Flinching

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cnemeth

New member
Is is more common to flinch when firing a semi-auto than when firing a revolver? I shot a Glock 17L this past week, and I found myself flinching alot when shooting. When I fired a .38 Spl revolver previously I don't rember flinching at all after the first few shoots.

Christopher Nemeth
 
Good question. I have seen shooters "flinch" with both but I don't know if pistols are more apt to induce a flinch than a revolver or not. I would think if a shooter flinches with a 9mm pistol he or she would turn to jelly when shooting a Smith and Wesson .44 magnum trail boss with full boat loads.

Are you actually flinching or are you just anticipating the shot. There is a difference you know.
 
I think it might be anticipating the shot. The recoil did not bother me, I flinched when I was pulling the trigger right before it would go off.
 
I used to flinch badly with a Glock 17. I recommend shooting very slowly to cure it. Just point and sloooooooooooowwwwwlllllllyyyyy squeeze the trigger, concentrating on the marvelous texture of the front sight. Also, shooting some .22 helps.

I found that fast fire is where I flinch, but if you start slowly and eventually gain speed, the flinch goes away. I would also try HEAVIER bullets. Incleased recoil might not bother you as much as noise and muzzle flash of lighter, faster rounds would.
 
Below are the three steps that will fix that pronto, increase your accuracy, and quickly reduce range cost and time.

1. Dry fire
2. Dry fire
3. Go to step 1.

Works for everything from .22's to 30mm cannons. (O.K., you're going to flinch around the cannon no matter what....)
 
Flinching comes from anticipating the shot. It generally leads to pulling shots extremely low.

The best way to stop it is a lot of dry fire practice to learn the trigger. Then get some plastic dummy rounds in the proper caliber. Have a shooting partner load your mag/cylander for you so you won't know when you'll be getting a live or dummy round.

If you are concentrating on the front sight, AS YOU SHOULD BE, and it nose dives as you pull the trigger, revert to the first step.

I was bad about anticipating whe I first started shooting large caliber handguns. It took a lot of practice using this drill to finally work my way out of it. It's a good thing to do anyway to keep from developing bad habbits, and you also get plenty of practice with clearing malfunctions.
 
Giving instruction, I have noticed an occasional tendency in revolver shooters starting to flinch more when shooting a semiauto - and often, 'chronic' flinchers don't when shooting a revolver double action- here it could be that the longer DA pull helps toward a 'surprise' firing.

In any case I agree that most of the trouble is anticipating the shot... could also be another nervous habit (part of the sanme one, anticipating) in gripping too tightly (and having little control over trigger pull).

Dry firing helps enormously. An extra frill is if you can lay hands on a laser sight - try and keep the beam on a small refllector (about 1/2" square would do) as you dry fire.

Thats it, lesson #1 from the "Chimango Academy" - that'l be $1.25 thanks... next :)
 
Once upon a time, "conventional wisdom" was that a beginner started out with a .22 and learned to shoot, then worked up to bigger bore.

Today, people want to start with at least a 9mm and work up to .454. Or maybe start with the .454. And wonder why they flinch.

It seems to me that if one can shoot accurately rather than spraying and praying, there might be less need for heavy caliber high velocity expanding bullets and less concern about "collateral damage."

Could the "conventional wisdom" be right?

Jim
 
I'm a damned fine rifleman, no brag just fact.
I'm awful with a handgun. Or at least I used to be, nowadays I'm "fair".

Shooting is all about muscle memory. The actual shot happens quicker than your mind can keep up. Its an unconscious thing that you have to drill into your nervous system until it becomes reflexive.
As the gentlemen above have pointed out, dry fire, dry fire, dry fire! Then buy a .22 of similar configuration to your carry gun and shoot it hundreds of times a month. Few people can afford the ammo to shoot a centerfire round enough to get really good.

The other thing that dramatically improved my shooting was switching to a single action 1911 style pistol. Yes, the recoil is worse than a smaller caliber but the crisp trigger negates that. Theres no time between the conscious decision to press the trigger and the "break" of that trigger for your gun to go off target.
Of course I have a .22 conversion unit and shoot hundreds of .22's for every .45 I shoot. When I do shoot .45 they now hit the target.



------------------
Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
 
My father didn't believe in buying me a "youth gun" so I learned to shoot at about 7 years old with a Browning 12 gauge. Developed a bad flinch for some reason :)

Lasted into adulthood. The cure for me was getting out there and firing many, many full loads in the guns I shoot. I also shoot a bunch of .22 rimfire and I am sure that helped. When I first started shooting a Glock 29 last winter it hurt my wrist. I did three things: wrist curls with weights and shooting it more and holding it tighter. My wrist doesn't hurt anymore.
 
Not being one of the fabled few who are blessed with a lack of nerve endings, my early years were spent mostly with .22's, progressing to 9mm's, then the bigger fellas. Mr. Rat and Mr. Rogan both echo my sentiments. I still shoot lots of .22, they're cheap, mild, and a great training round, or "reminder" of what you are and are not supposed to be doing. I've taught several people to shoot using my Ruger .22, which conveniently have the same basic operating controls layout as my Colt GM (thumb safety, bolt/slide release, and single action trigger), and they all progressed quickly and rather well from the rimfire to the centerfire after dryfire practice, then .22's, to the thumpers.
 
If you want to become a good rifle or pistol shooter, shoot lots and lots of .22s. For the longest time I had trouble pulling shots down and to the left w/ any handgun larger than a .22. An LEO down the road gave me a little instruction several years ago and thats all it took. Now its like riding a bike, You never forget the way it feels when your doing it right.

You might try this, it helped me alot. Grip tighter w/ the left hand than the right(If your right handed). good shooting!

Luke 22:36.....RKBA!......m16
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top