Blink

[Tyler Holderby]

Hey fellas, I notice on my first dry fire shot I blink, I don't believe the crosshairs move at all. After the first dry fire no blink. I'm curious to if my blinking is a cause of loosing oxygen to my eye and then it starts to squint there after then blink. I also don't think I have a noticeable flitch, I've had times where I forget to take the safety off and i just continue to squeeze easy on the trigger then realize the safety is on. (Maybe that's not a good test of flinching)..I have a light trigger pull, Jewell at 1 lb..also I do hold my breathe before the shot, this is why I'm curious if its an oxygen issue when I blink due to stessing the eye and not pulling the trigger soon enough?? I've read your not suppose to hold your breathe , can't break the habit that seems most natural I guess. Thanks guys!

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Blinking doesnt mean you flinch. Its another anticipatory reaction like flinching but not the same. Do you keep both eyes open when you shoot?

 

[Tyler Holderby]

No I don't shoot with both eyes open, I'm left eye dominate and shoot right handed so things get sketchy trying to do that. ( although I get by just fine with archery with both eyes open)

 

[MudRunner2005]

No I don't shoot with both eyes open, I'm left eye dominate and shoot right handed so things get sketchy trying to do that. ( although I get by just fine with archery with both eyes open)

I am the same way! But I shoot with my left closed, and right open. Being left-dominant and right-handed makes things a bit difficult to focus your eyes sometimes. I do everything right-handed, write, shoot guns, shoot bows, fish, etc... But I am left-eye dominant. So trust me, I feel your pain.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Sometimes the tightening of muscles in your face can lead to a twitch or blink in reaction to a shot. Some people frown on this. In my humble opinion, if it happens after the break, its not a big deal. It could make your closer shots a bit more difficult to spot. So shoot further lol

I myself am a pretty flinchy individual so i look for anything i can to help me remain calm and steady.

 

[BrentM]

LOL, that was funny, shoot further. I am left eye dominant and shoot left....rifle only. Weirdo for sure. Bow is right hand, right eye, pistol is right hand, left eye. Geesh

So I have been working on keeping both eye's open for the rifle. Bow is no issue, but then again, so is no recoil, and shot follow up is easy. I have noticed if the light is good, both eye's works well, and I seem to be pretty calm feeling. Lower light and I tend to strain a bit more to focus on the target etc. I shot last week to work on low light hunting situations at long range.

I tend to agree that if the "flinch" is well after the squeeze it is normal reaction. Similar to having someone blow in your eye. Try that and see how hard it is to not blink or punch them.

 

[Tyler Holderby]

Maybe I should try an eye patch for awhile, that way I would be able keep my face relaxed and not be already squinting to close my left eye??

 

[Canadian Bushman]

I see pro's wearing blinders all the time. I dont fully understand why, but if it works do it. Id wear a sundress if i could shoot half minute groups in it.

 

[BrentM]

I have seen shooting glasses with a black out. Personally, I think you should try it with both eye's open. It costs nothing and if you like it I am sure you will notice right off your face is much more relaxed.

 

[MachV]

Being right handed/left eyed and frugle I just put a piece of black tape on the left lense of my shooting glasses. It really helps!!

 

[Tyler Holderby]

Last two days I have been working on my dry fire blink, now if this attributed to more practice or change of techniques, but I started pulling the trigger during my natural respiratory pause and I haven't blinked, so I guess I'm wondering how steady are your guys crosshairs during the breathing process before the shot?? Mine seems to move a touch while breathing but center back up before the shot and the dry fires feel good.. Thanks for all the help guys!!!

 

[Canadian Bushman]

When i use a rear bag im pretty solid the whole time. I could probably slap the trigger and not pull the gun to far off POA. Without the rear bag, i move around quite a bit, of course it varies with heart rate and how long ive been in that position. So this is the way i practice when i dry fire.

Sounds like your getting a handle on what you dont like about your technique, keep practicing and try to apply it in the field. Hope everything goes your way.

 

[BrentM]

I have a really nice recoil pad on my current LR rifle and it absorbs most of the heart rate bump. With my other rifles I had to reduce heart to 64 or less and plan a shot between beats, or pull the rifle off my shoulder to reduce bump. I try and get as much bone on stock contact as possible as well, or use a shooting vest that is designed to reduce bump.

For me, if I have time, like at a range, I take 5 deep solid breaths and the go to shallow breathing, exhale softly, squeeze. Sometimes I go ahead and hold my breath momentarily. I try, at least most of the time, to keep myself oxygenated so that might mean a do over on deep breaths. Too much shallow breathing and you will panic breath, shake, cloud out, or just be uncomfortable.

I dunno, I generally feel OK with my hold. I have a 204 that I practiced with for a couple months at 300 and was consistenly shooting .75 inch groups. That rifle is dead on so any goofs is all on me. I stretched it to 500 and I was good for 1.5" groups. That scope has big cross hair and no parallax adjustment. I notice a tad more anxiety with the 6.5-284 tho. Perhaps the bigger bang messes with our heads more than we want it too.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

I notice a tad more anxiety with the 6.5-284 tho. Perhaps the bigger bang messes with our heads more than we want it too.

I definetly agree. Bigger the boom the harder it is to stay smooth.