Flinching?

[jh45gun]

I shoot percussion but a guy I know at a other site had this question can any one post any ideas to help?? Jim

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get over the instinctive reaction to pull away from all the smoke and spark while shooting a flintlock musket? I have a trade musket that I have cast some round ball for and would like to try and see how accurate it is. I have shot this particular gun with shot, and have difficulty hitting stationary targets with it, basicallly because all the smoke and spark so close to my eyes causes me to instintively turn my head slightly and pull the shot. Any suggestions? I've tried just priming the pan and doing it over and over and over, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

 

[Packdog]

Get either a chuncky/block erraser or a piece of wood the size of the flint. Install that in the jaws and just practice puling the trigger with no smoke, flash or bang. A lot of people are surprised at how much they flinch even when nothing happens. Same as putting a spend case in a revolver and not knowing when it will come up.
PD

 

[Dave K]

Of course I assume you are wearing good eye protection and ear protection. Of course eye protection is obvious, but ear protection will help you avoid the sound and help you stay focused. All I can say is stay focused and beleive in your eye protection. I remember dirt biking when you first started to wear goggles, you wanted to flinch and duck away. Soon though you learned to trust your equipment and you don't even waiver from your path.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Any sane person does it. The secret ( :imo is to relax as much as possible, especially your neck and back muscles, and give yourself up for dead.

Choice of hats makes a BIG difference. I have a wide brimmed Fedora style and I thought I had blinded myself the first time I shot my Bess while wearing it, even with shooting glasses on. The smoke/embers ricochetted right back over the lenses. YOWZER! Something with a narrow brin like a Greek fisherman's cap (or a tri-corn) is a better choice.

The shooting glasses help you by shielding your eyes, and the mental confidence that they will prevent eye injury - wear them and trust them.

Concentrate 100% on the target/ front sight and FOLLOW THROUGH with the shot. Make it a pactice to count to three before lowering the gun. This will also increase your success rate on targets and game from any slight hang-f-f-f-fires that occur (as well as preventing you from jerking the shot).

Keeping your head upright also helps (gets your face farther from the blast). Lots of guys lean into it like they were trap shooting. Sometimes this is because their rifle's Length-Of-Pull is too short, and there's not a lot you can do short of adding a spacer of some type. Not as easy with most flintlocks compared to adding a washer between the rubber buttplate & the stock on a modern rifle.

Use less priming powder. It should never be higher than the bottom of the vent for best ignition, anyway.

 

[jh45gun]

Thanks guys I will pass on the tips to him. I have only shot a flinter once and did ok but I can see where it would get to you if your not used to it. Well I got 4 percussion guns now at least I will when I get done with my 2 underhammers I guess I will have to keep a eye out for a flinter one of these days just for something different. Jim

 

[Claude Mathis]

I shoot percussion but a guy I know at a other site had this question can any one post any ideas to help?? Jim

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get over the instinctive reaction to pull away from all the smoke and spark while shooting a flintlock musket?

I think it's important to "follow through" when shooting. That is, holding your sight picture until after the gun goes off.

Practice with live ammo, not "dry firing". There's no substitute.

I get "sprayed" in the face every so often with my flintlock, but I have learned to accept it. I know it won't hurt me and it's just part of shooting the gun.

It's a lot like getting hit in football or boxing. You can either get used to it, knowing you're going to get hit, or you can't. It bothers some people more than others.

 

[reddogge]

I think it's from shooting cartridge weapons or percussion where the bang is instant and automatic. With a flint it is a little more delayed and not so automatic. Long ago I just trained my brain to not move my aim until the rifle's recoil knocked me off the target. No matter what's happening to the side, smoke, sparks, nothing, I won't change my aim until the gun knocks me off it.

Of course this is all "follow through" as posted by many above, just a different way of thinking through it.

 

[Wart]

I know I'm going to catch slack for posting this but its honestly how I was cured of flinching.
An old graybeard laughed at me and said, "I'll cure you of flinching in just one shot" He did and here's how he did it.

He stood on my right (I'm a right handed shooter), when I held the flinter up to shoot, he pulled out his knife and held it about a 1/2" away from the side of my face and said "now concentrate on the target, don't think about the smoke, sparks or this very sharp knife thats beside your face". Yep, thats the Gods truth, thats what he did. I never flinched after that :results:

Now, I'm not recommending you do this ... I'm just sharing a valuable learning experience that happened to me :thumbsup:

 

:shocking:

 

[Hoyt]

I concentrate on shooting "through" the[url] target..in[/url] my mind I want to hold the gun on target until the shot or ball gets all the way through what I'm shooting at...not just hitting and then take a look. I don't consciously see the flash for some reason..I just hear the poof.
My biggest problem and the reason I use the shoot through thing is I missed a trophy buck that was a broadside 40yds. shot because I jerked my rifle down too quick trying to see around the smoke. That was a percussion.

 

[Birddog6]

Concentration & follow thru. You have to MAKE yourself not flinch & convince yourself you are NOT going to raise you head or move no matter what ! If you learn to squeeze that trigger & NOT KNOW when it is going to go off, the gun will go off before you can flinch. A poor delayed ignition can induce flinching also as you have too much time involved. You have to have Shebang. Not a whoosh........bang.

Forget about the flash........... what flash ? Keep your head to the cheekpiece to you can see the target again after it went off. You have to see PAST the lock. When I shoot a rifle I forget about the ignition all together, as it makes no difference if it is a percussion or flintlock, I am thinking down the barrel way past the lock. It will do it's thing there & now it is up to me to do mine.

Some people never learn to shoot flintlocks because they concentrate on the lock & flash rather than the target. You have to forget about the lock. It is not going to hurt you & you have to just forget it.

Also shooting too much powder & too large a caliber & conicals will make people learn to flinch. They are reacting to all of it, the flash & recoil, etc. I think it is best to start with a small caliber & light loads & shoot patched RB's. And some people never learn to shoot a flintlock. Anyone can shoot a percussion rifle, but not everyone can shoot a flintlock.

Also try bench shooting it. This takes your mind off holding on target & getting tired & etc. Just concentrate on the target & squeezing the trigger & keeping you head down til it is ALL over.

:results:

 

[Bob J]

. I think it is best to start with a small caliber & light loads & shoot patched RB's.

Started thinking about this after ordering a .54 flintlock. :hmm: So, at the cost of selling off a percussion or two, I ordered a .36. Think the small caliber will be perfect for "Introduction to Shooting Flintlocks 101" (and maybe squirrel and turkey hunting :winking.

 

[silverfox]

jh45gun: You need a lot of help? You are thinking of maybe getting a flinchlock? You have 4 guns now. I just recently started shooting the dredded flinchlock. I'll tell you if you get one your gun collection will tripple and the percussions will set in the closet. Just get a good lock and the fun will begin I see your flintlock collection is about to start. More fun with the blackpowder flash in the pan. Enjoy Fox :thumbsup:

 

[ol vern]

All good advice, one more thing start with the lock, make shure it throws a good shower of white hot sparks.

You have to beleve the lock is going to fire every time. If it's unrelibale you will find yourself watching the lock instead of the sights.

 

[mike alexandre]

Wear shooting glasses
Start with a smaller gun rather than a Bess
Put an eraser(rubber in English) in the cock and practise firing 3 times a day for 10 mins. Balance a coin on the barrel and keep dry firing untill you can keep the coin balanced there.Practise firing at a mirror and watch the front sight reflection.
Hold the gun with your right arm out at 90 deg, left elbow tucked in tight against your stomach. Feet about shoulder width apart with the rear foot slightly forward of a line through you shoulders.
See the front sight against the target - nothing else
Put a little powder in the pan, See nothing else other than the front sight and target.
Go back and dry fire another week, see nothing but the front sight and target.
Put a little more powder in the pan, no more than half. Make sure your lock and flint are clean each time .
You should be ready to fire a light load at say 20 yds.
See the front sight and target only. Keep balanced and relaxed. Raise the barrel to the bull and squeeeeeeeze the trigger dont pull it. This works, I've done it.
Good luck

 

[cayugad]

I've only been shooting flintlocks for almost a year. The first couple times I shot, I had to laugh because I caught myself watching the lock. Kind of hard to hit the target when your not looking at the target.

I had to calm myself down. Actually relax myself, especially my neck and shoulders. I knew the recoil was not going to be a problem so I just told my mind to forget the lock completely. I concentrated on the sights and the target. An old shooter when I was young used to tell me to forget the rifle and actually stay on target until you can see the hole or the hit of the target.

I then put all that to work on the flintlock. I would force myself to relax, ignor the lock flash, concentrate on the target, and actually look through the shot. After a short time, the lock no longer even bothered me. Now I do listen for the lock but seldom see the flash at all during the day light hours.

 

[JeffS]

Hi, I was having the same problem, and still do, to a much smaller degree now. (I started the "flintlock shooting tips" thread in this same index, with this same problem)

I was at a match last month, doing my flinch trick, and a guy was watching me. My flint was getting real dull, and I was misfiring a lot. That is the PERFECT practice scenario! The guy told me, dont nap the flint. Leave it alone and keep trying. Now you are in a real world situation were the gun is loaded and primed and very well MIGHT go off, but often will not. Then you will know beyond any doubt, if you are closing your eyes, or moving your head, or flinching the gun down or to the side.

Short answer, go ahead and let your flint get dull and keep shooting and the range for a while. It was awesome help for me.

As for the solution as far as I can figure, concentrate 100% on the front site, relax, and follow thru.

I noticed at my latest cowboy action match, that practicing the flintlock has helped my pistol shooting quite a bit also. (we shoot much smaller targets than a typical Cowboy Action club) I think being able to shoot a flinter well will help with shooting most any gun type. (not that Im claiming to shoot a flinter "well" yet...) ::

Jeff

 

[BLAHMAN]

Any sane person does it.

Aha! I'm off the hook on this one. Who say's I'm sane?

I don't flinch.........NOT!


I guess, for me, the best thing I do is avoid looking at the lock through periferal vision. I concentrate only on my sight picture.

It's really easy to do......just let you're imagination work like this:

The lock is you're wife (or significant other) and she is naggin' you about something.

You're watchin' the tube, enjoyin' the weekend and she wants to know if you wanna go "shopping for some clothes?"
When us guys go shoppin, we go in the store, get our stuff, pay for it and leave (there is one exception to that rule and I'll explain that later)

So when the little lady says "Are you listening to me? Did you hear anything I said?" We all just sorta nod our heads and mumble something like "Huh? What? Ahhhh, ok dear."

We don't know what she said, and we don't care. We know she's there pesterin' the bejezzus outa us, but we don't let here bother us and what we'er watchin on the tube.

See that line of logic? That is your flintlock going off. Ya know it's there, ya know it's gonna go off, ya just look past it and try not to let it bother ya.

See how easy that is? And ya thought it was hard!!! :haha:

 

[Stumpkiller]

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Any sane person does it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aha! I'm off the hook on this one. Who say's I'm sane?

Well, that's the whole secret. The reason people overcome flinch is not because they get over it. It's because you lose your sanity and the "fight or flight" part of your brain is making cat's cradles with the synapses when you sight down a firelock.

I still come up 4" in the chair when I get a glaucoma test.

Eyballologist: "Focus on the tiny house. Little puff now"

puff

Stumpy: "Hey! Wow!" Crash! Bang!

Eyeballologist: "Please return your seat to the upright position and come down from the file cabinet."

If they made the machine look like a flintlock and put a little image of deer down in the box I'd be calm as a clam.


Eyeballologist: "Focus on the deer. Little puff now"

Stumpy: "Shhhhhh!"

puff

Stumpy: "Hey! Were'd it go?! Dad gum it, ya spooked it off."

 

[mike alexandre]

I fixed that puff in the eye stuff, told um I didnt want it simple as that. Dont care if it is free. Dont want it, photos yes puffs NO!!!