Recoil Management

[Heym SR20]

Very interesting thanks for posting.

I’m new this year to stalking and have made a range at home.
I definitely have a first shot of the day flinch. The longer I go without shooting the 6.5Creedmoor the worse it gets.
Being conscious of being new I always shoot 3 to 6 shots from quad sticks at 200m at an 8 inch target before every outing.

I realise this isn’t possible for everyone but I guess my point is as others have written, using your gun regularly will definitely help against flinching.

Year to date:
150m fallow (last night)
243m sika
243m sika (came out of the wood to look at the other one)
305m roe

All dropped instantly, couple shots were a bit high and ruined some meat though.

Don’t waste ammo trying to cure the flinch. Have somewhere in the house or outside where you have an aiming back.

First check the rifle thoroughly that there are no rounds in it or anywhere near it and just practice your technique and follow through by dry firing the rifle at the aiming spot. Don’t do sessions where you do lot. Just do one shot at a time from all sorts of positions and watch your sights as the shot breaks. You will easily see if you flinch.

Get yourself a spring air rifle and shoot it lots. Don’t use sticks - just shoot it offhand. When you are hitting empty 12 bore cartridge cases every-time at 30 yards you are getting good.

Don’t do the warm up shots before an outing. This will be self defeating in the long term as you mostly will not be able to take such shots prior to a stalk. Go for a stalk and make the first shot count. If not 100% certain you can make a good clean safe shot, get closer, or just wait, or leave it for another day.

You don’t need a rifle in hand to practice your shooting. Just sit a visualise it, control your breathing and squeeze the hands to let a shot go. You can even just point your finger of your forehand at a chimney pot and breath and squeeze.

Shooting is all about muscle memory. Like boxing, or a martial art or practicing a cricket stroke, you don’t need to do it full speed / noise etc. By dry firing and visualising it you are building those skills.

So when that buck appears you just think a shot through the vitals. And I deliberately use the word “think” - in time you will understand.

 

[Reloader708]

You still never answered the "how do I find a clay day for teal on last light in a gale of wind"

Naughty... im trying to put the whole thing behind me now.
It appears however, no practice is required.
I wonder if the same applies to flying an helicopter?

 

[Tim.243]

Naughty... im trying to put the whole thing behind me now.
It appears however, no practice is required.
I wonder if the same applies to flying an helicopter?

Well you was advocating clay days to brush up on lead for pheasants and range days for practice!
Tim B took the time to answer about missing a deer by hitting a branch fwd of the shot, can't see how you would get that on the range day lol

As for flying, I have seen a few flying pig answers to day, and more swerved answers than PM question's
Where is KS when you need him.

 

[Scipio]

lads, let's stick to the subject at hand, - how to make everyone better at handling recoil. Who knows, it might just help someone avoid having a bad hit, and a subsequently long search for a deer that's suffering .

 

[timbrayford]

So then you check for a clear path next time!

Absolutely!

 

[timbrayford]

lads, let's stick to the subject at hand, - how to make everyone better at handling recoil. Who knows, it might just help someone avoid having a bad hit, and a subsequently long search for a deer that's suffering .

Rifle firmly into the shoulder!

 

[Tim.243]

Absolutely!

I stalked a wood (mainly muntjac) both have a .270 as a few fallow, Simon used a fixed power scope, mine at the time was my Z6 2.4-15x56
The thermal spotter worked well picking out lots of muntjac in the brambles also the fallow. I would wind the scope right back and then out, move a bit L-R as that way I could see any close branches with the low mag. Clear path wind the mag up whack, we still chat about a fallow to this day as it took me 10 mins to find the path it was back to the 70's with the golden shot up a bit left a bit but I got it.
With respect that sort of practice you cant do on a range which has cropped up during this thread.

 

[Scipio]

Rifle firmly into the shoulder!

Indeed!
This subject, partially out of admitted selfish interests, has got me hooked somewhat, and so my sum up for (likely) good recoil handling technique so far would be:

1. Stance, - be a bit more squared of, and leaning fwds in your stance, and not too bladed (check out dessert dog outdoors video for this). This also leans itself better for
2. Rolling your shoulder a bit fwds, and getting the butt stock into your pocket fully, with most if not all of its surface area touching your pocket.
3. Grip the wrist and forend solidly, and push it into your pocket! - an unmodded light rifle with a medium cartridge or a dangerous game cartridge will likely move that rifle if you dont+ make you feel that recoil all the more.
4. Be mentally prepared, and ok with taking the recoil. Anticipation of something much worse than the reality of the recoil is probably a big part of making people tense up, flinch and shoot less than optimally. In reality, unless you are shooting very powerful or il fitting guns, you're not in danger of being seriously hurt, so dont tense up as if you were.
5. Good cheek weld + lop - get that rifle suited for you and keep your cheek weld firm (though not crazily so). If that means getting a comb raiser or changing the length of your stock, then you should consider doing so, if you want to tame the recoil.


And finally yes! i do believe in pratice and training, and in this regard training as many of these steps as you can, at home or at the range, in calm conditions, when you have the time and non stress enviroment to focus, and get the details right.That will in turn likely help you for once you hit the field.
However do imo try to, once you progress in training, always come closer to the real life situations when training. Ultimately reality is the full training enviroment, but to be able to really use that most effectively, and responsibly, training in and controlled enviroment to begin with is imo to be recommended. As is it, to keep the crispness and sharpness of certain skills.

 

[AM_Lillycombe]

Don’t waste ammo trying to cure the flinch. Have somewhere in the house or outside where you have an aiming back.

First check the rifle thoroughly that there are no rounds in it or anywhere near it and just practice your technique and follow through by dry firing the rifle at the aiming spot. Don’t do sessions where you do lot. Just do one shot at a time from all sorts of positions and watch your sights as the shot breaks. You will easily see if you flinch.

Get yourself a spring air rifle and shoot it lots. Don’t use sticks - just shoot it offhand. When you are hitting empty 12 bore cartridge cases every-time at 30 yards you are getting good.

Don’t do the warm up shots before an outing. This will be self defeating in the long term as you mostly will not be able to take such shots prior to a stalk. Go for a stalk and make the first shot count. If not 100% certain you can make a good clean safe shot, get closer, or just wait, or leave it for another day.

You don’t need a rifle in hand to practice your shooting. Just sit a visualise it, control your breathing and squeeze the hands to let a shot go. You can even just point your finger of your forehand at a chimney pot and breath and squeeze.

Shooting is all about muscle memory. Like boxing, or a martial art or practicing a cricket stroke, you don’t need to do it full speed / noise etc. By dry firing and visualising it you are building those skills.

So when that buck appears you just think a shot through the vitals. And I deliberately use the word “think” - in time you will understand.

I’ll give it a go, thanks. Does it cause damage to dry fire a rifle? I was always told not to do it with my shotguns.

 

[Scarpa]

I’ll give it a go, thanks. Does it cause damage to dry fire a rifle? I was always told not to do it with my shotguns.

Modern rifles really don't seem to suffer any issues. Saying that, I put 5 snap caps in my mag for dry firing practice as it also helps me with smooth cycling of the bolt.

 

[Heym SR20]

I’ll give it a go, thanks. Does it cause damage to dry fire a rifle? I was always told not to do it with my shotguns.

Not with most bolt action rifles. You can always use a dummy cartridge if it worries you.

 

[Scipio]

I’ll give it a go, thanks. Does it cause damage to dry fire a rifle? I was always told not to do it with my shotguns.

from what i understand, rimefire and shotguns should not be dry fired without an adequately made dummy round. Center fire rifles and handguns i think can in theory handle it (but i wouldnt want to do it very regularly i have to say).

ps. whilst dry firing and shooting an air rifle, at least in my case, can indeed be helpful with curing a flinch, you still need to also adress what maybe caused the flinch to begin with (improper technique of stance, holding of the rifle a poor stock fit etc). So recoil handling things most likely.

 

[Scipio]

Modern rifles really don't seem to suffer any issues. Saying that, I put 5 snap caps in my mag for dry firing practice as it also helps me with smooth cycling of the bolt.

agree, i also do this. Not with 5 pieces, but yep, snap caps are good.

 

[rem284]

It's taken a long time for someone to mention dry fire. I use 3 different centre fire rifles. They all have very different feeling triggers. I check that the rifle is unloaded, and try a few dry fires. It is easier than actually putting rounds through the rifle and checks the biggest flaw in the system, the human.

My theory is train, train and train. You don't see many professional sports persons just turning up for the game and perform to their best

 

[Mike1979]

Creedmore is a chambering, 6.5mm is the calibre. Plenty of other 6.5’s chamberings available, as well as …

agreed and all are superb. Ive shot 6.5 x 55 and 47 and a mate has a 6.5/.284...now that is a hard hitting round . The creed does nicely for me but as mentioned all put deer on the deck with a bullet in the right place.

 

[Tim.243]

It's taken a long time for someone to mention dry fire. I use 3 different centre fire rifles. They all have very different feeling triggers. I check that the rifle is unloaded, and try a few dry fires. It is easier than actually putting rounds through the rifle and checks the biggest flaw in the system, the human.

My theory is train, train and train. You don't see many professional sports persons just turning up for the game and perform to their best

Just because it was not mentioned doesn't mean it never happens.
@bottletopbill came over from Kent to join Paul and myself on a plot Paul has, way before the wood set him a 100yd hardox target as he had not used his rifle for a while.
2 dry fires please Bill, ok click x2 2 rounds in the hardox that's fine.

 

[HonestJohn]

agreed and all are superb. Ive shot 6.5 x 55 and 47 and a mate has a 6.5/.284...now that is a hard hitting round . The creed does nicely for me but as mentioned all put deer on the deck with a bullet in the right place.

The 284 is an amazing beast, but barrel life just isn’t worth the benefits IMHO.

 

[Mike1979]

The 284 is an amazing beast, but barrel life just isn’t worth the benefits IMHO.

He can afford to re barrel as and when he needs to

 

[HonestJohn]

He can afford to re barrel as and when he needs to

That’s a nice luxury to have

 

[Mike1979]

That’s a nice luxury to have

Over 50 years of hard work so well deserved...but agreed nice to be in that position. Its a Precision Rifle Services custom as well so an absolute tack driver...not much gets away.