Dan, that sounds like a lot of great advice...my grip may be a little too tight...I dont think its the sound since thats one of the things I enjoy most about shooting (yes I wear hearing protection but that sound is still awesome!). I like your first advice about holding the trigger after the shot, makes a lot of sense. I will try all of those after I get a bit more ammo, that is, lol. I think I tend to blink for a second during the shot as well. I notice that I shoot better with my fingerless leather shooting gloves rather than bare hands. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[griff383]

A .22 auto loader might help with that. A friend of mine had problems with his AR-10 in 308, kept anticipating the recoil. So after his first three shots one range trip, I took his AR and replaced it with my .22 lever action. First shot he jerked it, kicked himself, then went on to practice with that. When he shouldered the AR again he didnt flinch as much. I practice with my Buckmark all the time, not only does it help with my mechanics its also a hoot to shoot.

Practice, practice, practice. I put alot of time and ammo in at the range the last year or two and while Im no bullseye shot, I have noticed a huge improvement in my skills.

 

[PT1911]

see, what you want to do is put all of your change in your left hand pocket, turn your hat around sideways, untie your left shoe, tie your right shoe in a double knot, and tuck in only the right side of your shirt...

AND... plenty of dry firing practice as well... and, in my experience, slow is the way to go rid yourself of that irritating flinch. split the trigger pulling process into steps... steady grip first, trigger finger positioned correctly on the trigger, appropriate direction of pull (press straight back,) and a steady pull as you control your breathing.. wait for the break and let it surprise you every time... keep the trigger pulled (pressed) to the rear after the shot and release it forward only enough to hear/feel the reset click, then start over.

 

[Mamertine]

Yeah what PT1911 and Griff383 said. Dryfiring and using very low/no recoil firearms for a while is how I fix it.
I have used the plastic dummy cartridges and for me they didn't help at all with the flinch, it just made it obvious that I had a problem.

 

[sniper5]

One of the nice things about revolvers: 2 live, 1 fired case, 1 live, 2 fired cases. Great skip drill-you never know what's going to happen next and there's no break in rhythm. For autos, have someone else throw a snap cap in the mag. Also a great way to practice stoppages.

 

[Nushif]

Dry ... fire .. 8)

No, really I mean it. My carry gun is sitting next to me right now, and every. single. last. time a loading screen on one of my games lasts too long I dry fire practice. It works wonders. 8)

Purely subjective, by the by.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO one of the best ways to get over a flinch is to fire a lot of rounds through a .22LR handgun. You can work on trigger control while teaching yourself not to flinch which is easier when shooting a .22 than a larger caliber centerfire handgun.

 

[Rexster]

When you say you "squeeze" the trigger, that in itself is a problem. PRESS the trigger to the rear. "Squeeze" implies something one does with the whole hand, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Yes, just words, but words DO matter.

When I find myself anticipating recoil, I shoot several sessions with my K-frame .22 LR Model 17 revolver. It is a good general-purpose trainer, as my duty pistols, SIG P229 DAKs have a very similar trigger stroke, and my carry/SD/HD .357 revolvers are even closer matches. My SP101 snubbies also directly benefit from my practice with the Model 17.

Don't forget dry-fire practice, though keep in mind the need to be VERY careful. It is best to aim at something that will contain the damage if an absent-minded mistake is made.

 

[bigfatdave]

I think the major bases have been covered:

• dry-fire (lots of dry-fire should be done with a snap-cap anyway, buy some!)
• low-recoil (rimfire, airsoft or wimpy rounds)
• ball & dummy drill (mix in snap-caps)
• change up guns (returns you to the "surprise trigger break")
• just plain more practice (but good practice, not just blasting, ingrain good habits first, and do it cheap with a .22!)
• call the shots or otherwise distract yourself from recoil/blast/noise
• focus on follow-through (trigger to rear, relax to reset and drop the hammer again for a double-tap)
• watch the front sight through recoil (or at least try, I can't do it every time yet ... this helps you focus on the front sight in the first place)
• more hearing protection

One thing that I did was spend some serious time training my trigger finger to move without the other fingers moving or the palm flexing, or anything other than a smooth rearward press. It sounds boring, because it is boring ... but I still practice isolated trigger finger while driving. Grip wheel tight with palm and middle/ring* fingers and move the trigger finger without shifting anything else. Trust me, you don't have anything better to do while driving, pushing a shopping cart, or any other activity where your hand is stuck on a handle of some kind for more than a few minutes.

Another point is that you have at least one gun that is a snappy little bastard (PPK/s in .380 are not beginners' guns) and I'd bet that a M9 clone in .40 is about as bad ... get yourself something softer-shooting, either a .22 that mimics one of your pistols somewhat or at least a fullsize heavy 9mm ... stop beating up your hand and maybe you'll flinch less?


* (pinky if you need it, I shoot compacts just as well as fullsize because I learned to shoot without the pinky placebo)

 

[Shadow 7D]

WOW, well everything I could have told you and more is here already

Now I have to take the time and reread this so I can work a new plan to practice at the range, GREAT advice.

 

[CatsEye]

A lot of great advice, but I would add one more thing that I use. When working through problems like this I often do some shooting without using a target. Because we all want to know where we are hitting, the target can be a huge distraction from the things you need to work on. By removing the target you can more easily focus your awareness to what is happening. Am I jerking the trigger or milking the the grip? Did the sights move? What did I actually see and/or feel before, during and after the shot? Awareness is the key. Removing that big distracting target can enhance that awareness.

 

[dsb1829]

I recently picked up shooting again, first time I have owned the guns and not been with family. At any rate I noticed this right off as I picked up a 45 ACP polymer frame semi-automatic. I went through a 50rd box at about 30ft and barely put anything on paper. I calmly exited the range and went to the shop and purchased a .22 in a 1911 chassis.

On my next range trip I brought the target in to about 10-12ft and worked it over with the 22. I then swapped the paper out and saw my 45 results. Flinching and over-anticipation were obvious. Over the last couple of months I have become better with the 45. I discovered that the sights on both the 22 and 45 were off. Not a huge surprise as they were both low-end purchases. Getting the sights adjusted correctly was a big boost as I was hitting target when I controlled my body.

Next I shot a buddies 1911 in 45 ACP. I noticed I was a much better shot with the heavier firearm. With the reduced recoil from the added mass I was not anticipating as much.

Since then I have traded off the polymer 45, inherited some steel frame guns, and picked up a polymer frame 9mm. I have also put about 1000rd downrange, about 2/3rds in 22. Between picking out guns that work for me, practice, and also getting comfortable with my abilities my skills are improving. It isn't an overnight process. But it is a process with notable improvement.

 

[BCRider]

The list in Post #12 sums up all the factors very nicely. Work on all of them and I suspect you'll find that a few really make a difference. Concentrate on the ones that are the biggies for you but certainly don't forget the others since any one of them can become the issue.

I'm a huge fan of .22 therapy where I put a .22 and a center fire on the shooting bench in front of me. I work through a mag or two or .22 concentrating on the trigger and sights with a good follow through while working on disconnecting myself from the blast and recoil. When I'm "in the groove" I switch to center fire and shoot it as long as I stay in the groove. At the first signs of falling back I unload and switch back to the rimfire for more .22 therapy.

All in all it made a huge difference for me. Perhaps I could have learned the same stuff with center fire only but it would have taken longer and cost a lot more in ammo than the .22 pistol cost me.

A .22 isn't good for EVERY aspect but for the basics such as flinch correction and proper trigger technique you won't find a better training aid. Dry firing is excellent and it does play a huge part. But it's all too easy for the mind to realize that there isn't going to be a BANG and do it all just fine only to fall to pieces when you realize that you just loaded a full magazine. .22 provides the middle ground needed to better make the transition from dry firing to full power center fire ammo.

 

[Red Cent]

In archery, it is referred to as target panic.Very few archers can make the draw, hold the weight, and slowly pull the trigger. Most will jerk the trigger when the dot/pin gets close to the target. Holy.......Hit it NOW!!
Same with firearms, especially the handgun.
Nashif is correct. Dryfire. Learn the trigger. And Catseye is correct. No target,no panic.

Go to the range ALONE.
Set up a chair and a solid decent bench rest with sandbags. Flimsy rest will exacerbate the problem. Set up with sights on target. Close your eyes. Start your squeeze. No worry. Squeeze. Get surprised when the shot breaks. Repeat. Shootsome more. Now try it with the sandbags. With a good solid rest, the sights should be steady and, again, no worry. Squeeze. Don't make it happen. Let it surprise you.
When you shoot offhand and you are doing it right, it should not take more than six seconds to make the shot. If not,let down. You won't get a blue Cadilac anyway. Do it right. Practice does not make perfect.Perfect practice makes perfect. May be a bit much but you get the idea.
You are on your way. Thousands and thousands of shots later..............

 

[KodiakBeer]

Buy a .22 and learn how to shoot before picking up a centerfire. The money you waste in ammo flinching on your carry piece will easily cover the cost of a .22 firearm.

The big problem is that the more you shoot, the more ingrained the flinch becomes. A .22 breaks that cycle. Even after you resume shooting your centerfire, you can (should) shoot .22's at least as often as you shoot your "real" gun. There's nothing like a bulk pack of 550 .22's ($20) to ingrain good muscle memory.

 

[Buck Snort]

I had a little talk with myself and said, "Now Buck, this gun is going to fire and the thing will jump in your hand and make a bit of racket, that's what its 'sposed to do, so just relax, pull the trigger and let the gun do its thing".

 

[PR-NJ]

Some "games" I play with myself when my aim is off:

1. Shoot a lower caliber gun (or less powerful load) for a little while.

2. Shoot a heavier frame or longer barrel gun for a little while.

3. Have someone else load your mags or cylinders and randomly slip in snap caps.

4. If you're shooting double action or DAO, try a single action auto with a really light trigger, and "surprise" yourself when the gun fires.

5. Focus on sight alignment, especially your front site.

6. Focus on your breathing.

7. Focus on "pressing" - not squeezing or pulling - the trigger.

8. Apply a slight, steady rearward pressure with your non-dominant hand (assuming a handgun) to provide a more stable "platform."

9. Loosen your grip if it's too tight; tighten your grip if it's too loose.

10. Use an ipod with earbuds underneath shooting earmuffs, and listen to really loud music (some Uncle Ted maybe?) while you shoot.

11. Dry fire a lot - with snap caps (especially if using a rimfire gun).

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I use to flinch a lot. Many rounds and thinking about the trigger pretty much cleared it up.
Stepping out to say 25yds. just takes time and good mechanics.

 

[bigfatdave]

When working through problems like this I often do some shooting without using a target

That's a good one, either blast the dirt berm or use a big reactive target (OK, that's fancy-talk for "a crummy pot/pan from Goodwill") in close.

There are things you can learn on the rental range punching paper, but almost all of them can be better learned on an open/unsupervised range in a less restricted environment. Get away from the lane and bench shooters and find a nice relaxed place you can shoot slow and careful OR blast away for a while, at your own pace, without the clock ticking away rental time, without some idiot sweeping you on one side and some jerk with a Magnum on the other.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I bought the book "Freedom from Trigger Jerk" about a dozen years ago and I found it insightful. It's since been re-titled "Mental Mechanics of Shooting". You can purchase it from - http://www.centervision.com/MMofShooting.html

 

[[email protected]]

Try shooting one of these for a while. It will cure your flinch or drive you
to drinking. Notice the follow through.

 

[Fumbler]

There's been some good advice in this thread.

The one thing i didn't see was this:Shoot a bigger gun.

I used to develop a flinch with my 357 and full power handloads after a couple of cylinders. Then I got a 480 Ruger. After that the 357 was a pussycat regardless of the load.
Of course then I flinched with my new 480. I solved that by loading some real heavy cast bullets at low velocity. It gives a nice big push for recoil that makes it easy to get used to (vs real fast smack of the lighter bullets).

Something I've noticed is hearing protection. When I first started shooting I'd double up on hearing protection. Having less sound seems to make your mind think there isn't as much power/recoil.