I agree with adding weight or maybe looking at an AR-10 (good luck finding one). Too bad you can't just ask for some advice!

I shoot best with a suppressor, earplugs, and ear muffs.

I had a bad flinch for a long time after getting scoped in the forehead when I was little. It ruined me for a long time shooting anything bigger than .223. The way I got better at it was just lots of practice with smaller rounds and eventually moving up to larger calibers. I will agree that adding a heavier stock helps, and a lighter trigger, but getting a suppressor is the best thing you can do.

Suppressor makes a huge difference. Not only significantly attenuates muzzle blast, but felt recoil as well.

Makes most medium tier high powered rifles a real pleasure to shoot.

Shoot what you like Biscuit. That's why there are so many choices for us.

I'm not a fan of recoil, anyone who says they love it are liars. Yes, you will get called Karen or some other fancy, hip insult if you admit it..

Unfortunately, if you are going to hunt something which really needs a ton of energy to kill it, recoil is part of the game.

I haven't seen any Rouge Bull Elephant roaming the Hill Country, so I doubt you will have a problem.

I will learn to be careful what to post here, think before you post, there are sharks in the water who feast on members like us. Just a normal forum.

Enjoy your AR for hunting or whatever you want

Buzz you have became a local character. Buiscuit has developed a flinch and I feel like he was seeking advice before he gave up. Two different things.

To the flinch, it’s all been coverded.

Good trigger makes a giant difference.

Limbsaver pads are amazing and the best return on value for reducing recoil. $40

Hearing protection.

I used to flinch shooting everything.

After you have taken all the advice above and applied what you think will help, think of it in terms outside shooting.

Ask yourself why you flinch, and I bet the answer is your anticipating something negative happening when you pull the trigger. Then ask yourself what is the worst thing that has ever happened after the 100's, maybe 1,000's of times you've got behind the gun and pulled the trigger. You may have an unfounded fear. I've been in similar situations related to other things, like the high dive at the pool, standing at the plate and thinking I'm going to get hit. Same thing here.

I'd take 40 rounds of cheap ammo to a range. I would fire those 40 rounds as quickly, and as safely as possible and not worry about accuracy. Have one thought in mind, and that would be to staying on the rifle, behind the scope, before during and after the shot. You need to prove to yourself that it ain't that bad and it will imprint in your mind.

Best advise I have read on any forum to mitigate flinch. I used to do a drill similar to this back in my BPCR days using a double set trigger. It works!
I put my mind in a "zen" just prior to the shot. Felt like the world was lifted off my shoulders. If my sight picture moved, Id fix my natural point of aim and try again.

FJG and several others in here are spot on. As you said, it's not the recoil, it's the apprehension about the gun going off. I find after periods of not shooting regularly that I develop a flinch. Practice, practice, practice.

I’ll gladly take it off your hands lol. Can’t find much ammo besides .308, .223, 22lr, 12 gauge. Except 350 legend… no thanks…

I regularly shoot 3” and 3.5” 12 gauge shells just for grins and I have zero issues with the recoil. I also had a .243 Ruger American that was downright unbearable and make my jaw ache. So there is that.

I think adding weight would be huge. Just fill completely the buttstock and barrel channel with something like rockite. Also put a soft cheek pad on there. That could be the difference.

I have a 30/06 that is a pleasure to shoot, might be a little heavy with old steel scope. So there’s that too.

Like others have mentioned, look at adding weight. Either in the stock or via suppressor. Brakes do help alot with recoil but they also can cause flinching due to the loud concussion. I have a 300wm with a brake and heavy stock and it recoils less than my lightweight 270. I also had a cheap AK one time that kicked like a mule - the hard butt plate and lightweight furniture would actually put bruises on my shoulder. There may have been something wrong with the AK because I still remember the sharp recoil.

Or one can shoot the 577 T-Rex and everything will seem tame after that. Of course, you might have a permanent 'flinch' built in afterward.

Aaaahhh just come shoot my 300RUM a few times. Then jump back on the .308

I'm in this camp. I have a very lightweight Browning T-bolt in .17HMR that I can't shoot worth a dang, but I can hammer targets with my heavier lead chunkers. The lighter rifle, for me, exacerbates my benign hand tremors and any perceived flinch in anticipation of a hammer strike. Even with the adjustable trigger at the lowest setting it didn't get better. It got a little better when I added a heavier scope, but it still is less fun to shoot simply because I can't shoot it as well as others.

If you are not managing the recoil it’s going to manage you. So, butt of rifle needs to be as close to your centerline as possible. Cheekpiece (and bipod, and optic) needs to be high enough that you drop your head straight down on it, not laying over to get a sight picture. Your shoulders need to be squared up and completely perpendicular to the rifle. If you are sitting to the side and laying over, you’re doing it wrong.

Brakes make flinch worse in many cases. Suppressors are worth their weight in gold.

Dry fire works.