Curing flinching when shooting Gunfighter

[Orient Express]

Hi all,

 

I've been shooting Gunfighter for the last couple of years and this is the first time I've video'ed myself shooting. I now realise I flinch when shooting my pistols. I've read the way to cure it is to dry fire....lots. However would this just reinforce bad habits? My grip is kind of loose, so should my grip be tighter? Should I apply a bit of heel in my grip to compensate?

Here's my video. As you can see I anticipate the recoil and point the muzzle down. This explains why my misses all tend to be low of the target.

Thanks for your advice.

Edited March 14, 2017 by TheOtherLeft

[J-BAR #18287]

Is it a true flinch or maybe it's a trigger jerk?

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

Doesn't look like flinch to me either. I think your right J-Bar.

[Purly SASS # 57438]

The next time you are doing a live fire session put one round in each gun, spin the cylinders you don't know where the rounds are.  Go thru your normal drill. You will quickly see what you are doing. 

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Well, first of all, I ain't an instructor nor pro-teacher in the finer points of shooting.

BUT, I didn't notice any flinching.

I did notice that you wrap your thumbs back around your grip before firing.

Unless you have a physical situation that hinders you from doing it, you might want to try and acquire enough finger strength in your grip that your thumb is used only for cocking.   Let your fingers press firmly enough around the grips to give you control of your pistol, if possible.  Even if you still use your thumb as part of your grip, strengthening your fingers and gripping pressure might help you solve your 'low' fires.

Just a thought.

..........Widder

 

[J-BAR #18287]

Jerking the trigger is ok as long as the gun doesn't move.  It can be learned.  I think I have posted this link before, but maybe it's worth another look:

 

 

[Santa Fe River Stan,36999L]

You nailed on the head in your post....you are anticipating the recoil. That's why the muzzles drops when you are dropping the hammer without a live round under it. I think you will find that it's common with most shooters. IMO you should consider recoil your friend and not fight it. Let it work for you by getting the gun in motion and making it easier to get it cocked for the next shot......just keep in mind that you have to finish the current shot. You have to follow through with it.

Try this exercise......get a cardboard target and with a sharpie make some 1 inch black circles on it. Step back 3 good paces then using slow deliberate fire use the circles as aiming points. The goal is to have a 1 hold group (not necessarily on the circle). For each shot watch the front sight as it moves off your aim point and then returns. With a proper grip it should return back to your aim point. Adjust your grip and stance until it does.......Now your developing the foundation on which you can build speed.....It's much harder to build speed and consistency if you don't know how it feels to shoot accurately.

Shooting fast is no different than shooting bullseye....you need a good stance, grip, sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control.......you then compress the amount of time in which you do all that and accept less than perfect results.

Slow dry fire will help with this exercise as well.......

Stan

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

when you dry fire, master the fundamentals!!  or else you will learn how to miss faster!!  you don't have to ask how I know

 

[Orient Express]

7 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

Jerking the trigger is ok as long as the gun doesn't move.  It can be learned.  I think I have posted this link before, but maybe it's worth another look:

 

 

Yes I've watched his vid many times...I just need to work out how to implement it.

[Orient Express]

8 hours ago, Widowmaker Hill SASS #59054 said:

Well, first of all, I ain't an instructor nor pro-teacher in the finer points of shooting.

BUT, I didn't notice any flinching.

I did notice that you wrap your thumbs back around your grip before firing.

Unless you have a physical situation that hinders you from doing it, you might want to try and acquire enough finger strength in your grip that your thumb is used only for cocking.   Let your fingers press firmly enough around the grips to give you control of your pistol, if possible.  Even if you still use your thumb as part of your grip, strengthening your fingers and gripping pressure might help you solve your 'low' fires.

Just a thought.

..........Widder

 

OK thanks. I might try some dry firing whilst keeping my thumb from wrapping around the grip.

[J.D. Daily]

For dry firing I recommend the Lasermax laser that is activated by the firing pin.  You could also use their target system that detects laser hits.  Typically even when not flinching shots will hit low and to the opposite side than the hand holding the gun from the point of aim.  This is because the index finger is pushing the gun away & pulling it down.  When shooting single action it is best to place the pad or the index finger on the trigger; because, the push-pull is reduced.

[Pat Riot]

The Other Left, what I see in your video is simple. You are jerking the trigger. Watch how you grip the guns. You can see that you aren't just firing you are gripping as you are jerking the trigger. In other words you aren't using your trigger finger to "pull" or squeeze the trigger. You are clenching your hand as you grip harder with your trigger finger...at least that is what I see. 

I believe Widder is right as well. Perhaps besides working on your grip and trigger pull maybe  narrower grips may help.

i had the same problem. I reduced the width of the bottoms of my grip panels and I practiced trigger pull by shooting my double action revolvers fast, like in CAS, but in double action. 

[Chuck Would, SASS # 53289]

If you have pistols that will allow you to see the sights when the hammer drops, I'd suggest you run Wall Drills 10 minutes a day for a week or two before you run any further live fire.

 

[Cowboy Junky]

I'm with Stan.......My wife had the same problem. I took her to the range and loaded her guns for her but loaded them randomly. Since she didn't know if the gun would go off or not she was seeing just how much she was pushing the muzzle down when it wouldn't fire. Over time she was so focused on NOT pushing the gun down and using good trigger control her groups tightened up 10 fold. When we got to the range she was missing 20 X 20 inch steel @ 7 yards about 20% of the time. When we left she was hitting 8 inch squares at 7 yards 99% of the time. 

We can get away with very poor trigger control and bad habits most of the time is SASS because the targets are so big & close and its mostly a SPEED event. But when the targets get smaller or farther OR both trigger control becomes much more obvious.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Cowboy Junky

[Cowboy Junky]

PS you wanna' have some fun.....or make an enemy.....take a 44 Mag hand it to a buddy and leave the cylinder empty or the up coming second cylinder empty. I have seen some flinching that looks more like dance moves doing that...........lol

[Sarge]

Best exercise for flinching is ball & dummy.  Have someone else load your guns or load them yourselves and spin the cylinder without looking at the cylinder.  Randomly alternate loaded vs empty ases in cylinders.  Slowly go through your firing sequnces.  You will catch yourself fliching if that is the problem.