Consistent flinch

[Mnt monkey]

While shooting my favorite smokeless muzzleloader yesterday afternoon I noticed this, I'm I'm sure others noticed this often, by the way the rifle is a 45 Cal Wilson barrel, no muzzle brake, I was shooting 47 grains of 4198 and trying out a new bullet from northern precision, 45 Cal smokeless without a muzzle brake can be interesting ,I weigh 150 lb I find if I don't consistently address that rifle in how I shoulder up to it and follow through with recoil it shows up real quick,, the group I'm posting is six shots, you'll see four of them in a hole one just above the group and another one above that, the two elevated bullets got away from me, or should I say more clearly I think the recoil signature managed me instead of me it. The highest bullet out of the group I had the gun setting in the rear bag and front rest I shouldered up to the rifle reached around and grabbed the grip got my sight picture and pulled the trigger,,, I felt my body pull back and up with what my brain thought was coming The recoil,,, of course nothing happened because I hadn't taken the safety off push forward to fire,,, I couldn't help but laugh at myself how much I had reacted to the recoil that had not happened!!! Reach forward and put the safety on fire went ahead and fired the round as you can see my focus was gone and I pulled it out of the group.. I recovered my composure and finished the group I pulled another one just above the group which I know was me the gun and the bullet are wanting to just shoot a hole. This rifle not having a muzzle break makes me a better shooter with the rifles that I do have with a brake and I really feel like it makes me a better shooter with the break open blackhorn rifles that's why I keep shooting it but sometimes it wins.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

That's some nice shooting! I don't have brakes on my SML's. After my last range session, I'm thinking a brake might be in my future I'm not recoil shy but getting older and dropping 50 lbs, my body doesn't take recoil like it use too.

 

[deermanok]

I get where you're coming from.
I have a 12 gauge slug gun that I really dislike target shooting with. Not to say I don't shoot it pretty well, have taken deer with it out to 130 yards. I really have to stay focused with it.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I had a 5.5 lb ,with scope ,6 something, CVA 45-70,, it was so blued break open model ,real cheap rifle it absolutely shot a hole,,hunter I think it was called,, I used it as a proof rifle for guys who thought they could shoot recoil .

 

[deermanok]

I'll bet that was a cheek slapper, Lol

 

[brownisdown]

47 grains of 4198 should not be that brutal.I shoot 60 grains of 4198 with a 200 grain sst bullet.To me its like a 20 gauge shot gun.Maybe just hold the gun a litle tighter in your shoulder.

 

[Mnt monkey]

275 gr and 300 gr have just a little more report,,,I shoot 60 gr in several rifles with 325 gr bullets,, hunting it's no issue trying to shoot one hole takes focus

 

[sheriffjohn]

Everyone flinches to some degree. As long as the flinch is consistent - same every shot - you can hit the target. It's when the flinch is exaggerated that problems arise. Diagnosing a flinching problem is easy with a friend along, regardless of the type of firearm.

Simply have the friend do the loading for you in a series of shots, out of sight. Have them give you a blank somewhere in the string of shots while watching you carefully each time you fire. Careful adherence to proper shooting sequence every time can overcome an exaggerated flinch. Dummy rounds in a cartridge gun are easy. M/L's are going to require either a cap or pan 'o priming powder with no charge in the barrel.

Just as it is impossible for us to hold a firearm as still as a machine rest when firing offhand, so can the unwanted movement caused by anticipation be mitigated. First step is diagnosing the extent of the problem.

Smooth, consistent triggers lessen flinching regardless of poundage to some degree.

 

[edmehlig]

You want to see a flinch? Watch some inexperienced and some experienced flint lock shooters.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I do like to watch people flinch,, I like to yell bang real loud after they've shot the first round and they loaded up and aiming for the second one sometimes they don't take that very well ,some people just have no sense of humor, they only have a sense of recoil

 

[powderfinger]

place a sand bag between your shoulder and the but

 

[Mnt monkey]

I had a 5 and 1/2 lb 45-70 that I used to put a pillow in between the stock and my shoulder,, I would proof my friends when they would shoot with me,, I would make them shoot that rifle first with no pillow if they could shoot a group with it we would move on to some muzzleloaders. I really like standing behind them especially after the first shot on number two when they know what's coming

 

[ENCORE50A]

PAST Mag Plus Recoil Pad Shield Ambidextrous (midwayusa.com)

OR

PAST Super Mag Plus Recoil Pad Shield Ambidextrous (midwayusa.com)

 

[Mnt monkey]

I put a very large pad on that new bergara muzzleloader I'm shooting,,, I like the management of recoil,, I've mentioned it before sometimes I'll shoot three or four rifles back to back even a very light recoiling centerfire rifle in the mix just to help me keep my focus, when I was a younger man shooting six br's and ppcs etc. I often outshot other shooters with a 308 and no muzzle brake,, very disheartening for Mr PPC to get beat by 308!!

 

[Okie Hog]

For years i had a problem with flinching when firing heavy recoiling rifles. Then my seamstress wife sewed pads into the left shoulder of my shooting shirt and shooting jacket. No more flinching problems.

i thoroughly detest muzzle brakes.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I'm with you on muzzle brakes I just don't like them I blew my ears off my head years ago with muzzle brakes,, and yes I know the obvious why didn't you have hearing protection just young and dumb and out walking with a gun in my hand that had a break on it, I don't like them shooting on the bench either ,,I don't care who made the muzzle brake ,,I don't care how well it's designed, I just don't like them ,,I'll flinch from the gases and the muzzle brake as much as I will the recoil and I know that sounds crazy to a lot of people too.. I'll use muzzle brakes on some of my guns when I'm working up loads and shooting them a lot usually I'll pull the brake off later on and just put the cap on. I guess I do consider muzzle brakes practical tools,, for me it is a tool with limited application though

 

[ENCORE50A]

Never been recoil shy or sensitive to it. Now controlling heavy recoil can be another matter. I can tell you this, you shoot a BP Xpress with 180grs of T7 and a 300gr bullet and you'll find out what recoil is. Even if you're NOT recoil sensitive, try shooting that rifle and charge WITHOUT a brake. I can assure you it is nothing less than violent.
Brakes require hearing protection but ALL firearms require hearing protection. ALL of us "seasoned shooters" realize the mistakes we made in the past

When hunting I've never noticed recoil from any firearm. When shooting target, yes I will try to control recoil to shoot all day. The muzzle brake without question helps with that unless its light loads of BH209 (84/120) where its not needed.
I absolutely hate a PP trigger! Can't stand it! A clean, smooth, crisp and light trigger is what I prefer. I concentrate more on my target rather it be game or paper and forget completely about rifle recoil.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I had a pair of Remington ultimate muzzleloaders I had restocked both of them taking all the hangers and rod off of them in bed at them,, they both shot well I was shooting heavy loads of blackhorn one day my son and it's soon to be bride pulled up, My Hot rod son asked me if he could shoot the rifle as he showed up behind in my warned him to get a hold of that gun I remember his statement awh I got this,, when he pulled the trigger you could hear the scope smack his forehead like a ball peen Hammer hitting the piece of 3/4 inch plywood,, he picked his head up and looked at me of course I was laughing already as the blood trickled down his nose he was supposed to get his wedding pics done the next day my daughter-in-law was pissed off I loved it life is so good

 

[sheriffjohn]

Taught police firearms over 25 years. Cured lots of flinch problems. Never found a cure for stupid. Most common was with shotguns. Held properly, tight against the shoulder, "kick" becomes a shove. We'd explain, demonstrate, cajole, and show pictures. Not until the purple bruises showed up did some get the point. Some never did.

 

[MrTom]

I learned a long time ago that if one flinches even once in a day's shooting, the magic is gone and all one will do afterwards is worry about it. I flinch for anyt reason, I pack up and go home.

I bow hunted for years until a freak accident happened and my 86 pound compound slipped in my hand at full draw. The bow ripped out of my hand. came right straight back at me with the cable guard, a 3/8" steel rod, hit my string hand between the second and third finger, going into the hand and exiting in the palm about halfway back. This happened while I was doing my daily one shot in the driveway at a matchbook cover pinned to my target. I'd vary the distance between 7 and 22 yards to take the one shot and I always chose the arrow at random from ten in a tube next to the target. I tried shooting again after the accident and the hand had healed up but the psychological damage had been done. I tried turning the weight down, but that didn't help any. Flinching is no different. The best thing to do is walk away if flinching comes along during a day of shooting. Continuing will only have you practicing bad habits while you attempt to get rid of the problem.

Flinching can also come from noise.... like that from a brake. Subconsciously many people react to that harsh blast coming back at them and they inadvertently associate the flinch as coming from recoil.

Flinch isn't fun and it comes from a lot of sources, but in most cases it can be over-come. Like with me and the bow, sometimes it just won't get healed.