61 replies to this topic

[30-06]

Does anyone experience this as well. When I go to the range, I tend to flinch when I squeeze the trigger on the target. I dropped from 180s to 150s to lessen this effect but it even happens when I fire my 243 at a target. Now, when I have a deer or a bear in my sights, I barely feel recoil. Must be the adrenaline and concentration lol.

[superslickie]

Trying to break a trigger flinch takes time and patience.
Go back to shooting 22, lots of 22
Then gradually build up to a 30cal
Some people never get rid of their flinch

[louisbear]

Yes , lots of .22. I have a CZ 452 lux with a 3x9x40 bushnell trophy scope. I shoot 40 grain hp CCI LR at 100 yards with winds under 10 km an hour from the bench. I usually shoot 10 groups of 5 each range session .Then before I leave for the day I will shoot a group of three from one of my 3006's. However, on really hot days I leave the 30 06 at home .
I find this helps me shoot more consistent groups with my 06.

[gary]

my 2 cents

 

too much thinking time at the range, lol - do more small game hunting, so you dont have time to overthink things. then try & remember that at the range.

 

agree with going to a .22 for range practise - ammo way cheaper too.

[KEVIN]

No one seems to notice the recoil when you've set your sights on the game animal you're after.   Seen lots of guys having magnum eyebrow and not knowing it till the blood trickled down their noses !   

         Try getting out to your local shotgun club...do a bit of sporting clays , skeet, or some trap shooting with your shotgun. 12 or 20 ga won't matter much...long as you're getting some time pullin the trigger...breakin a few and learning to build the memory muscle to help you cope with the recoil

[3macs1]

I agree with Gary and Kevin

 It is in the mind and the first thing to fix it is admitting the problem is there which many won't don't know why

From my experience fighting it for a while years ago and the advice I got was as listed

 

Not saying right just what suggestions provided at the time (what I can remember) and one or a few must have worked since I stopped

 

Make sure gun fit is correct meaning also dropping down calipers is fine but not if the same make and model. Bad fit can make felt recoil so much worse

 Change shooting positions

Impossible one IMO stop thinking about it when shooting fixed targets and think about the target has moved after the shot and you have to follow it

 Drop to calipers that have less recoil for a while

The big one for me was to shoot way more moving targets with like a 12ga something with heavier loads and you will not even notice recoil after

Wear the best of hearing protection to make 100% sure you hear no noise. The boom effects flinching

Dry fire practice but not engaging the firing pin

 Stay calm and try to relax

 

Cannot think of any more

Best of luck

[louisbear]

Does anyone experience this as well. When I go to the range, I tend to flinch when I squeeze the trigger on the target. I dropped from 180s to 150s to lessen this effect but it even happens when I fire my 243 at a target. Now, when I have a deer or a bear in my sights, I barely feel recoil. Must be the adrenaline and concentration lol.

A high power rife with a trigger that breaks like glass at around 2.5 pounds and has no creep will help at the bench. When you squeeze the trigger it should almost come as a surprise when the rifle fires. Rifles with a heavy set trigger and a lot of creep always have you anticipating how much more pressure before the rifle finally fires. I find its during that anticipation when a person will close their eyes.

[3macs1]

A high power rife with a trigger that breaks like glass at around 2.5 pounds and has no creep will help at the bench. When you squeeze the trigger it should almost come as a surprise when the rifle fires. Rifles with a heavy set trigger and a lot of creep always have you anticipating how much more pressure before the rifle finally fires. I find its during that anticipation when a person will close their eyes.

Yes I agree a lighter trigger will help for sure pending what it is now

Call me old school but a 2.5 trigger was for a target rifle ONLY in my dad's shop never on a hunting rifle that one may see out in  cold or wet weather with gloves on firing

Even US snipers still set theirs 3-5 plus factory triggers normally cannot safely hold 2.5

 To each their own I guess but if this is the way it is being done in modern times expect some potentially dangerous accidental firings IMHO hunting

 

On closing eyes 3D shoots with his wide open and still is only good to 20 yards with a scope   

 Cheers

 

Some agree still

https://www.fieldand...weight-problem/

[louisbear]

Yes I agree a lighter trigger will help for sure
Call me old school but a 2.5 trigger was for a target rifle ONLY in my dad's shop never on a hunting rifle that one may see out in cold or wet weather with gloves on firing
Even US snipers set theirs 3-5
To each their own I guess but if this is the way it is being done in modern times expect some potentially dangerous accidental firings IMHO hunting

On closing eyes 3D shoots with his wide open and still is only good to 20 yards with a scope
Cheers

Some agree still
https://www.fieldand...weight-problem/

OK, 3 -35 pounds is good. Some of the rifles you buy from the factory have some fairly heavy and rough triggers. Timmy sells a trigger spring kit for various brands of rifles which come with two springs one light and one heavier. So if the OP finds that his rifle has a heavier that usual trigger this may help. I do not know how much experience the OP has with different rifles and trigger weights unlike us older boys who have shot many different combinations over the years. My favourite set up for Hunting is a Tikka M695 All Weather Master 3006.
Also I like the CZ 550 set triggers especially at the bench in a 308 win. I have a friend who bought a Savage rifle /scope package in 3006 in the early 90’s that had the trigger from Hell. We were at the range one day and his shot groups were like at least six inches. After I sighted in my 300 Win . Mag and put it away, I asked if I could try a few rounds with his Savage. After firing three shots I told him I would be taking his rifle to a gunsmith not far from where I worked. I have never experienced such a rough, heavy trigger. After some smithing the trigger was a lot smoother but not the best.
I also shoot A P17 that was restocked with nice walnut in the early 50,s by my dad. This rifle has a trigger that travels so far then stops and when squeezed at this point will fire, This trigger maybe be in the area of 4 to 5 pounds.
I wonder what type of rifles the OP is shooting .
There are many refinements that one could do to a rifle to improve a rifles bench shooting results.

[3macs1]

OK, 3 -35 pounds is good. Some of the rifles you buy from the factory have some fairly heavy and rough triggers. Timmy sells a trigger spring kit for various brands of rifles which come with two springs one light and one heavier. So if the OP finds that his rifle has a heavier that usual trigger this may help. I do not know how much experience the OP has with different rifles and trigger weights unlike us older boys who have shot many different combinations over the years. My favourite set up for Hunting is a Tikka M695 All Weather Master 3006.
Also I like the CZ 550 set triggers especially at the bench in a 308 win. I have a friend who bought a Savage rifle /scope package in 3006 in the early 90’s that had the trigger from Hell. We were at the range one day and his shot groups were like at least six inches. After I sighted in my 300 Win . Mag and put it away, I asked if I could try a few rounds with his Savage. After firing three shots I told him I would be taking his rifle to a gunsmith not far from where I worked. I have never experienced such a rough, heavy trigger. After some smithing the trigger was a lot smoother but not the best.
I also shoot A P17 that was restocked with nice walnut in the early 50,s by my dad. This rifle has a trigger that travels so far then stops and when squeezed at this point will fire, This trigger maybe be in the area of 4 to 5 pounds.
I wonder what type of rifles the OP is shooting .
There are many refinements that one could do to a rifle to improve a rifles bench shooting results.

Better but still not good IMO for a hunting rifle not to mention total overall weight of gun including scope is a huge factor

Most were factory set to 8 pounds average ( 7-9) from the factory when I was involved with them and rule of thumb was never set one below 1/2 the rifle weight

Just curious what is that Tikka set at 2.5 to 3.5 ??. Yes bench shooting light is fine but maybe I am wrong but I assume he hunts with these also out west were is it not very warm or have him mixed up with another member that moved away

Cheers 

[louisbear]

Better but still not good IMO for a hunting rifle not to mention total overall weight of gun including scope is a huge factor
Most were factory set to 8 pounds average ( 7-9) from the factory when I was involved with them and rule of thumb was never set one below 1/2 the rifle weight
Just curious what is that Tikka set at 2.5 to 3.5 ??. Yes bench shooting light is fine but maybe I am wrong but I assume he hunts with these also out west were is it not very warm or have him mixed up with another member that moved away
Cheers

http://tikka.fi/site...allweatherW.pdf

[3macs1]

http://tikka.fi/site...allweatherW.pdf

Thanks

Man that is light but then again it only weighs 7 1/4 pounds. I would be on the 4 side vs the 2 if mine especially with a scope but to each their own

Cheers

[Rembolt]

An other recoil drill I have heard of but never tried .is to go to the range with a partner . the partner does the loading of the rifle .this way the shooter has no way of confirming if he is squizzing the trigger on a live round or not . its idea is to break the mental barrier of knowing the gun has live round in it .

[KEVIN]

That's how I got Jason to stop his flinch Lloyd...I loaded the rifle for him, he shot it.....worked pretty good too That little lesson and my mono-pod got us our moose in CB...put more confidence in him.

[3macs1]

Not worth a dam for me at the time . I would have had to have a friend  

[Rembolt]

LoL flinching ! shoot a couple rounds of sporting clays with me . and there will be times you will think I got electricuted when pulled the trigger . studies show recoil has an accumulative effect on both the shooters body and their mind .

[30-06]

Lots of information. I have been shooting the same rifle, my first bought rifle, a Savage 111, in 30-06 synthetic with a few different scopes since 2005. Anywhere from 180 to 150 grain loads. My issue seems to be when I shoot targets. I think the trigger pull is around 8 lbs. Since 2005, I have been fortunate to harvest deer every year with the exception of last year and that was by choice, not because I didn’t have the opportunity lol.
In regards to calibres, I have started shooting my 35 Remington and my 243. I do have a 30-30 as well but haven’t shot it yet.
Guess I will take out the old .22 long rifle, and 22 mag to see if I can make this go away.

[Tripple D]

Yes I agree a lighter trigger will help for sure pending what it is now
Call me old school but a 2.5 trigger was for a target rifle ONLY in my dad's shop never on a hunting rifle that one may see out in  cold or wet weather with gloves on firing
Even US snipers still set theirs 3-5 plus factory triggers normally cannot safely hold 2.5
 To each their own I guess but if this is the way it is being done in modern times expect some potentially dangerous accidental firings IMHO hunting
 
On closing eyes 3D shoots with his wide open and still is only good to 20 yards with a scope   
 Cheers
 
Some agree still
https://www.fieldand...weight-problem/

Actually good out to 28&1/2 yds.

[louisbear]

Lots of information. I have been shooting the same rifle, my first bought rifle, a Savage 111, in 30-06 synthetic with a few different scopes since 2005. Anywhere from 180 to 150 grain loads. My issue seems to be when I shoot targets. I think the trigger pull is around 8 lbs. Since 2005, I have been fortunate to harvest deer every year with the exception of last year and that was by choice, not because I didn’t have the opportunity lol.
In regards to calibres, I have started shooting my 35 Remington and my 243. I do have a 30-30 as well but haven’t shot it yet.
Guess I will take out the old .22 long rifle, and 22 mag to see if I can make this go away.

https://www.google.c...a&client=safari
Maybe find someone with a good trigger pull scale and adjust to four pounds.

[3macs1]

Lots of information. I have been shooting the same rifle, my first bought rifle, a Savage 111, in 30-06 synthetic with a few different scopes since 2005. Anywhere from 180 to 150 grain loads. My issue seems to be when I shoot targets. I think the trigger pull is around 8 lbs. Since 2005, I have been fortunate to harvest deer every year with the exception of last year and that was by choice, not because I didn’t have the opportunity lol.
In regards to calibres, I have started shooting my 35 Remington and my 243. I do have a 30-30 as well but haven’t shot it yet.
Guess I will take out the old .22 long rifle, and 22 mag to see if I can make this go away.

That should help maybe after a lot of rounds. 

Did you try dropping to 75 g rounds on the 243

7.2 is not a lot of recoil to be flinching and the 30/30 is even less with 125g at 6.6

Not even 1/2 of what a 12ga 1 oz target load gives and to me they are soft

 I am thinking gun fit now more than ever

 

 

12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 oz / 1180 fps 7.5  recoil energy 17.3

12 Gauge, 2.75" - 1 1/8 oz / 1200 fps 7.5  recoil energy 23.0

 

 

 

Cheers

 

https://www.chuckhaw...ecoil_table.htm

 

Read this post from a nutz member with this problem

I haven't read all of the posts, but will toss my own experience in. I used to do 90% of my shooting from a bench with 300 and 338 win mags. It left me with a nasty flinch, and I didn't need anyone to tell me that. I could switch to a light 12ga load, a 22lr etc, and no problems. I could dryfire with snap caps and after a few rounds of practice in a 'flinch inducing rifle' I would be fine, until I loaded a live round. Your brain isn't as stupid as you, it knows what is really happening, and usually as soon as I loaded up real ammo it was back.
After a long time I realised that two things were causing the majority of my flinching, noise, and rifle fit. I now double up my hearing protection as much as possible, the muzzle blast of the magnums, and even short barrelled 223s can be nasty. Then came fit. I found from a bench I had a bad tendency to crane my head far over to the side to get scope picture. Additionally I had to scruntch my neck down to get it low on the rifle. Once I listened to the pros on getting the rifle to fit you, and not trying to fit the rifle, things got a lot, and I mean a lot better. A cheek piece and an adjustable buttpad, and things got way better.
I personally now find my last problem to be squeezing off shots to quickly, but the bulk, lets say 90&% of the flinch is gone.