.22 cal shot into water - Critical Angle for no ricochet

R

Ragin Cajun

New member
I live on a lake. I can shoot into the lake with my .177 pellet rifle and it does NOT ricochet. I am wanting to eliminate the turtles that are making a mess. Using a .177 is very safe, but is not very effective. I would like to use my 10-22 with scope, but ABSOLUTELY do NOT want to ricochet off to the other side of the lake.

Does anyone know the critical angle involved here? Maybe first hand experience in shooting into water?

I'm going to guess the angle at my favorate spot behind some pine trees is about 20 degrees down to the shore line. Does it matter if the lead is round nose or hollow point? I would guess hollow point would be LESS apt to ricochet.

You help will be appreciated
 
Dynamite works good!
I am assuming that you are shooting at turtles on the surface. If they are under water you need to think about paralax. Your angle should be good, however is the area populated? If so you might be infringing on some laws that could result in trouble with the local authorities!
 
I grew up on a lake and have potted a bunch of turtles.

Two ideas - one, build something for them to sun themselves on and shoot'em off of it. Two, a trap works very well. Lot less noisy as well. A simple cage of wire mesh with a cone shaped entrance and a chicken neck tied inside works well.

The critical angle to eliminate skips is pretty steep. IIRC, something over 30 degrees. Thought about putting up a deer stand and getting some pre-season practice in?

Giz
 
I don't know that you can safely predetermine an angle & shooting at stuff in the water's not safe.

That from many years of doing it (long, long ago).

Water doesn't have any specific standard plane. There's many ripples & waves, etc. Depending upon where the bullet hits "the water" relative to any ripple, etc., it could actualy vary the angle by quite a bit.

.22s really don't have all that much velocity to "blow up" when they hit water and are pretty notorious for ricochettes - HP or solids. Ever consider that you could get a ricochette off the turtle's shell?

It would suck to shoot somebody across the lake.

If you were shooting down from a bluff or tree at 45 deg or so, you probably won't have any problem, but it doesn't seem too safe.

Pretty much one of those no-nos in safety classes.
 
As an expert in the field I will have to agree with labgrade. In the distant past I have fired thousands of rounds at turtles in or near the water with a large variety of firearms in many different calibers. I usually had the advantage of having a steep bank on the other side of the water or several miles of sand and more water for a fall zone. I have never had a ricochet when firing from a bluff at a target that was nearby, 45+ degees of depression with any caliber. But I wouldn't want to bet on it.
If you can sneak up on them, figure out if they are not one of the indangered species, and cut their necks with a Gerber then you will be in business!
Hank
 
Turtle plinkin'! My favorite sport.
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Although, I have to agree with the above cautions. It is definitely not safe or even predictable. I can do it because our pond is surrounded by woods and trees and anything that ricochets hits trees only.
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R6...aka...Chris
 
Outside of shooting paper pinned to a vertical dirt bank, sooner or later a .22 rimfire is gonna ricochet. That seems to be an absolute law of the .22 rimfire.
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I guess the next "absolute law" is that ricochets go wherever they want to.
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Since nobody ever truly earned the name "Nevermiss", I gotta take it for granted that if you shoot turtles on a log with a .22 rimfire, there's eventually gonna be a ricochet.

That's why God invented the .220 Swift and the 40-grain bullet.

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, Art
 
I never knew that turtles were such a problem. What area's do you guys live in? How big are the turtles? Are they snapping turtles? Just wondering.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Art Eatman:


That's why God invented the .220 Swift and the 40-grain bullet.

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, Art[/quote]


How about the 22-250 with the 35 grain V.max? I crank em out at about 3500 in my Rem 700 22-250 and they vaporize when they contact anything.
By the way Ragin Cajun from one Cajun to the other when you have gotten a lot of those turtles in the bag give me a holler down here in Cajun Country when the turtle sauce piquant is cooked and I will gladly help you eat it
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Carlyle
 
I clearly remember back about 30 years ago when I was a kid fishing with my little brother on a lake when some jerk decided to plink a couple of turtles just off shore. I can still hear the wizzzzz a the .22 just missed us over 1500' away! I yelled an screamed but he didn't pay any attention. We ended up heading to the nearest shore asap and I ran to catch the #$$%ard but he was already gone. I'll never forget it, however.
FYI
Rome
 
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