They are good suggestions for someone who has gained basic firearms proficiency but will lead to poor habits in those who are untrained. You don't take a guy off the streets with no training and put him in the boxing ring with a semi pro boxer for a sparing match on the first day. A few people might do ok but for the most part people need to work up to it.
Facts are neat. Today I think a full power load in a 338 Win mag is where I have to be more careful with recoil. Even then I see no reason I can't put bullets where I want them.
I'm still not seeing either the 30-06 or 270 as hard kickers, I take a guy off the street, teach him the fundementals with a 22 rimfire and then teach him how to shoot the bigger rifles. Very few people have never fired any sort of gun before they try bigger rounds. The Army is a different story. But they still teach fundamentals first. Yes certain people have a tough time with bigger guns. If they are not mentally equipped to handle a 270 with 130 grain loads are they really mentally equipped with the fortitude to kill deer? I used to qualify people for a security firm I worked for. Those that flinched and closed their eyes were shown the door.
I’ll admit when I’m wrong - it’s easy to assume other hunting nuts are also gun nuts when all I’ve surrounded myself with are others just like me. I had to ask a friend if we are so unusual, and he assured me we are. What an epiphany - makes me more worried more than ever about the future of shooting, but it is what it is.
That's the key, someone teaches and they use a lower recoil system to get the fundamental knowledge. Not everyone gets that opportunity.
Most start somewhere. We all do. For me it was bb guns.
My experience was without working up with training fundamentals. I still really struggle not to flinch at all with 270+. My elk gun is a 30-06. After a couple rounds at the range I can group at 400, but fresh first shot and the flinch instinct is pretty strong. Missed a whitetail at only 120yds this fall off a tripod. Closed my eyes all the way. So frustrating.
You need to practice. Get used to it. Which bothers you the most? The muzzle blast or the kick? Get a firm grip on the forearm and sort of stretch the gun between the hands. This helps greatly with control. Also does the stock fit you? Is the scope far enough forward it won't hit you in the face? You can get reduced recoil loads that make a big difference to practice with or even get a 223 to practice with. The more you shoot the less a flinch will bother you.
Muzzle blast I think. I load recoil reduced loads. And I have a .243. But I practice about three or four times a year. I can shoot under moa, but my first about two shots after a break aren't good.
I would recommend you get something you can shoot more frequently. When I work with somebody with a noticeable flinch, we start them with a nitro piston or springer break action air rifle. This can be shot at 7 to 10 yards in the home (basement or garage) or in the yard into a pellet trap without bothering people. The practice starts with learning how to break the trigger with out flinching. We then move to breaking the trigger without flinching and keeping your eyes open and on the target. Then move to keeping the above plus maintain the crosshairs on the aim point through the whole process. And finally the above plus watching the pellet make a hole in the target. Springers and nitro piston air rifles make enough noise and have enough movement upon firing that they can used to work through a flinching.
Seems like a bold claim to make after a sample size of one. Not many cartridges too choose from if the criteria is they didn't work on one animal
