Grandson flinching while shooting.

G3 Ranch

G3 Ranch

Well-Known Member
My 8yo grandson Haydn has developed a flinch when shooting his rifle. Last year was his first year to hunt, I bought him a youth 243 and practiced with him. I didn't notice any flinching last year. He was shooting well, killed two deer, his buck at 120yds. He doesn't flinch every shot but enough that he's inconsistent on target. I start the session on a sled then go to a rest. The only thing I did different last season was started the session with a 22, forgot to bring it this time. Any tips to help him work through this? He's conscious of it when it happens, I slipped in a couple spent cases to point it out to him. Could use some help.




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Is he using hearing protection? I noticed many shooters shoot better with hearing protection....it's the noise more so than the recoil that seems to mess with the head. Also consider a recoil pad.....it may not really be needed but again may be enough of a mental trick to help him get over the flinch. These are some things I have used on my daughter.....she thinks "loud" means "recoil" and we all know that isn't true.
 
A flinch tends to be a defense mechanism again pain from the shot. For one reason or another he is afraid the gun is going to cause him some pain. I had to get that thru my daughters head as she was fearful of the scope hitting her. I used my phone to video her shot to show her that as long as she held the gun properly it wasn't going to happen. It help, not entirely, but it helped some. Most of it is in their head....which can be the most difficult to overcome. You want to be supportive, but it get frustrating at the same time. If the 22 trick worked before try it again and see if it helps. Most kids like a 22 because that fear isn't there. Maybe even a AR 5.56 or the like as well. Anything that gets them used to shooting and being comfortable doing it. My daughter shot an AR 5.56 and loves it and it has helped her in shooting my 30-30 that we use for deer hunting. Just because he shot it last year doesn't mean your not starting over. If he is like most young shooters the last time he shot was last hunting season......good luck.
 
j-bird said:
A flinch tends to be a defense mechanism again pain from the shot. For one reason or another he is afraid the gun is going to cause him some pain. I had to get that thru my daughters head as she was fearful of the scope hitting her. I used my phone to video her shot to show her that as long as she held the gun properly it wasn't going to happen. It help, not entirely, but it helped some. Most of it is in their head....which can be the most difficult to overcome. You want to be supportive, but it get frustrating at the same time. If the 22 trick worked before try it again and see if it helps. Most kids like a 22 because that fear isn't there. Maybe even a AR 5.56 or the like as well. Anything that gets them used to shooting and being comfortable doing it. My daughter shot an AR 5.56 and loves it and it has helped her in shooting my 30-30 that we use for deer hunting. Just because he shot it last year doesn't mean your not starting over. If he is like most young shooters the last time he shot was last hunting season......good luck.
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Yeah, I've only had him out to shoot the last two weekends. I talked with him about it and he agreed there is some fear involved. Not a lot of time with the youth hunt opening Fri. I'll have to limit his shot distance until I can work with him more. Thanks for the input.

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I double up on the hearing protection with the kids, it seems to help. Plugs in and the ear muffs over that, makes the blast seem less and they shot better because of it. When mine were that age, I started them both on an AR platform, used controlled expansion bullets and limited shooting distance. Boy has had a lot of success and really enjoys the AR rifle. Daughter likes it but won't hunt hard enough to get her a deer. Hopefully that changes this weekend


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To help my son shoot.300 magnum I'd slip a sandbag between the stock and his shoulder after he was all laid up on the shooting bench. Because the gun fit him well with his heavy hunting jacket on, there was just room for a flat sandbag with his t-shirt on. I know this sounds like a bad idea but it enabled him to shoot a group without flinching. And I second the hearing protection importance.
 
Eli shot a .22 chipmonk single shot when he first started shooting. Got real good with that and killed some squirrels when he was 6. Moved him to my AR-15 due to light recoil and infinitely adjustable stick and he killed a deer with that. Then moved him to H & R youth single shot .223 and he has killed 3 deer with that. We shot 30/30 late last winter and he wants to shoot that during the days he gets to rifle hunt during the regular firearms season...he has also shot his single shot 20 gauge some and he doesn't have any flinch issues but I think he could have if I didn't always have him in a gun that fit his stature. Awkwardness causes lack of confidence...
 
OkieKubota said:
have him in a gun that fit his stature
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I started Haydn with a pellet gun, moved to a .22 rimfire, he's shot my .223/AR but it's not set up for deer hunting...I may change that but won't get it done before Fri. The 243 I think fits him ok but no room for a recoil pad, I'll double check that this weekend. I have a 20 Ga 870 youth that my sons used but he hasn't shot it yet. I would guess when he has a deer in the scope the flinch will go away...I hope. I'll keep an eye on him when the time comes on a deer and see.
 
G3 Ranch said:
I started Haydn with a pellet gun, moved to a .22 rimfire, he's shot my .223/AR but it's not set up for deer hunting...I may change that but won't get it done before Fri. The 243 I think fits him ok but no room for a recoil pad, I'll double check that this weekend. I have a 20 Ga 870 youth that my sons used but he hasn't shot it yet. I would guess when he has a deer in the scope the flinch will go away...I hope. I'll keep an eye on him when the time comes on a deer and see.
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Best of luck !
 
G3 Ranch said:
Thanks, I'm sure we'll get it worked out, I just haven't dealt with it before.
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Anytime i notice myself getting a Flinch I pull out a 22 and shot 20 rounds. I develop one every year after sighting in my 12ga turkey gun and my savage muzzleloader because i don't shoot enough. Another thing I have done with kids is have them shoot the lightest load in the gun I can find sighting it in and slip a full power load in on an animal. Never had one notice yet.

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Sims vibration recoil pad.My daughters both shot .20 ga and 243 with it.I got the slipon so I could move from gun to gun,that was at 8 and then at 13 one of them drew a NM Oryx tag and we shot the 7mag several times a week getting ready and she made a perfect 374 yard shot.
 
I have dealt with flinching on and off throughout my life and this is what works for me. Shooting a bb gun or 22 everyday before the season and even during it can get rid of that pesky flinch. Rather than target practice, shooting live targets like squirrels with a 22 can get one off of flinching. And always wear ear protection even with the 22. Flinching can be brought on by trying too hard to stay on target as well. Target panic where one can't stand to have the sights/scope off of the target can happen with the gun just as it does with the bow. The key is to realize that a moving sight swinging on and off the bulls eye is normal and quite OK. Relaxing, relaxing and more relaxing while shooting will see that barrel movement decrease to where the trigger does not get yanked and the gun or bow just goes off beautifully. Practicing follow thru/keeping the bow/gun on the target after the shot is another good tool that has helped me to keep flinching out of the picture. Be patient with him of course and keep yourself relaxed and good luck.
 
I used to flinch quite consistently when shooting my rifle, to overcome this my dad used to have me dry fire my rifle several times. I did this before target practice, I would line up just like I was shooting at the target, and fire just like there was a live round, except the gun would only click. I would flinch the first few dry fires but then I'd stop and once I stopped flinching I would begin firing live rounds. Just a way to get over the automatic flinch when pulling the trigger. All about realizing the gun won't hurt you if you fire it properly.
 
Chainsaw said:
I have dealt with flinching on and off throughout my life and this is what works for me. Shooting a bb gun or 22 everyday before the season and even during it can get rid of that pesky flinch. Rather than target practice, shooting live targets like squirrels with a 22 can get one off of flinching. And always wear ear protection even with the 22. Flinching can be brought on by trying too hard to stay on target as well. Target panic where one can't stand to have the sights/scope off of the target can happen with the gun just as it does with the bow. The key is to realize that a moving sight swinging on and off the bulls eye is normal and quite OK. Relaxing, relaxing and more relaxing while shooting will see that barrel movement decrease to where the trigger does not get yanked and the gun or bow just goes off beautifully. Practicing follow thru/keeping the bow/gun on the target after the shot is another good tool that has helped me to keep flinching out of the picture. Be patient with him of course and keep yourself relaxed and good luck.
Click to expand...


Thanks, I'll be using these tips our next outing.
 
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