New rifle...... Flinching

[hoffbill]

I agree, dry fire {lots}. It creates muscle memory and familiarity with the trigger on the rifle you are dry firing. I also shoot my 17HMR a lot to keep my technique. I think it has purpose that dry fire alone doesn't provide which is ability to see the result down range. Any rimfire can serve this purpose. It shoots but minimal blast and no recoil. I have a 22-250 with bull barrel that is also good for this type of practice. I am old and have bad arthritis so if I shoot a lot of practice with my big boomers I turn into a wimp.

 

[Centxshooter]

I to own 338-378 Mark V. You will adopt to it believe me. Get range time and concentrate on the sight picture. BTW 250 partitions and 285 ELDM are hammers!!!

 

[Coyote01]

So I have been shooting practically my whole life. I consider myself a pretty fair shot. Last year I decided I wanna shoot farther. I'm hunting elk and I had been shooting 500 yards. Now I wanna shoot out to 1000 yards. Sounds simple right...??? Well I've got a huge education. Lol. So last year I started shooting with a good buddy who has been shooting long range for a while and he gets me hitting at 1000 pretty consistent. I was shooting a 300 RUM with 180 grain barnes bullets. After doing some research I see I'm shooting 775 ft lbs at 1000. I wanna be at least 1000 ft lbs. So I buy some 190 grain barnes LR bullets that's supposed to get me over the 1000 ft lbs. Problem is I haven't got a muzzle brake, so 180 grains have little recoil but 190's kick like a mule! I decided to buy a new rifle with a brake. I ordered a Weatherby 338-378. Sweet rifle! Now the problem is I am flinching BAD! The gun doesn't kick that bad, I think it's the brake messing with me. I never owned a gun with a brake before and it's different. With the price and availability of ammo I'm not sure what to do to quit wasting it. I can't even see what powder charge shoots best cause I can't shoot a group. Definitely not the gun it's just I'm a head case behind it. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just not sure why I'm doing it. Anyone have any ideas or pointers to help me out? Anything is much appreciated.

My advice would be this. You can either go back to a lighter caliber and get your head straight or spend hours in dry fire exercises in order to get your shooting principles back to where you want to be. Dry fire is cheap and you can do it in your back yard. Just my thoughts.

 

[nksmfamjp]

The rifle doesn't kick bad with the brake. And I'm liking the 2000 + ft lbs of kinetic energy at 1000 yards.

The fact that you can say that with a straight face is hilarious!

I shoot a 458 Lott quite a bit and think there is no way I'm shooting a 338-378 Weatherby under 20 lbs regardless of the brake!

Try a normal round like 300 PRC or 300 WSM. Those pushing 200-210 gr bullets are legit 1000yd elk rounds.

Also, maybe your brake isn't effective enough??

 

[Raudy707]

I'd agree with others on extra ear protection. That muzzle blast with the brake can really get a shooter. Lighten that trigger up to 2-2.5 lbs. Face on the gun, breathing, dry fire. Hold the trigger and follow through. So many guys forget this step. Call your shot. If you can't call your shot you're not having a certain sight picture when you pull the trigger. You're looking but not seeing the crosshairs on the bullseye. And as mentioned before take 2 guns with approximately same trigger pull. 22 or 223. Practice the basics.

 

[nocannons]

So I have been shooting practically my whole life. I consider myself a pretty fair shot. Last year I decided I wanna shoot farther. I'm hunting elk and I had been shooting 500 yards. Now I wanna shoot out to 1000 yards. Sounds simple right...??? Well I've got a huge education. Lol. So last year I started shooting with a good buddy who has been shooting long range for a while and he gets me hitting at 1000 pretty consistent. I was shooting a 300 RUM with 180 grain barnes bullets. After doing some research I see I'm shooting 775 ft lbs at 1000. I wanna be at least 1000 ft lbs. So I buy some 190 grain barnes LR bullets that's supposed to get me over the 1000 ft lbs. Problem is I haven't got a muzzle brake, so 180 grains have little recoil but 190's kick like a mule! I decided to buy a new rifle with a brake. I ordered a Weatherby 338-378. Sweet rifle! Now the problem is I am flinching BAD! The gun doesn't kick that bad, I think it's the brake messing with me. I never owned a gun with a brake before and it's different. With the price and availability of ammo I'm not sure what to do to quit wasting it. I can't even see what powder charge shoots best cause I can't shoot a group. Definitely not the gun it's just I'm a head case behind it. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just not sure why I'm doing it. Anyone have any ideas or pointers to help me out? Anything is much appreciated.

Like you i have been shooting all my life (since age 7) . Several years ago i started shooting sporting clays. Great sport and tons of fun. Age and arthur caught up with me and had to give it up. Started back into shooting rifle and could not shoot a decent group. Flinching very much effected my shooting. took my 22lr rifle and started shooting 100 to 200 rnds. at least once a week. Every shot concentrated on squeezing trigger and not blinking or jerking trigger. Claybirds at 100 yds. was good for me because i could see the the hits if i did not flinch or blink. All was cured after about 4-5 sessions at the range. Shooting a rifle as big as yours it may take a lot of concentration because you already know it has a lot of recoil.

 

[Old Rooster]

If you reload load it much lower than factory until you get used to the rifle.
That is what I had to do with my 300 weatherby mag when I first got it many years ago and now I can shoot it all day without flinching.
Killed many animals with it.
I hate brakes as I am now legally deaf because of a brake.
One caution,never ever go below minimum load in your manual.

 

[hoffbill]

Another thing that can aggravate the issue of rifles with heavy recoil is if the stock does not fit the shooter correctly. A small misalignment can make a big difference.

 

[jd palmer]

So I have been shooting practically my whole life. I consider myself a pretty fair shot. Last year I decided I wanna shoot farther. I'm hunting elk and I had been shooting 500 yards. Now I wanna shoot out to 1000 yards. Sounds simple right...??? Well I've got a huge education. Lol. So last year I started shooting with a good buddy who has been shooting long range for a while and he gets me hitting at 1000 pretty consistent. I was shooting a 300 RUM with 180 grain barnes bullets. After doing some research I see I'm shooting 775 ft lbs at 1000. I wanna be at least 1000 ft lbs. So I buy some 190 grain barnes LR bullets that's supposed to get me over the 1000 ft lbs. Problem is I haven't got a muzzle brake, so 180 grains have little recoil but 190's kick like a mule! I decided to buy a new rifle with a brake. I ordered a Weatherby 338-378. Sweet rifle! Now the problem is I am flinching BAD! The gun doesn't kick that bad, I think it's the brake messing with me. I never owned a gun with a brake before and it's different. With the price and availability of ammo I'm not sure what to do to quit wasting it. I can't even see what powder charge shoots best cause I can't shoot a group. Definitely not the gun it's just I'm a head case behind it. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just not sure why I'm doing it. Anyone have any ideas or pointers to help me out? Anything is much appreciated.

 

[jd palmer]

So I have been shooting practically my whole life. I consider myself a pretty fair shot. Last year I decided I wanna shoot farther. I'm hunting elk and I had been shooting 500 yards. Now I wanna shoot out to 1000 yards. Sounds simple right...??? Well I've got a huge education. Lol. So last year I started shooting with a good buddy who has been shooting long range for a while and he gets me hitting at 1000 pretty consistent. I was shooting a 300 RUM with 180 grain barnes bullets. After doing some research I see I'm shooting 775 ft lbs at 1000. I wanna be at least 1000 ft lbs. So I buy some 190 grain barnes LR bullets that's supposed to get me over the 1000 ft lbs. Problem is I haven't got a muzzle brake, so 180 grains have little recoil but 190's kick like a mule! I decided to buy a new rifle with a brake. I ordered a Weatherby 338-378. Sweet rifle! Now the problem is I am flinching BAD! The gun doesn't kick that bad, I think it's the brake messing with me. I never owned a gun with a brake before and it's different. With the price and availability of ammo I'm not sure what to do to quit wasting it. I can't even see what powder charge shoots best cause I can't shoot a group. Definitely not the gun it's just I'm a head case behind it. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just not sure why I'm doing it. Anyone have any ideas or pointers to help me out? Anything is much appreciated.

Change guns and shoot ,then go back and shoot the problem rifle.

 

[jarnold37]

So I have been shooting practically my whole life. I consider myself a pretty fair shot. Last year I decided I wanna shoot farther. I'm hunting elk and I had been shooting 500 yards. Now I wanna shoot out to 1000 yards. Sounds simple right...??? Well I've got a huge education. Lol. So last year I started shooting with a good buddy who has been shooting long range for a while and he gets me hitting at 1000 pretty consistent. I was shooting a 300 RUM with 180 grain barnes bullets. After doing some research I see I'm shooting 775 ft lbs at 1000. I wanna be at least 1000 ft lbs. So I buy some 190 grain barnes LR bullets that's supposed to get me over the 1000 ft lbs. Problem is I haven't got a muzzle brake, so 180 grains have little recoil but 190's kick like a mule! I decided to buy a new rifle with a brake. I ordered a Weatherby 338-378. Sweet rifle! Now the problem is I am flinching BAD! The gun doesn't kick that bad, I think it's the brake messing with me. I never owned a gun with a brake before and it's different. With the price and availability of ammo I'm not sure what to do to quit wasting it. I can't even see what powder charge shoots best cause I can't shoot a group. Definitely not the gun it's just I'm a head case behind it. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just not sure why I'm doing it. Anyone have any ideas or pointers to help me out? Anything is much appreciated.

I became friends with a gunsmith benchrest shooter many years ago. I had a 22-250 that he glass bedded and worked up an accurate load for. We shot it for group and I shot 5-6 inch group. He shot it and his group was less than an inch. He instructed me how to and as he was talking he chambered an empty case. When I pulled the trigger the gun clicked and jumped up from the front bag. My next lesson was to dry fire at target without flinching. Very difficult, even after hundreds of dry fires. He said never shoot off hand at moving target as almost no one can do that without flinching. Even with a 2 ounce trigger(which is easier to not flinch) I have to concentrate. I also have a 338-378 shooting 300 grn bullets and it has a brake. It weighs 56lbs and does not move at all when shooting. Even with that with 2 ounce trigger I have to concentrate not to flinch. The human body is programmed and it tightens up to accept the "punch" it knows is coming. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Being aware of flinching, dry firing, light trigger and more weight helped me. When shooting "light guns" I wear shoulder pad and only shoot a few rounds to keep from flinching. I have light guns for hunting when walking but no longer enjoy shooting in that environment due to all of the above. Very few that wont flinch.

 

[davidu]

OP, I feel your pain. I flinch horribly. Goes back to 60's era hunting with a Rem 700 7mag. Unfortunately, Ear protection wasn't a big thing in college days and no money to port barrel. Terrible recoil pad.
So, is the muzzle blast the culprit or the recoil, or both.
If the muzzle blast is causing the flinch then get a break with the ports going 90 degrees or slightly forward. The trade off is more recoil
If recoil, then a limb saver recoil pad will help.
The best answer will take over 11 months if you start today. Get a suppressor. Again, get a suppressor. It will solve muzzle blast and recoil.
Good luck.

 

[jackthebear]

Doesn't matter how much energy a bullet has at 1000 yards if you can't hit what you are aiming at. I would take a well placed 175 Berger from a .280AI at 1000 over a poorly placed 300gr from a .338-378 Wby any day.

Couldn't agree more on that comment. The OP should look at a 7mm of some sort.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

get a suppressor, reduced recoil and No muzzle blast