Re: Flinching by closing the shooting eye
The blink is not the cause of a flinch, it's a symptom. Flinch is the direct consequence of jerking the trigger.
If it comes before the break, it's a symptom of a flinch, caused by jerking the trigger. If the mind/subconscious <span style="font-style: italic">knows</span> when the shot is about to break, natural reflexes will shut the eye just as the trigger is jerked, and the blink will precede the break.
If it comes after the break, it is a natural reflex action caused by the noise and recoil; and all shooters will naturally do it.
Trying to force it to disappear will not contribute to good marksmanship. It will only distract the shooter from the proper execution of the marksmanship basics.
A smooth, progressive application of force to the trigger will help defeat the body's natural tendency to anticipate the noise and recoil that always accompanies the breaking of the shot.
I will not try to insist that good shooters never know exactly when the break is immediately imminent, but they <span style="font-style: italic">will</span> allow themselves to concentrate on the sight picture, rather than on the sear disengagement. How successful they become at this can be confirmed by having an observer watch for the blink. After the shot, OK; before the shot, not OK.
Greg