Do you really think shooting a .22 helps correct flinching ??

V

vyper005

New member
I'm right handed and sometimes when I go to the range some of my shots are low & to the left...Decent size groups but still low & to the left...A sure sign of flinching...Alot of it has to with the type of gun I'm shooting and the expected recoil...I think alot of people flinch but dont or wont admit it...It seems like everybody always tells you that if you wanna correct any bad shooting techniques,go back to the basics and practice with a .22...Do you think this really works or will the flinch return when I go back to shooting the heavier calibers ?? Thanks..:)
 
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Yes, shooting a .22 helps.

My experience: when I shoot centerfire pistols a lot, eventually my groups will open up. I catch myself flinching. I switch to shooting my favorite .22 revolver for a while. I go back to the centerfire, and my groups tighten up. I consider a .22 handgun to be the ultimate aid to long shooting sessions.
 
It worked for me

I had a BIG flinch and I went to a 22 and it helped a bunch. I did find out that you do have to keep shooting the larger caliber, just to the bulk of your shooting with the 22. That and dry-firing are probably the best things that can be done. I imagine that you could take care of the problem with the larger caliber but it take so many rounds that I certainly couldn't have afforded it. Plus there is the chance that you would make it worse as you try to make it better.
 
Absolutely...

I bought a 22 revolver and started shooting DA only. Not only helped get rid of a flinch I had, but taught me trigger control. Building muscle memory takes alot of practice. I still go through 1500 22lr's / month to keep up my skills. :D
 
Agree with all of the above....

I've got a .22lr revolver and I've taught all my friends on that pistol. I let them start with SA and then let them try out DA. taught my girlfriend that way, and during our shooting session, she was bugging me for the 1911!
 
I agree that .22 shooting can help in addition to other drills such as having someone load magazines/cylinder for you with an inert round.

Wearing a padded shooting glove as well as adequate hearing protection can work wonders as well. Until recently I never wore shooting gloves. When I did the difference in comfort level was remarkable.

Good Shooting
RED
 
.22s help? Sure. But I cannot stress dry firing enough. After a horrific embarrassment at a shooting school recently (one bullet, two walls) because of my flinching, I resolved to dry fire reguarly.

I use a mirror to watch me and a old vest from LPD as a backstop. Not only has this helped my flinch, it strengthens my hand and arms which my desk-bound bod needs. (Note I am the shooter that I know who is not a natural shot or a Navy SEAL).
 
I had the same flinching problem with my .45. Luckily, Kimber makes a .22 conversion kit for my Custom Classic which only takes about 1 minute to do. It REALLY helped me. I got to use the same gun, only I was shooting .22's instead of the .45's. When I switched back to the .45, my groups were where I was aiming. (Not that that's a good thing) hehe

I believe you're wondering "Why does shooting a .22 help because my mind KNOWS when I'm going back to shooting a .45 and I'll just start flinching again" Well, I don't know the answer to that question, except to say that shooting a .22 is so cheap that you get to shoot much much more and become more accustomed to shooting. I love my conversion kit for my .45 because everything is the same about the gun, except while shooting .22's, there's no recoil and my mind has learned that there's no reason to flinch with this gun.

As stated above, dry firing is also an excellent and the most underrated excercise you could do.
 
Ditto - yes- absolutely. Every handgun shooter should have a .22 trainer that mimics his defense gun and they should shoot that trainer plenty.
It's not just the lower recoil and noise, it is simply that a .22 can be shot at 1/10th the cost. The more you shoot, the better you get.
 
Pellet Pistols Help Too

I addition to dry fire and .22 practice I also practice with pellet pistols in my backyard.

Not only are they dirt cheap to fire, I can practice almost anytime at home in between my trips to the range for live fire.
 
I shoot air pistol and high power air rifle in my basement. My groups have shrunk alot with rifle and continue to improve at HG.

Shok
 
For me, flinching has nothing to do with the recoil but with the noise. After I plug my ears and add claps I even can shoot nice with the off-hand stance.

At the 4th of July I discovered that I flinched with the loud report of some fireworks because after one or two of the loud shots I even could tell you when they started another loud one.

Once you have plugged up your ears totally, you'll see that the recoil is nothing (.45 ACP and .38 Spec. snubbie)
 
For me, shooting a combat course with full house .44 mag loads caused flinching, so a .22 should help reduce it:). Another thing that helped me get rid of it was to mix empty casings with live rounds in the cylinder of a .38 revolver and close it without looking where the live rounds were, then proceed to do slow fire. You'll see the flinch dramatically illustrated. Dry fire can help too.

-10CFR
 
Yes, I think returning to .22 caliber restore's
one's confidence in their abilities. If in doubt,
try this little experiment. Following all the correct procedures, take aim and have a partner
place a dime on the top strap of your favorite
.22. If on obsevation, the dime falls off before
the cartridge is detonated; then you are flinching.

** Reminder ** Observe all safety precautions
when trying this experiment; as no one needs
to get shot!!!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
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