Flinching?

[bigbearbear]

Sometimes when I shoot trap at Coyote Valley, I'll forget that I still have the safety engaged and call pull, then when I try to squeeze the trigger nothing happened. I noticed that when I make this mistake, I also sort of lurch forward a little, like I'm going to fall forward.

Is this because I'm anticipating the recoil of the shotgun and is flinching?

[midlife]

I wouldn't call it a flinch. That's more like when you freeze up during normal shot. But I might be wrong. In any event you need to work on something...not sure what though.

[midlife]

What you describe is similar to when I get no bird, but am moving gun already. Also bad form.

[Thefeeder]

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There are different forms of fliching.....what the Op discribed is one

[m16]

Yes you are flinching.

Do the same as you would with a rifle or a pistol, get some dummy rounds and practice with those.

[Chewy65]

It may be a flinch but you may simply be reacting to the inability to pull the trigger. If you reload or know someone who can make up a couple of reloads for you, try this.

Have them made up without powder and a fired primer from the same hulls you normally shoot. Best if they are once fired hulls. The idea is they pretty much are like snap caps, but not obvious dummy rounds. Replace some live rounds with these at random (2 or 3 per box).

When you shoot, avoid looking directly at your loads so as not to notice if they primer is expended. If when you pull the trigger on them you still move like you describe, it is probably a flinch.

This is a variation of having a shooting coach or a buddy load your gun for you and randomly handing you an unloaded one.

[hermosabeach]

if the people you shoot with are regulars, you can ask if they mind the following:

Load snap caps when it is not your turn to shoot.
When the shooter calls for the bird, mount your gun and dry practice as if you were shooting.
Watch for muzzle movement when you pull the trigger
Watch for correct lead and follow through as if you had shot.

[ebencikiv]

IB4BF "bruce flinch"

Back on topic sorry op had to.

I have noticed I use to do the same thing now I always check the safety before I call. It has become part of my mental checklist before I call for a clay.

The lunging forward sounds like a anticipation of recoil but I am By no means an expert.

Have you thought of taking a class with one of the members here http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=405000 I have not heard of a bad review yet seems like everyone that goes has great fun and learns a lot.

[BigDogatPlay]

What the OP describes is in part why I discourage folks I teach from putting the safety on and off between shots on the clays field. Aside from being mechanical devices that can malfunction and hence can never be relied upon, you can imprint a flinch forgetting to take it off.

[CessnaDriver]

Shoot a SW 500 magnum for a while.
Then go to a 9mm.
Flinching solved.

[wjc]

Something I do...

I make disengaging the safety as part of the shooting action so it's a muscle memory. I mount the shotgun, disengage the safety, pull the trigger, and re-engage the safety as one flow.

[Tom-ADC]

I used to load up a dummy round and slip it in a box, i had some inert primers looked good but no pow, she'll had no powder etc but plumbers putty felt like a real round but when you pulled the trigger nothing but was a good way to check for flinching. More fun was to substitute baby powder for shot & it smelled great.

[m16]

I'll probably get flamed for this, but I don't even use the safety when shooting trap.

Gun is leaned up against the stand with the action open, when I'm up I load a single round through the ejection port and close the action.

Finger stays off the trigger until I say PULL.

[kdruff2]

I get yelled at by Coach and Captain Dick every time they catch me with the safety on while shooting skeet. They keep reminding me/us that there's no need to engage the safety when you're not chambering a round until you're ready to shoot (on station).

[bigbearbear]

Thanks guys, and yes, I think I'll make it a habit to simply leave the safety off and then to check again once I'm on the field. For some reasons I always automatically click the safety on after I assemble the shotgun before heading to the office to register myself.