Thread: Managing recoil for a rookie shooter

Been mucking around with an 8x57 czech mauser sporter. Quite a light rifle with normal ammo. 185s at maybe 2500 and change estimated.
No recoil pad at the first play session.
After nudging 15 or so shots I was noticing it just on the shoulder.
If I'd put another 10 or 20 through it it would've been very noticeable.
Needed to fit a recoil pad and had a slip on one. Shortened the stock, fitted that and put a stock pack thingy on to get my eye in line with the scope.
The both of them made a massive difference.
It's a pussycat now.

If you worry about the "thump" of recoil as you are squeezing the trigger it's going to affect how well you shoot. You will end up losing focus or shifting your vision off target at the last second causing a shot to go astray slightly, or a lot. It's a subconscious thing as your your mind makes your body shrink away from the perceived horror of physical hurt. A little willpower is necessary to overcome this. To do so, when looking down the scope get the crosshair firmly centered on target and concentrate firmly on holding the crosshair there as you gently squeeze the trigger. Focus on nothing else but keeping the crosshair on target. When the shot goes off you might find you have barely felt any recoil. Try it and see for yourself.
A lot of good advice has been given by other posters above. The .243 is not a big hitter so adjusting to that level of recoil should not be difficult. What you will also find is when you get to mostly shooting at game recoil becomes very much a secondary sensation as everything else in the act of hunting is so much more prominent that you actually forget to even think about recoil.

Take some concrete pills

A lot of good advice above from a lot of people with a lot more experienced than me, but I've always been taught that if your body position and hold is 'correct', the crosshairs should rise roughly straight up and and straight down as you breathe in and out - resting on the target as you finish your outward breath... hold... and gently squeeze the trigger till... click (dry fire helps). Don't force it - if you hold your breath too long, finger off, and start again. Breathe in... out... squeeze. After you fire, hold the trigger in, and after recoil settles, check the point of aim. If your body position and hold is correct, the crosshairs should be roughly back on target. But also practise standing unsupported/snap shooting for that inevitable moment.

As also noted above, get used to the recoil, and shoot enough that it's not a surprise. Welcome to try my featherweight .270, which will def help you appreciate your .243.

Someone has also suggested to me in a controlled range session to let a (trusted) friend load the rifle before shooting, so you don't know if it's a live round or empty chamber. Helps with a recoil flinch no end (I have one from time to time). Obviously with trusting someone else to load your firearm, basic safety drills (visual check followed by little finger into chamber) before and after this exercise is absolutely critical - treat every firearm as loaded.

Based on my last range outing, I seem to have forgotten how to shoot well, so this is all helpful for me too!

Happy to stand corrected on any of this from the resident gurus!

Ps. You will note your concrete pill intake will reduce proportionately to the amount you practise.

Originally Posted by 30.06king

If you worry about the "thump" of recoil as you are squeezing the trigger it's going to affect how well you shoot. You will end up losing focus or shifting your vision off target at the last second causing a shot to go astray slightly, or a lot. It's a subconscious thing as your your mind makes your body shrink away from the perceived horror of physical hurt. A little willpower is necessary to overcome this. To do so, when looking down the scope get the crosshair firmly centered on target and concentrate firmly on holding the crosshair there as you gently squeeze the trigger. Focus on nothing else but keeping the crosshair on target. When the shot goes off you might find you have barely felt any recoil. Try it and see for yourself.
A lot of good advice has been given by other posters above. The .243 is not a big hitter so adjusting to that level of recoil should not be difficult. What you will also find is when you get to mostly shooting at game recoil becomes very much a secondary sensation as everything else in the act of hunting is so much more prominent that you actually forget to even think about recoil.

My question wasn't so much around the backwards thump of the rifle into my shoulder. The part is fine and I can manage that. My question was more around how to handle the front end jumping up - if that makes sense.

Thanks for the advice, definitely need to work on my breathing technique.

1) supressor (e.g. dpt)
2) limbsaver butt pad (relatively cheap and models for most guns), made a big difference on our 308.

Originally Posted by Tall kiwi

My question wasn't so much around the backwards thump of the rifle into my shoulder. The part is fine and I can manage that. My question was more around how to handle the front end jumping up - if that makes sense.

Thanks for the advice, definitely need to work on my breathing technique.

hang on to it..... LOL
you will do just fine...looking forward to photo of you with a goat sometime very soon.

Originally Posted by Tall kiwi

Not sure if my title is very good but meh. What I want to know is how can I get the most out of my rifles so that I am as accurate as possible.

With my .243 it has quite a bit of kick compared to my .22lr obviously. The snug shoulder fit against the buttstock, steady breathing, no flinching, gentle trigger pull I can understand and somewhat do.

What I don't know is what do I do about the recoil of the centrefire? With my forward hand do I hold the rifle tight and try "fight" the upwards recoil? Or do I "go along" with the recoil? Cheers

I find being well loaded on the bipod and pulling the stock into my shoulder...especially with my bottom two fingers (which is why I prefer a vertical grip). I dont hold the front end at all because I need that hand to set up the rear bag.

Originally Posted by Tall kiwi

My question wasn't so much around the backwards thump of the rifle into my shoulder. The part is fine and I can manage that. My question was more around how to handle the front end jumping up - if that makes sense.

Thanks for the advice, definitely need to work on my breathing technique.

Stock shape and body position have a lot to do with that one. What you're talking about is muzzle rise, and I'm going out on a limb and maybe thinking you want to control that a bit better so you can get back on target sooner for a follow up shot?

Search out Mark and Sam after work (4AW) on youtube, and also Phillip Velayo (Modern day Sniper.) They explain things really well as far as technique and shooting position in various videos.

Given time and plenty of ammo, paying a little attention to how the scope lifts with the shot can tell you a bit about your technique was for that shot. If you're nice and comfortable, have a stock shape that isn't too rubbish and you're playing around with some mild magnification ranges (12x or less) you'll know a good shot when you make it. The scope lifts nice and vertical just a little and settles back very close to where you were looking, or even better the rifle pushes straight back into your shoulder and you're straight back on target (VERY good trigger control, rifle and body positioning working together). Conversely, you'll know when you pulled a shot as well, the scope won't lift cleanly. Milder recoiling calibres, creedmoor, .243, etc and smaller are great for getting a feel for this pretty easily, and anything that thumps a bit harder the thump in the shoulder is a bit more of a distraction from the way the shot feels until you learn to ignore it.

Works great with a .22 and long range plinking as well. You know in the second or more it takes for the bullet to hit the plate whether it actually will or not based on how it all felt the moment the trigger broke.

Don't hold the fore stock, place your front hand under your back arm behind the elbow-focus solely on the cross hair staying still on target as the you slowly increase squeeze pressure let the shot surprise you,if getting movement release pressure and start again.Once you get more experience you can anticipate and make the squeeze.open both eyes get used to shooting this way as holding one eye shut is another tensing exercise that works against being relaxed.

Try resting that spare hand on top of the scope.works for me.
Mostly just shoot,shoot ,shoot as much as you can.
Go out and shoot rocks,banks,magpies rabbits etc

Originally Posted by Yesmate

Don't hold the fore stock, place your front hand under your back arm behind the elbow-focus solely on the cross hair staying still on target as the you slowly increase squeeze pressure let the shot surprise you,if getting movement release pressure and start again.Once you get more experience you can anticipate and make the squeeze.open both eyes get used to shooting this way as holding one eye shut is another tensing exercise that works against being relaxed.

otherwise refered to as the hug yourself method LMFAO...... to each thier own.

I thought for a minute you were taking the piss but clearly not!
Its a suppressed .243 for goodness sake producing about 8 or 9 lbs of recoil- just hang on to the bloody thing
Its a ladies/ kids rifle

Originally Posted by Bos

I thought for a minute you were taking the piss but clearly not!
Its a suppressed .243 for goodness sake producing about 8 or 9 lbs of recoil- just hang on to the bloody thing
Its a ladies/ kids rifle

Sounds like he is having more trouble with the muzzle jump (from a poor fitting rifle maybe?) than the actual recoil as such
@Tall kiwi, what rifle is it?

I got muzzle jump and poor results from 'self hug' method. I hold the forewood and get acceptable results. I might re-visit the 'hug me' method some time for experience as I found the stability on target good pre shot.