re: hand tremors

[Type99]

Hello...

I find that after I shoot 20 or so rounds of a hard-kicking caliber like .45 ACP or .357 Sig, that I develop an involuntary tremor which makes continued shooting very difficult.  I tried shooting with a glove, even with a little more padding in the web of my shooting hand, but I still got a tremor.  It just was not as intense as without the glove. 

Has anybody else experienced this?  What did you do about it?

Cheers,
Gary

[dubber123]

Is this a long term thing, or something recently developed?  I fell about a month ago, and landed on my right wrist, and thought I just sprained it.  4+ weeks later, I'm thinking I may have cracked something, because it's still not quite right.  I tried shooting after a week or so, and got the same tremors you describe, and wonder if some type of injury may be causing your problem too.

[DWTim]

I know that really hard-kicking rounds, like full-power 454 Casulls, can eventually do nerve damage. That may be the recoil force, but I also have my own pet theory that at ~60,000 psi, a shockwave comes through the gun that is probably more damaging than the kick. If you've ever seen the results of a rifle going boom, you can see how that shock does things like turn stocks into toothpicks.

I used to get "tinglies" from 44 Magnum, but I don't get that any more. There is at least one study that points to genetics as the major contributor to "carpal tunnel" syndrome, and sometimes I wonder if folks that have that gene are susceptible to any kind of overworking of the lower arms. Are you prone to any other repetitive-action injuries? I get the shakes, too, but that's almost all the time, and it's because I've been smoking since I was 17, save for the couple years I quit.

[lisa1lacy2]

when I shoot my bisley 45 colt with realy hot I mean realy hot loads say 360gr lbt at 1100 fps I get the trimers after about 50 or so rounds and they last for a wile

[GRIMJIM]

I'm unlucky enough to suffer from tremors all the time. Sometimes it is worse than others. Caffiene makes it worse. My problem is genetic, most of my relatives have it also. I don't know if it is all physical or partly in my head. I notice that when I am calm or really confident in my surroundings I don't shake, but if I am nervous my hands shake pretty bad. I played in a few bands in my time and when I got in front of people I could barely play sometimes. But with time it stopped happening because I was confident on stage.

I know this doesn't help at all but I figured I'd give another perspective. Talked to my dostor about it and he said all people have tremors to a degree just some worse than others. Maybe talk to your doctor about it.

[TreyAzagthoth]

i get them when i shoot a rifle or shotgun a bunch of times then switch to a handgun, i dont know how long it lasts i've never tried to check.

[STJ]

I get the same thing after shooting 25+ full house 454 loads.  I can't write worth a dang afterwards...It doesn't seem to affect my aim, as my hand only shakes if I am lightly holding something...like a pen...

It lasts from 30min to an hour depending on how long I was shooting...

[Questor]

Type99:

Will you please clarify something for me? It seems like there are two sets of interpretations to your question. One interpretation regards tremors that are induced by truly hard kicking cartridges like the 454 Casull where the hand is being damaged and is reacting with a tremor after the shooting session.

I think you're describing something different because the cartridges you named don't recoil enough to cause damage to the hand. Is it that a tremor that ruins your aim creeps into your shooting as you fire more rounds? If that is the case, then this is normal and is part of the learning process. It's related to flinching. Using the best hearing protection you can get will probably help. Shooting at an outdoor range instead of an indoor range makes a difference too.

[Questor]

Type99:

I should have been a little more helpful by suggesting that you take a break after every three rounds or so of slow fire, and after each string of rapid fire. Dry firing is important also. When it starts, just stop shooting that gun and switch to the .22 for a while.

[PaulS]

Tremors can be nerve damage as someone already posted but they can also be a symptom of reaction to blast or recoil.
I am an individual who is extremely sensitive to recoil and blast. I always wear plugs and muffs at the range or I will not only tremble but when I go to squeeze of the next round (after the tremors begin) it gets worse as I pull the trigger. It is called a flinch when it gets to that point. I can shoot 10 rounds from my 357 Maximum TC before I have to stop and shoot something else - I usually choose a 22 or some 38 loads in my 357. The tremors subside and I can go back. You are hitting yourself in your hand, wrist, forearm and elbow everytime you pull the trigger. Your muscles learn that when you pull the trigger it is always followed by an injury.It is accompanied by the blast. You need to reasure your muscles that it doesn't always happen - that is why I shoot mild loads when it begins.
Take notice of it next time and after the tremors start see if it worsens each time somebody else fires their gun. If it does then you are sensitive to the blast and recoil too. If it stays the same then I would suggest that you make a call to your doctor and explain the symptoms - you may be asked to take a nerve speed test - a check for damage to the motor control nerves. If that is ok then you are free to keep shooting to diagnose your condition  further or at least find the limits and learn to avoid it in the future.

[Type99]

Hello...

I want to thank everybody for the feedback.

My tremor does seem to worsen if I continue firing the handgun - so much so that accurate shooting is not possible, as the sights are wobbling all over the target.  I do not have hand tremors at other times.  My caffeine use is minimal, so I don't think that's a factor.  I don't drink alcohol, so it's not withdrawal tremors.

It's only when I shoot pistols.  I can handle quite a bit of recoil from big bore rifle shooting and I don't get tremors either.  I have to say right now that I think the flinching theory is probably correct.  I would like to try alternating shooting a .22 pistol for awhile when the tremors develop and see what happens, see if this helps with it.  The dry firing might help too, and that's something that I rarely do. I am reluctant to contact the doctor unless it just doesn't respond to any of these aids, but I would if nothing else seems to work.

Again, thanks,
Gary

[williamlayton]

Could be that you involuntarily develope a very tight grip after a period. I can do this with the putter when playing golf, and there is no recoil there.
I have found a solution by tightening the grip before the action and then releasing it.
Shooting reqires a firm grip but not a death grip. Try to hold with a grip which seems almost too loose and see what happens.
Blessings

[Savage]

I think the tremors may be more a result of fatigue than anything else. Try doing some isometric exercises to improve the hand, wrist, and forearm strength. (Both sides) I think it will make a big difference!
Savage

[Questor]

In my case fatigue was most aggravated by blast and noise. After I got used to that, then the fatigue came from shooting too many rounds consecutively. Now I take breaks during shooting for best performance. The tremor problem is just something to solve in training.

[PaulS]

In my case fatigue was most aggravated by blast and noise. After I got used to that, then the fatigue came from shooting too many rounds consecutively. Now I take breaks during shooting for best performance. The tremor problem is just something to solve in training.

Questor,
The tremor problem sometimes doesn't go away with training. I have been training for 45 years (thats how long I have been shooting) and I am no closer to solving the problem than I was thirty years ago. I have done everything  - including working up slowly to the full power loads of 357 and then competition. I fired 100 rounds a day - I worked my wrists and forarms to build them up and make me stronger. It has nothing to do with strength - it is a condition of the nerves. When I first started shooting it caused a bad flinch and I went back to ground zero - light loads and close targets. I worked on the flinch with 4 rounds in my cylinder and firing them blind so I could get over the flinch. I did beet that but if I shoot too long with hot loads I start to get the tremors. If I don't stop the flinch will come back and i will have to go through all that training to get back under control. I shoot less of the magnum loads and take breaks shooting the 22 or talking to people at the range. I keep my mind focused on the little things when I shoot. Target picture, sights, breathing, grip, relaxing and then I surprise myself when the gun goes off. I still dry fire a lot so the muscle memory doesn't connect pulling the trigger with the recoil and blast. The nerves get conflicting signals so they can stay unaffected for a while. Some of us just have to fight it all the time. It is never over for me.