- Joined
- Oct 22, 2014
In terms of working through a flinch, dry fire is the answer. Even the guy that said dry fire is not the answer suggested that you dry fire, LOL.
What causes a flinch?
In terms of working through a flinch, dry fire is the answer. Even the guy that said dry fire is not the answer suggested that you dry fire, LOL.
Your #2 paragraph is spot on. I've got good equipment, just need to put the time in behind the scope.Backup hunting rifle (carbon stock, CF wrapped barrel). Factory ammo. Shot today.
This rifle is getting fed all kinds of factory ammo, and it's not truly zero'd for anything at the moment.
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Difference in elevation zero offset is 0.02 mils
Difference in windage zero offset is 0.04 mils
.......both of those differences are less than 0.05 mils. If you are seeing significant variance in zero offsets between a 5-shot group and a 10-shot group, you've got a shooter and/or gear issue. Pretty simple.
A couple generic points from my perspective:
1) The +/- 500 rounds that I've posted in this thread, is not high level performance. I've said this in multiple threads, and shown my own experience with many different types of factory ammo that 1/2 to 5/8 moa 5-shot groups, 3/4 to 7/8-MOA 10-shot groups, and about 1-MOA 20-shot groups is at least the low bar of where expectations should be set.
2) For people looking to really get into this (like the OP), assume that you are the problem unless proven otherwise. Your zero will wander because you are inconsistent. Your group sizes will be inconsistent because you are inconsistent. Follow trends over time and evaluate performance relative to what & how you are practicing. Adjust if needed. The notion that you can fire a few extra rounds and now your zero offsets are rock solid will lead you to chase your tail in the beginning.
In terms of working through a flinch, dry fire is the answer. Even the guy that said dry fire is not the answer suggested that you dry fire, LOL.
For me, I have a flinch because I don't shoot enough and don't have solid muscle memory to work though it. My flinch is because I am anticipating the recoil of my rifle. My flinch becomes much less noticeable once I get a couple rounds through the chamber and my groupings get tighter. Definitely not where I want to be though.What causes a flinch?
For me, I have a flinch because I don't shoot enough and don't have solid muscle memory to work though it.
My flinch is because I am anticipating the recoil of my rifle.
My flinch becomes much less noticeable once I get a couple rounds through the chamber and my groupings get tighter.
Definitely not where I want to be though.
Would you say the way Joel Turner from ShotIQ approaches this is a good way to overcome flinching?Since the poster that I asked won’t answer-
A flinch is a subconscious reaction to the movement of the rifle causing recoil bracing; a reaction to the flash, blast, and noise causing an involuntary closing of the eyes and muscular contraction to “brace” for those as well.
It is subconscious- someone that has a flinch can not consciously control it by “trying real hard”- the more someone try’s to fight it, the more ingrained it becomes. Getting smacked in the shoulder and face, and having massive noise, concussion and blast two feet from your head has a natural protection reaction in your brain- get away from it, and/or brace for it.
All that dry firing does is program even deeper in your subconscious exactly where the trigger breaks so it can short cut what it does to “flinch” to brace or react better.
“Aiming”, or the desire to hit the target adds another layer on top of flinching- anticipation. The desire to hit the target, and the subconscious and conscious knowledge that the sights are moving and the will move even more when the gun fires, causes your sub subconscious to try and control/command the gun to go off when the sights are “there now!”
Flinching and anticipation are different, yet are interlinked- two sides of the same coin as it were. They feedback loop to each other- the more you flinch, the more anticipation kicks in to force the gun to fire “now” because the sights won’t be there for long due to flinching. The more you command the gun to go off, the sooner your mind sends singles to “flinch” (brace) to prepare for the recoil/noise/blast. On and on.
Dry fire is not how you control or eliminate a flinch or anticipation.
Dry firing, Shooting a scoped 22, or at most 223, is your friend.Don't underestimate the value of dry firing to help tame that flinch. It is very easy to do and cost nothing but the time to do it. 5 or 10 shots every day. Make sure you know where the crosshairs were when the trigger broke. If you can't "call your shots," you flinched.
Would you say the way Joel Turner from ShotIQ approaches this is a good way to overcome flinching?
Joel touches on the mental sequence that most of us who are successful have but don't necessarily identify nor can explain.
If you have a process that is consistent and you follow it every time, you're in good shape.
I don’t think I have a flinch with my new RSS, and at the range yesterday I purposefully (!) lost track of how many rounds I fired per magazine and kept cycling until I dry fired. But since I probably knew the chamber was empty, I decided to follow this advice going forward. So I ordered a couple of extra magazines and some dummy rounds. I figure even if I don’t have a flinch, it’s a good exercise for each range session.You do not need a “LOT” more shooting until you have the flinch (anticipation) under total control. The only way you will ever get a flinch removed is to rewire and retrain your subconscious. Ball and dummy (not knowing when the gun is loaded or not) is really the only way people get over anticipation.
Buy snap caps. Take three mags, with out looking at them, mix 5-10 snap caps with 1-3 live rounds randomly in those three mags. Then mix the mags up as well without looking at them, load one in the gun, the others in a pocket. Then proceed to shoot, but do not catch any round or brass, nor look at the rifle between shots. Keep your face in the scope and briskly run the bolt. When the mag is empty, with your eyes closed, insert a new mag, load and continue.
I don’t think I have a flinch with my new RSS, and at the range yesterday I purposefully (!) lost track of how many rounds I fired per magazine and kept cycling until I dry fired. But since I probably knew the chamber was empty, I decided to follow this advice going forward. So I ordered a couple of extra magazines and some dummy rounds. I figure even if I don’t have a flinch, it’s a good exercise for each range session.
I think everyone has a flinch if there is sufficient concussive blast, because it is a reflex that I don't think can be trained out completely. It is a massive explosion right next to our heads, lol. But, with work it can be minimized to not interfere with the shot process noticeably. I think that is why it is also a perishable skill. When I don't have time on the gun for a couple months, I have to focus to dampen the reflex and flinch.I don’t think I have a flinch with my new RSS, and at the range yesterday I purposefully (!) lost track of how many rounds I fired per magazine and kept cycling until I dry fired. But since I probably knew the chamber was empty, I decided to follow this advice going forward. So I ordered a couple of extra magazines and some dummy rounds. I figure even if I don’t have a flinch, it’s a good exercise for each range session.
Can I seat a projectile without reloading equipment?No reason to buy snap caps or anything fancy
Just seat a projectile in a sized case and use that
Can I seat a projectile without reloading equipment?
My question is moot - I already have the snap caps in hand.