KTOG Forum - I Blinked.

dwc1973

Ex Member

I Blinked.
11/03/09 at 10:01:22

Does anyone else find themselves blinking at the last moment while firing? I have been well aware of this involuntary action and have found myself doing this quite often. Maybe I always do this and have not noticed. I'm trying to figure out a way to keep this from happening. Even when I shoot expressly for the purpose of resolving this problem I find myself unable to do so.
  One thought of mine was to use a revolver with live ammo plus spent cases. For example : 6-shot revolver loaded with 1 live round and 5 spent cases.

  (1)Load firearm
  (2)Spin cylinder so as to lose live round's place and then lock cylinder
  (3)Proceed to fire as normal until live round is found

  At times, such as performing double/triple-taps, I want to say that I can do it without blinking but I doubt that in honesty.

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Nestromo Full Member I Love YaBB 2! Posts: 132 Gender:	Re: I Blinked. Reply #1 - 11/03/09 at 10:25:33 Do you wear eye protection? This can happen to me if I do not have safety glasses on.
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torrent

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #2 - 11/03/09 at 11:01:54

+1 on the eye pro.
It is very hard to follow through with the shot if you blink. Not doing so is a trained reaction and with practice you will be able to do it without any problems. Try shooting with both eyes open and see if that helps. Starting with smaller calibers and working up is a good way to get used to the sound and recoil of the gun.

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dwc1973

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #3 - 11/03/09 at 12:45:52

Eye protection is good to go. The indoor range I frequent is up to par with the rest concerning a person's PPE. And as far as time and working my way up in calibers go, I've been around and handled firearms big and small for over a decade. I believe that is good to go as well.
Even when I manage to secure some time on private outdoor property I will notice myself blinking during my time on the line sooner or later. I know it is a completely normal reaction to sudden, loud noises but I know I should be able correct the condition. Maybe its not a big issue but it is something I feel I should correct.

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Nestromo

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #4 - 11/03/09 at 13:23:51

Have you been out of the sport for a little while? Your natural tendency to protect your eyes is built in. Try shooting some blanks (no jokes Tongue

). I doubt it is the sound. You are probably having a hard time telling your brain that the backstop that you are shooting in is going to contain the projectile. 700fps chunks of lead hauling ass back at you is a scary thought. I have cought some ricochets that have left serious whelps. I would hate to see what they would do to an eyeball.

I will say that every time I go to the range I blink when others are shooting, at least at first. It goes away after a few rounds.

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Paul_J._Nolan

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #5 - 11/03/09 at 13:58:48

Wilbur Marshall, the great Chicago Bears linebacker from the 1985 Superbowl team, once on a single play sacked the quarterback, forced a fumble, recovered the fumble, and scored a touchdown. Later, an incredulous reporter asked him how he'd done it. The trick, Marshall assured him, was to keep your eyes open. Seeing the look of surprise on the reporter's face, Marshall chuckled. "It's really difficult to hit someone at full speed and not shut your eyes, at least for an instant. But you have to train yourself to keep 'em open. It's how you make plays."

If he could learn to do it hitting linemen and quarterbacks, I'm sure you can do it while pressing a trigger.

Good luck!

Paul

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nbh40

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #6 - 11/03/09 at 14:26:37

The Air Force had this same problem with the early TV guided bombs. The Wezo/Navigator always closed their eyes or steered bomb away from the target in the last second or so before impact. It was a huge training issue to resolve.

As for range firing, this is all part of the follow-through (The shot must be released and followed through without any undue movement to the firers position) and is one of the most difficult marksmanship principles to master. Focus as much as you can on the front sight and the target, squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze the trigger, do not try to anticipate the trigger break. A good extra is to where double ear protection - internal ear plugs and Peltor type ear defenders. Basically trying to cut out all other senses from telling your eyes to close. Biggest of all try not to think about it. The more you think 'don't blink' the moor you will blink.

Also practice double-taps as this pretty-much forces you to maintain focus on your front-sight and POA.

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shooter_tx

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #7 - 11/03/09 at 14:30:02

I think you've got the right idea, at least partially, with the spent casing.

I do this in my semis with snap caps. I will load up five or six mags, and put one (occasionally two) snap caps into the mag at various places.

This is actually mostly to see if I'm being recoil-sensitive and flinching, but it should also work for blinking.

The main problem I have with / reason I have for blinking is that my eyes get dry easily, and I have allergies. I will never win a staring contest.

So, just like when I'm shooting a rifle and pull the trigger post-exhale, I use the same principle with a blink.

It's not perfect, and it's probably not recommended, but you might try it for diagnostic purposes.

If you blink and then pull the trigger, and you still find yourself still blinking, it's not dry eyes or a normal blink, but probably recoil sensitivity rearing its ugly head.

JMHO and $0.015 cents...

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TechnoTherapist

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #8 - 11/03/09 at 16:31:38

I had the same problem for a long time... started going to the range with my father from the age of 5 to the age of 16, then didn't go at all until after I turned 21. Only having one eye, I was ALWAYS blinking at the last second.

I spent two weeks shooting 800 to 1000 rounds a week, mostly practicing double taps, to train myself not to blink. Years later, I'll still revert to double tap sessions to warm up, if I find myself starting to blink when I first get to the range.

My advice? Practice as often as possible, shoot as much as possible, and practice double taps.

Cy

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lop

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Re: I Blinked.
Reply #9 - 11/03/09 at 16:52:30

I was going to suggest blinking before shooting also. Another thing, get a nice air gun. My Beeman has made me a better shooter. The Military uses Beemans to train. Because the "bullet" travel so slowly, the barrel has to be held steady longer than a fast moving fire powered projectile. This improves "after fire" skills. No bang, no kick back, 250 round for $3. What's not to love? Shoot in the rec-room on rainy days.

BTW, I thought, by the title of the thead, that you had bought a new toy. Wink

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dwc1973 Ex Member	Re: I Blinked. Reply #10 - 11/03/09 at 17:09:58 Quote: BTW, I thought, by the title of the thead, that you had bought a new toy. That will be a just bit later.
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ArcticNemo

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Training
Reply #11 - 11/04/09 at 21:40:28

Quote from lop on 11/03/09 at 16:52:30:

...The Military uses Beemans to train. Because the "bullet" travel so slowly, the barrel has to be held steady longer than a fast moving fire powered projectile...

Which military do you refer to? A few individual troops may use air rifles to practice basic targeting skills, but I can name no US force that has airguns as an official training regimen.

Hanging out with the USMC shooting team, they were absolute tyrants on dry-fire. They were also absolutely correct. When I started spending my down time running dry-fire on the range, the 9 ring was the worst I saw on any slow-fire stage.
Watch the front sight all the way to hammer drop, even more crucial with a pistol. When your trigger control or grip is weak, you will see the sight pull in one direction as the sear breaks. If you didn't see it move, you blinked.

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lop

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Re: Training
Reply #12 - 11/06/09 at 05:52:07

Quote from ArcticNemo on 11/04/09 at 21:40:28:

Quote from lop on 11/03/09 at 16:52:30:

...The Military uses Beemans to train. Because the "bullet" travel so slowly, the barrel has to be held steady longer than a fast moving fire powered projectile...

Which military do you refer to? .

I was repeating unverified scuttle butt I ran across when I was looking into air guns. I mean, come on, it was in the internets, dosen't that make it true? Roll Eyes

That being said, I do find it a helpful tool for trigger, breathing, money control.

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It’s a darn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word. Andrew Jackson

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ZeppelinTSi YaBB Newbies I Love YaBB 2! Posts: 15	Re: I Blinked. Reply #13 - 11/06/09 at 21:39:59 I've found that doubling up on the ear protection helps keep me from blinking, especially when shooting indoors.
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