Blinking

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Does anyone have some tips for involuntary blinking when firing? I feel pretty good with the basics of handgun and rifle, but I still find myself blinking a lot when firing. I don't do it every shot, but enough to be annoying. It usually doesn't throw my shot, but every once in a while it does. I don't do it during dry fire exercises.

Maybe I should stop shooting the mosin so much? :P
Meh.

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Re: Blinking

3
If you have a trustworthy friend who'll go with you, try this. It's what I used to train the flinch out of n00bs.

While you're on the line, hand your gun to your friend, who's beside you. Then turn around, so you can't see what he's doing. Friend either loads a live round, or doesn't, then puts the safety on. Then he taps you on the shoulder, you turn back around and take the gun. The idea is that you don't know whether the bang is coming, so you're forced to concentrate. It may take several back-and-forths before you get it down, but it works.
Those who know what's best for us / Must rise and save us from ourselves - Rush, Witch Hunt

Re: Blinking

4
coinneach wrote:If you have a trustworthy friend who'll go with you, try this. It's what I used to train the flinch out of n00bs.

While you're on the line, hand your gun to your friend, who's beside you. Then turn around, so you can't see what he's doing. Friend either loads a live round, or doesn't, then puts the safety on. Then he taps you on the shoulder, you turn back around and take the gun. The idea is that you don't know whether the bang is coming, so you're forced to concentrate. It may take several back-and-forths before you get it down, but it works.
You can also try something like this by yourself if you use metal snap caps, plastic snap caps don't work as well. Mix your ammo with one or two metal snap caps, then load magazine or weapon with eyes closed.

Even better if someone does it for you though, as coinneach has suggested. In this case, plastic snap caps shoudl be fine.

Xela
"We are all born mad. Some remain so." Waiting for Godot

"...as soon as there is language, generality has entered the scene..." Derrida

Re: Blinking

5
Xela wrote:
coinneach wrote:If you have a trustworthy friend who'll go with you, try this. It's what I used to train the flinch out of n00bs.

While you're on the line, hand your gun to your friend, who's beside you. Then turn around, so you can't see what he's doing. Friend either loads a live round, or doesn't, then puts the safety on. Then he taps you on the shoulder, you turn back around and take the gun. The idea is that you don't know whether the bang is coming, so you're forced to concentrate. It may take several back-and-forths before you get it down, but it works.
You can also try something like this by yourself if you use metal snap caps, plastic snap caps don't work as well. Mix your ammo with one or two metal snap caps, then load magazine or weapon with eyes closed.

Even better if someone does it for you though, as coinneach has suggested. In this case, plastic snap caps shoudl be fine
Xela
I have some snap caps for my XDm, so ill try this next time I find some .40 or .357 Sig.

It's always been a weird habit of mine. Its very inconsistent in when it happens. I do find now that I practice with both eyes open, it does happens less. I'd just like to get rid of it completely.
Meh.

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Re: Blinking

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Good advice above. Extensive dry fire practice, focus on the trigger press and, to a lesser extent, the front sight has reduced my involuntary reactions during slow fire. One of my favorite semi-auto pistol range drills diagnoses anticipation and simultaneously enhances other skills (you can skip the holster work if that's not a goal).

Prepare as many mags as you can by loading 1 cartridge into each. Remove magazine, clear pistol, and holster. Draw and engage target as you would in live fire. This will be dry fire, of course. Speed is not a factor. Rack (reset trigger) and re-holster after each repetition. Repeat 4 times. After the 4th rep, insert a mag with a single live round and chamber before holstering. Draw, fire, drop the mag and go back to the dry fire reps. 4 dry, 1 live. Repeat the sequence 10 times. Involuntary responses will become obvious during the dry reps.

It really helps if you have a semi-auto pistol without a magazine safety for this, although you can use empty mags if necessary. Just makes it a little trickier to reset trigger without locking back. Hope it helps.

Re: Blinking

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I make sure I see the spent brass ejecting - I know I haven't squinted and still have an awareness of what is going on around me when I see that shell arcing away. If I ever start focusing too much in it, I'll have to rethink it. So far, it's helped me a lot.
The Drop Bear, Thylarctos plummetus, is a large, arboreal, predatory marsupial related to the Koala.

Re: Blinking

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I do try to watch for a muzzle flash, but I dont think I ever paid much attention to ejecting brass. May try that.

I do dry firer drills a lot when I'm bored, but it never seems to follow me to the range when it comes to this.
Meh.

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Re: Blinking

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Is it affecting your score/accuracy? I never really even noticed this blinking thing, will try to pay attention next time.
Seems to me if you're hitting what you're pointing at, in the distance you train, blink away! :happy:
Most of this shooting thing for me lies in the mental trick of believing that what's happening out in front is no bigger deal than opening the pop-top on a PBR.

Once I get into that "no big deal", confident that "I can shoot accurately" zone, the thing takes care of itself.

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"il corporativismo è la pietra angolare dello Stato fascista" Translated, this means: "boom-shacka-lacka-lacka,-boom-boom-boom.

Re: Blinking

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Snap caps or ball & dummy drill are good ways to show someone they are flinching or anticipating recoil.

Best advice has been given. Focus on the sight picture and try to spot the muzzle flash. If you are slowly squeezing the trigger and not punching off the shot, it will surprise you and the shot will be off before you can flinch. That requires your gun having a different trigger.

If you are shooting double action, don't try to stage or "pre-cock" the trigger. Whether SA or DA, use a continuous squeeze and make it the same every time.

Part of it is just getting accustomed to the report and recoil. It might also help to "work up" and master shooting without blinking or flinching with a cartridge that has a lesser report and recoil.
On the waaaaay.... (it's a turret thing)

Re: Blinking

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No doubt, a clean-breaking trigger with minimal overtravel does not hurt! I replaced a stock Colt 6920 trigger with a Geissele SSA and turned a meh rifle into something even SwampGrouch likes.
Plus it made me an inch taller and a better guitarist too.
"il corporativismo è la pietra angolare dello Stato fascista" Translated, this means: "boom-shacka-lacka-lacka,-boom-boom-boom.

Re: Blinking

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Bit of an update. Finally got out and went shooting again. Figured shooting my K-frame with randomly loaded chambers was a good way to work on my blinking, since I wouldn't know which was live when I pulled the trigger. Seems almost none of my blinking was in anticipation, but response to the gun going off. Still annoying. On the bright side, found some 9mm so I could try out an FN mkII Hi Power I picked up. I think my XDm is going to get a lot less love now.
Meh.

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Re: Blinking

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Have you tried asking a friend to come over and bang a spoon on a pot or pan at random intervals behind you? Sort of a dry fire equivalent of using a laser gun to suppress jerking the shot.

Practice keeping your eyes open when you hear the bang.


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Re: Blinking

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Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Blinking is generally related to nervousness. A high blink rate, for example, is generally an solid indicator of deception.

More reps = less nervousness.
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