What do you consider a "chip shot"

[ianpadron]

Obviously conditions influence your comfortable shooting distance, but, overall I'm curious what some of you more seasoned long range guys consider a "chip shot" under normal conditions.

I shot my first centerfire rifle at age 22 and couldn't hit a 12" gong from the bench at 300 yards LOL

Almost 10 years later I don't really think too much out to 500 or so unless the wind is really buckin', but know there are fellas who can push way past that before the thinking cap goes on.

So what's your "chip shot" range where you know a critter is a dead critter walkin' and what are some practice/technique methods that got you there?

 

[Hnthrdr]

I would say under 300 for me. I am by no means an amazing rifle shot but consider myself pretty proficient with my rifles. I draw the line for myself personally around 550-600 (under ideal conditions of course). Had my longest kill shot this year at 495, it was great bullet did exactly what it was supposed to but that is a looooong way (for me).

I get guys can shoot way further than me but I am very time limited these days as far as practice goes. A lot of habits came from re-learning basic rifle marksmanship/ fundamentals of shooting in the army, and honing it spending time with a sniper section I was helping lead. I think the best training that I get in is dry fire with my bigger bore center fire rifles (6.5&.308) , but ultimately, shooting rocks and shooting coyotes with a .223 bolt action

 

[blkqi]

If the target (i.e. kill zone) is larger than the rifle's precision plus windage then it's a chip shot.

 

[Magma]

When a deer or rodent just walk up to my backward. Everyone sure love that.

 

[MallardSX2]

1000 yards and under.

 

[hereinaz]

I went to local PRS matches and NRL Hunter for practice and fun. 80 to 100 rounds under pressure per day.

I stopped going to the range and went to the mountains on a hike and practiced on rocks in the field.

I learned how to shoot off a tripod and can set up and use it in a hurry. I practiced picking a rock then setting up as fast as I could and shooting.

I practiced my entire shot process so it is automatic and outside of conscious effort. I can focus on the animal and wind. I simplified and concentrated on quick and effective processes, economy of motion, ease of access, simple gear.

500 and in feels like a chip shot in good conditions and with time.

 

[ianpadron]

If the target (i.e. kill zone) is larger than the rifle's precision plus windage then it's a chip shot.

Good way to think about it

 

[ianpadron]

I went to local PRS matches and NRL Hunter for practice and fun. 80 to 100 rounds under pressure per day.

I stopped going to the range and went to the mountains on a hike and practiced on rocks in the field.

I learned how to shoot off a tripod and can set up and use it in a hurry. I practiced picking a rock then setting up as fast as I could and shooting.

I practiced my entire shot process so it is automatic and outside of conscious effort. I can focus on the animal and wind. I simplified and concentrated on quick and effective processes, economy of motion, ease of access, simple gear.

500 and in feels like a chip shot in good conditions and with time.

I like your focus on processes, no different than any other physical+mental task really, go slow to go fast.

I'll have to try the pick a rock and then hit it for speed thing...would probably be cool to run that drill with a buddy and have them locate said rock, direct you to it, and get a shot off. That situation tends to arise frequently in the field.

 

[hereinaz]

I like your focus on processes, no different than any other physical+mental task really, go slow to go fast.

I'll have to try the pick a rock and then hit it for speed thing...would probably be cool to run that drill with a buddy and have them locate said rock, direct you to it, and get a shot off. That situation tends to arise frequently in the field.

Exactly, a buddy makes it fun. Go shoot 10 cold bore shots and you will learn a lot of good stuff. Follow the cold bore with 2 or 3 shots for practice.

I thought I was good until I went to a match. They teach you so many things about your process and skill.

The gamer aspect of PRS is a distraction, a varmint rifle in 6.5 creed or 6 creed and a few matches will make shooting real. No need to get into it deep.

 

[Wrench]

A can of paint and rocks make great reactive targets. Underground marking paint will vanish in the sun over time.

Chip shots to me depends on the weather, shot direction and my mental game. Could be 800.....could be 4.

 

[S.Clancy]

I'm gonna say anything that doesn't need to be dialed for, or "point on". For my rifle that is like 340 yds and in. Anything that you can screw up by improperly dialing is not a "chip shot" cause you need to use brain power.

 

[TaperPin]

I feel like there’s a 95% chance of making the first shot to 500 yards under average conditions. Just throw down a pack, read yardage and Bang Bang. Past that, trajectories really drop, ranging errors due to equipment or topography are much more important, and a time of flight near half a second combined with reaction time for the trigger pull of 1/3 second allows a lot to happen before the bullet shows up. A 2 moa hold for 10 mph of wind works at any range to 500 yards - even if you’re off by 50% it’s a dead deer.

My nephew is a good example of many shooters - he will ring the 12“ plates at the range clear to 700 yards, but will make a shot at game that’s off by 3 moa. *chuckle* There’s a lot going on in a person’s head when a shootable animal appears - ranging, fancy shooting solutions, variable power scopes, complicated bipods, getting a rear shooting bag to work, dealing with terrain, dealing with vegetation, all can quickly overload someone taking away concentration needed for the actual shot. If it takes so long the deer simply walks behind a tree your odds just went to zero.

Texas Plinking at 1000 yards is awesome because it shows how easily people break down and dial up when it should down, fail to trust wind indications, use the wrong dope card, and just generally have mental malfunctions under pressure. I guarantee I’m more excited when years of hard work finally pay off and a big deer is in my sights! Lol

 

[TaperPin]

I grew up shooting rocks and the first shot is really the only one that counts - we take turns picking out a rock, and there’s only one shot each, then on to the next rock. When someone says they can shoot to a certain distance, I’ll hang a paper plate and they get one shot.

 

[180ls1]

Every animal I have lost has been under 250 yards and rushed. My best shots have been 200-500 with time on my side.

 

[ianpadron]

I feel like there’s a 95% chance of making the first shot to 500 yards under average conditions. Just throw down a pack, read yardage and Bang Bang. Past that, trajectories really drop, ranging errors due to equipment or topography are much more important, and a time of flight near half a second combined with reaction time for the trigger pull of 1/3 second allows a lot to happen before the bullet shows up. A 2 moa hold for 10 mph of wind works at any range to 500 yards - even if you’re off by 50% it’s a dead deer.

My nephew is a good example of many shooters - he will ring the 12“ plates at the range clear to 700 yards, but will make a shot at game that’s off by 3 moa. *chuckle* There’s a lot going on in a person’s head when a shootable animal appears - ranging, fancy shooting solutions, variable power scopes, complicated bipods, getting a rear shooting bag to work, dealing with terrain, dealing with vegetation, all can quickly overload someone taking away concentration needed for the actual shot. If it takes so long the deer simply walks behind a tree your odds just went to zero.

Texas Plinking at 1000 yards is awesome because it shows how easily people break down and dial up when it should down, fail to trust wind indications, use the wrong dope card, and just generally have mental malfunctions under pressure. I guarantee I’m more excited when years of hard work finally pay off and a big deer is in my sights! Lol

That's how I feel about 500 and in as well, it'd be a surprise if I missed. Out past 600 small wind call errors in particular are my limiting factor right now.

Good point on the fact that hunting often presents hard to replicate conditions like nerves, heavy breathing, natural features, etc. Prone off a pack is so much easier than pretzled on the side of a 35 degree avalanche chute in a scree field with a heart rate of 140.

Adding pressure to practice is something I need to do more of.

 

[TaperPin]

Adding pressure to practice is something I need to do more of.

We didn’t think of it as adding pressure to each shot, but only allowing yourself one shot per target really raises the stakes mentally - it’s all or nothing. Lol

I’m quite new to dialing and having to pay much more attention to a more exact shooting solution - a new challenge is nice. I’ll be happy to be reliable at 600 yards for hunting.

 

[Macintosh]

To me a chip shot is one with a very high hit probability. Assuming a rock solid shooting position—prone or as-stable as prone—and plenty of time, Im going to go out on a limb and say its 500 yards in IDEAL conditions. Add in much of any wind (or lack of easy visibility of wind) and its much shorter. Same with position, time, angle, terrain and other factors. 500 is +\- the range where small ranging errors, mirage, up/downdrafts, etc have surprised me—below 500 these seem to be small enough factors that they haven't seemed to affect outcome noticeably. If conditions arent very high probability I wont take the shot, so this answer for a “chip shot” is the same as my max range.
Also Im not a experienced long range hunter, just an experienced hunter with some basic/moderate long range steel experience, so add a dash of salt.

I also think the cold bore challenge threads are an eye-opener in this regard. An awful lot of people missed on shots they thought they could make. Im no different.

(Edited to clarify my own hyperbole and nuance)

 

[Formidilosus]

For everyone saying 400+ yards is a “chip shot”, how many shots on animals have you taken at 400 plus yards, and how many were first round hits in the chest?

 

[hereinaz]

That's how I feel about 500 and in as well, it'd be a surprise if I missed. Out past 600 small wind call errors in particular are my limiting factor right now.

Good point on the fact that hunting often presents hard to replicate conditions like nerves, heavy breathing, natural features, etc. Prone off a pack is so much easier than pretzled on the side of a 35 degree avalanche chute in a scree field with a heart rate of 140.

Adding pressure to practice is something I need to do more of.

Once I learned how to use a tripod, shooting positions became so much easier. It’s fast the way I practice, and I may take a second more setting up but I take less time settling into the shot.

Try burpees before shooting.

Learn how to control nervous breathing with box breathing and visualization.

Dry fire as part of the whole shot process. Always visualize the big buck, bull, or ram. Get pictures of animals in the mountains and dry fire on them. Having your mind go to your shooting process helps avoid buck fever. I always get the shakes and fever after the shot.

Hyperventilate while moving by breathing deeper and faster than you need, the blood stays oxygenated and heart rate settles much faster when you stop. Breath faster than you need when moving, then you don’t have to breath as hard when you stop.

 

[Overdrive]

In actually hunting situation 400 yards