Shot the flinter last night and wasn't pleased with my accuracy. I checked to see that my sights were correct off the bench, they were. Offhand at 25 yards and could hardly hit anything. When I was shooting at the 12"X4" steel spinner I couldn't even hit that because I was sometimes about a foot over it from what I could see, sometimes 1 foot left, or a foot low. Then I had a misfire and found out I was flinching bad. I've never been able to shoot this gun good off-hand and I've had it for about a year. Scool ends middle of this week so I'm gonna make a range trip bout every week and will keep trying to not flinch with the gun but I haven't seen any progress by the end of June, the gun might go up on the market :shake:. Maybe not all of us are meant for flint, especially those of us with poor concentration. :idunno:
More Flintlock Troubles
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ApprenticeBuilder
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Do you shoot any other firearms, if so you would be well served to put them away until you have mastered your "flint flinch".
On second thought what kind of flinter do you own, I'm always looking for a good deal :wink: :rotf:
On second thought what kind of flinter do you own, I'm always looking for a good deal :wink: :rotf:
Just remember, keep your eyes open and keep your rifle pointed at your target 1 second after it discharges to ensure good follow-through. Breathing is the most important thing.
Just know it is you, and not the rifle. I'm having the same problem with my .36 which never seemed to miss last year. I'm in a relapse of bad accuracy after not shooting between Nov. and March of this year. It's frustrating but it can be corrected. Stick with it! Heck, maybe shoot closer than 25 yards if you can.
Just know it is you, and not the rifle. I'm having the same problem with my .36 which never seemed to miss last year. I'm in a relapse of bad accuracy after not shooting between Nov. and March of this year. It's frustrating but it can be corrected. Stick with it! Heck, maybe shoot closer than 25 yards if you can.
fyrfyter43
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Cut a wooden "flint" and use it for dry-fire practice at home.
If you shoot other firearms well (I think you do 'cause I see you posting a good bit) you can master this too,don't give up shoot shoot shoot and do some dryfire drills,get a buddy to load and prime or not load and prime radomly you'll get it!!!! don't put it up for sale (I don't need the temptation :rotf: )
fyrfyter43 said:
This is what I do to work on my off-hand shooting. Everything you need to master is done while doing this drill. Ball and powder isn't necessary. I just grab my rifle and do 5 or 10 repetitions as if I'm really shooting when I have the time.
GANGGREEN
45 Cal.
I flinched at least a little bit even after shooting flintlocks for many years. What I found to be the most helpful was shooting off the bench a lot. As soon as I eliminated the flint while bench shooting, my off-hand shooting become much better almost immediately. Follow the advice given above about follow through and don't expect immediate results, you'll get there.
i agree that the "wooden flint" will help.
this is what i did one year to improve my abilities with a revolver: i would unload my pistol, then take a bullet and stand it up on the barrel right behind the sight. then hold the pistol in firing position and pull the trigger. when you get to where you can pull the trigger 12 times without dropping the bullet, you're steady enough to hit what you're shooting at. i went to the firing range that year and scored in the high 90's, whereas before i had never shot higher than about 75.
i don't know exactly how you would do this with a flinter, but some version of this could make a big difference for you. i suppose you could just set a bullet on the end of the rifle, or get someone to set it on there for you.
this is what i did one year to improve my abilities with a revolver: i would unload my pistol, then take a bullet and stand it up on the barrel right behind the sight. then hold the pistol in firing position and pull the trigger. when you get to where you can pull the trigger 12 times without dropping the bullet, you're steady enough to hit what you're shooting at. i went to the firing range that year and scored in the high 90's, whereas before i had never shot higher than about 75.
i don't know exactly how you would do this with a flinter, but some version of this could make a big difference for you. i suppose you could just set a bullet on the end of the rifle, or get someone to set it on there for you.
StewartLeach
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I wholly agree with those who recommend dry firing. Try it this way:
Put up an aiming point, such as a 1" black circle in the middle of a 6" square of file folder cardboard at a distance of 20 feet.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart at 90 degrees to the line of fire. Rotate your heels back 3/4-1" to slightly open the stance. Breath a little deeply three times, then mount the rifle by using trigger hand on butt to place the butt in the same place on the shoulder each time. Keep breathing. Adjust front hand by moving to front or rear so rifle is supported without muscle tension. Place trigger hand so trigger finger lands naturally without forcing. Place head on stock by lifting head, setting jaw on stock, then sliding down to get alignment of eye behind sights. A little cant- tilt of the rifle- won't hurt with a muzzleloader as the sight line is pretty close to the bore line. Get the sights in front of your eye with your head fairly erect.
Now align the sights. Look at the black target across the aligned sights, then draw your focus back to the front sight. Keeping your sights aligned and your focus on the front sight, aim and smooooooothly press through the trigger. After the trigger breaks maintain alignment, focus and aim for a mental count of three.
Try to do this three times per week. Do at least ten reps, twenty is better. Do the same drill when firing with powder, patch and ball. Use a mantra- "Alignment-Focus-Aim-Smooth-Follow" to get your firing sequence completed in 5-8 seconds after mounting the rifle. Holds are not like wine- they do not improve with age. Visual acuity fades after 10 seconds even in 16 year old eyes.
White Fox, in the People's republic of Boulder
Put up an aiming point, such as a 1" black circle in the middle of a 6" square of file folder cardboard at a distance of 20 feet.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart at 90 degrees to the line of fire. Rotate your heels back 3/4-1" to slightly open the stance. Breath a little deeply three times, then mount the rifle by using trigger hand on butt to place the butt in the same place on the shoulder each time. Keep breathing. Adjust front hand by moving to front or rear so rifle is supported without muscle tension. Place trigger hand so trigger finger lands naturally without forcing. Place head on stock by lifting head, setting jaw on stock, then sliding down to get alignment of eye behind sights. A little cant- tilt of the rifle- won't hurt with a muzzleloader as the sight line is pretty close to the bore line. Get the sights in front of your eye with your head fairly erect.
Now align the sights. Look at the black target across the aligned sights, then draw your focus back to the front sight. Keeping your sights aligned and your focus on the front sight, aim and smooooooothly press through the trigger. After the trigger breaks maintain alignment, focus and aim for a mental count of three.
Try to do this three times per week. Do at least ten reps, twenty is better. Do the same drill when firing with powder, patch and ball. Use a mantra- "Alignment-Focus-Aim-Smooth-Follow" to get your firing sequence completed in 5-8 seconds after mounting the rifle. Holds are not like wine- they do not improve with age. Visual acuity fades after 10 seconds even in 16 year old eyes.
White Fox, in the People's republic of Boulder
Keep up the practice live and dry and it will come, I think most have "spells" of bad shooting habits "returning" don't get discouraged, you have the advantage of a lifetime of practice,experience, and learning ahead that many who started later in life do not enjoy, you will do fine and shortly this setback will be behind you.BTW if you do not mind my asking, are you developing a stronger interest in the historical aspect of the sport as you proceed?
That's what drew me into muzzleloading in the first place, the historical aspect. The reason I got this flintlock was as a beginner rifle to flintlocks so I could eventually get a long rifle. I think I'll go outside and fire the lock with some prime in the pan and try to keep on target like that.
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I would bench the gun for a few outings and never mind off hand until it shows you how accurate you can shoot it with a good solid rest. Once your used to shooting it, trigger control, follow through and see what it is capable of accuracy wise, then start off hand shooting.
I've gotten used to trigger control because I've had it about a year. I fired priming powder in the pan about a dozen times tonight to try to get used to the flinch and I got to where I maybe flinched a couple inches off the point I was aiming at 30 yards down range(archery target). I'll do that a couple times more this week and shoot it Friday to hopefully use it for this weekend's rendezvous.
Looks like you're doing the right things. Man, I didn't know how bad my flinch was until I started using the wooden flint. I was flinching just like there was a full pan of primer in the pan. Silly, really. I knew I had a long way to go, then.
Just stick with it. I think the bench idea is good. I do that just to remind myself that the rifle shoots straight and it's ME that needs to fix something about the way I'm shooting. If you loose total confidence in either yourself or your rifle it is hard to recover.
Just stick with it. I think the bench idea is good. I do that just to remind myself that the rifle shoots straight and it's ME that needs to fix something about the way I'm shooting. If you loose total confidence in either yourself or your rifle it is hard to recover.
norfolk shooter
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what you should do is get a mate and you in the garage or shed and get him to cock the rifle for you. you need to have your back turned to him so you dont know if he has primed or not. fire off the action and just keep going till you dont flinch. your mate just needs to prime the pan every so often just to keep you on your toes.
GANGGREEN
45 Cal.
I'm not sure I agree with everyone about the flinching issue. Sure, dry firing is a good exercise for any sort of firearm's shooting but your brain knows all too well when you're only dry firing or using a pan charge but no main charge. It's sort of like my English Setter who knows when he has the E-collar on, he's a different animal than when he's outside without it.
I still think that the only way to get over flinching is to shoot a real load. You can minimize the flinch by shooting lighter loads and shooting off the bench and mostly be concentrating, really concentrating. Once you beat the flinch on the bench you'll become much better at following through.
I still think that the only way to get over flinching is to shoot a real load. You can minimize the flinch by shooting lighter loads and shooting off the bench and mostly be concentrating, really concentrating. Once you beat the flinch on the bench you'll become much better at following through.
flyfisher76544
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It's called repetition, we use dry firing techniques in the military to teach soldiers proper breathing and trigger squeeze. The ole dime or washer on the barrel for trigger squeeze, breathing techniques and sight picture. The main issue here is the flash in the pan, prime it and practice, practice and practice some more. :hatsoff:
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Here is a trick I was taught from the Army. I was a sniper and flinching is not acceptable so here it goes. I rarely missed 4" targets at 1000yards. Use the bench shooting with this for a bit then try off-hand.
B.R.A.S. or Bra's for short. (at 16 you will remember this name! :rotf: )
1. Breathe.
take a fairly deep breath and let it out slowly. It relaxes you and stretches your lungs. Do this before you aim.
2. RELAX!!!
this is where you bring your rifle to your shoulder and concentrate on relaxing your muscles.
3.AIM......
take a full, not deep, breath, let it out about half to two thirds(holding a deeper breath makes you shake or quiver), hold breath, aim your target....
4. Squeeze...
squeeze the trigger. Like pushing a marshmallow. It should surprise you when it goes off.
Make this a fluid process.
Practice, practice and practice this.
Couple other pointers. Use your fingertip for the trigger. Between the tip and the first crease. Any other place and you will jerk the trigger. I use the very tip. Your control is better there.
If you are net feeling it with the process then start over. It is like golf. A perfect set-up and you just know it. Then the ball goes where it wants to anyway :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: !!!
Try that for a bit. Patience and you will succeed young Padawan.
Good luck. :thumbsup:
Cheers, DonK
B.R.A.S. or Bra's for short. (at 16 you will remember this name! :rotf: )
1. Breathe.
take a fairly deep breath and let it out slowly. It relaxes you and stretches your lungs. Do this before you aim.
2. RELAX!!!
this is where you bring your rifle to your shoulder and concentrate on relaxing your muscles.
3.AIM......
take a full, not deep, breath, let it out about half to two thirds(holding a deeper breath makes you shake or quiver), hold breath, aim your target....
4. Squeeze...
squeeze the trigger. Like pushing a marshmallow. It should surprise you when it goes off.
Make this a fluid process.
Practice, practice and practice this.
Couple other pointers. Use your fingertip for the trigger. Between the tip and the first crease. Any other place and you will jerk the trigger. I use the very tip. Your control is better there.
If you are net feeling it with the process then start over. It is like golf. A perfect set-up and you just know it. Then the ball goes where it wants to anyway :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: !!!
Try that for a bit. Patience and you will succeed young Padawan.
Good luck. :thumbsup:
Cheers, DonK
