How do I get rid of tension?

[keithcandler]

If you are shooting a heavy kicker, then the anticipation of getting slapped is hard to break. Lighter recoiling rifles/calibers help tremendously.

Comfortable shooting conditions help, correct bench height, correct chair height, rest height, etc.

Try and focus on the cross hair, and do your best to remember where the cross hair was as the trigger broke.

I love light triggers.

 

[066wally]

Relax. Squeeze the trigger slow and even. The shot should surprise you. Shoot a lighter recoiling rifle. Shoot more while not thinking about work or your boss or your overdue bills, etc. Enjoy the range time.

 

[milo-2]

Sorry, but I think you have put so much pressure and stress on yourself to accomplish a small task that until you back away and approach it from differing angles, the frustration will be there.
I cannot tell you what needs to be done, but it is rare that I would stay in the game when things are not going right, pack up and try tomorrow. What actually hinges on these groups? Your boss is not going to fire you, your wife will not leave you, truthfully, there is no pressure, lol
I am a 50% group shooter at 100 yards at best. At 500 I can bat close to 80% good days, maybe that may work for you. Too me, it is the sight picture at distance, I cannot force or manipulate the point of aim like I can at 100. Plus, the rifle needs to be set right, and you take the time to do it rather than making the wrong adjustments.

 

[Hoppsing55]

Assuming you're shooting a rifle with felt recoil. Do you have the same tension issues if shooting a 22 LR?

I think Beaver10 might be onto something. I spend quite a bit of time on the range, and find that a "flinch" can start to creep in after prolonged session(s), with heavy recoil rifles. I re-adjust my technique by putting the heavy hitters aside for awhile and shoot my 10/22, for a period of time.

 

[Orange Dust]

This might sound weird, but I developed this very thing years ago in archery. They call it target panic. The cure my coach gave me helped me with all my shooting, rifles, pistols and especially shotguns. Try it first with a rifle with little or no recoil. The secret is simply said: Look at the target. Look through the cross hairs and focus on the spot you want to hit. Do not focus on the reticle. Although they appear in the same plane, focus on the exact spot you want the bullet to go. Easier said than done, but it will work.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

I'm working on fine tuning my "shot cycle" and have determined that I usually have tension build up in my neck and shoulder as I'm about to break the shot. This is preventing my ability to group shots into less than 1/2". I think my follow through is pretty good. I keep the trigger pressed back and my head on the stock through recoil. I find that having the rear bag firm is very important to avoid vertical stringing.

So, if any of you have had to work through lingering recoil anticipation problems, what did you do to cure it?

Something that happened this past weekend that made it painfully obvious to me that I have a problem. I was shooting 3-shot groups off the bench. ( 3 shots is about all I can do and keep it together at this time ) Starting the next group I did some dry fire practice then placed a cartridge into the ejection port and closed the bolt. I did my best to get calm and relaxed and break the shot at the bottom of the breathing cycle. I had to keep breathing and waiting until the tension wasn't building before increasing pressure on the trigger to break the shot. I felt that it was a good shot. I then did some more dry fire cycles and placed a cartridge into the ejection port. A friend had a question so I paused to chat for a minute. Then I went back to doing some dry fire. ( I forgot that i had placed a cartridge into the ejection port ) I closed the bolt, got relaxed and tension free and broke the shot at the bottom of the breathing cycle. Talk about a surprise break!! My follow through was good. I looked through the scope wondering where the heck that shot ended up. Well, it was basically in the same hole as my first shot. Wowzer! If I could do that each time I could get a good idea of just how well that rifle can shoot.

What caliber are you shooting...

 

[30BR]

(sorry - redundant)

 

[hoffbill]

A lot of it for me is muscle memory. If I spend several range sessions shooting big boomers a lot it will develop a flinch. I am old and arthritic so I am just not able to endure recoil like I used to. My solution is what several others have mentioned. Lots of dry fire and lots of 17HMR rimfire rounds do more for my accuracy than shooting a lot of high powered ammo. It develops muscle memory and confidence. Another method I use to check technique is turn a high power scope up to 16 to 24 power at 50 or 100 yds and do dryfire. This give full magnification of any movement I am putting into the rifle. And I can see my heartbeat so I know it is still working.

 

[Orange Dust]

There is also a secret to learning to shoot guns that kick. It is simply to shoot it a little, often. For example, take a .223 or similar and your big rifle to the range. Shoot the little rifle till it gets hot, then shoot the big one once or twice. Rest till the little one cools, repeat. You might spend a day at the range and fire only 5-10 shots in the big gun. Go as often as you can. Work your way into it.

 

[keithcandler]

The sub conscience does a lot to form bad habits. My dad could never get over slapping the trigger instead of squeezing the trigger, neighbor does this also. This comes from a lot of shooting of military calibers with steel butt plates when they were younger.

The trend toward light kicking rifles with great recoil pads is helping a lot of shooters, limbsave air tec recoil pad is really great, and they make a slip on model.

I shoot muzzle breaks on every rifle I shoot including Rem 700 223's, and I see bullet impact on the animal. Electronic ear muffs sure help in hearing deer grunt, snort wheeze, rattle, etc....I would not be in the woods without them.

 

[DT400]

Are you talking about recoil anticipation/flinching? Try a better recoil pad and/or use a shoulder pad when at the bench. I have a light 30-06. I can shoot it just fine for several shots (I/E hunting shots aren't an issue) with just the recoil pad but if I am sitting at the bench I will use a shoulder pad as well and that way I can focus on shooting not the recoil.

Darrell

 

[ssineden]

As a suggestion. Try taller scope mounts. Use to be we liked as low as possible scope mounts. But this result in tons on neck and shoulder tension as you tilt the head to view thru the scope.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Lots of good suggestions here. A little more info on my situation. I'm an "older" guy shooting an AI-AT rifle in .308 Win. It's a heavier rifle with a Badger muzzle brake. The AI trigger is at 3.5 lbs. That's as low as I can get it. My general shooting ability with this rifle results in 1/2 to 3/4 moa. I'm trying to get to a more consistent 1/4 moa.

I'll try more shooting with a .22 rimfire and more dryfire.

In my younger years I shot the 7mm Rem Mag and a .44 Mag pistol. I didn't shoot much but what it did was caused me to have a bad flinch. Over the last 15 to 20 years when I got back into shooting a worked hard to get rid of the flinch.

 

[Muddyboots]

I use to have the same problem....then I retired and voila! It went away...I don't have to cram everything every range sitting to accomplish what I want. I know I have another day to shoot.

I know this may sound simplistic but set your range goals such that you are not pushed up against any time restraints to allow yourself to "breathe" and "enjoy" while you are at the range. We all sometimes push ourselves to get everything done on a certain time line since we are all pushed for time except when you retire....

When you are trying to shoot as much as you can on any given day due to life time constraints, you certainly can generate stress tension as time slips away on that day. I know, I was once in same boat and it got worse as I sat there waiting for rifles to cool down. I would fidget and put my hand on the barrel a hundred times to gauge temp. Then years ago I started using air pumps to cool down barrel faster. Added IR temp scanner to watch the temperature drop to a certain level so I could shoot and and start the fidget cycle all over again. Thank goodness that fidget spinner wasn't around back then...

Did I mentioned I am retired?