.224 bullet LEAST likely to ricochet on water

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swiftrocks

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This Spring I will need to kill some problem critters around and on my 2 acre pond, primarily Cottonmouths. I have a fairly wooly creek below the pond that is a constant supply of snakes. They are usually smart enough to stay out of shotgun range. I'd like to slam them from 50 - 100 yds away as they swim across the pond.

I know there are several relatively new frangible bullets on the market that manufacturers claim blow up on impact. Would they really blow up on water to the point you don't have to worry much about ricochet? I'll be shooting a .223 Rem (1:12) if I'm convinced it is safe. I have some old Hornady SX's and some VMaxes but don't think they will disintigrate enough. The closest habitation to me is 1/2 mile through some thick woods. Anyone have experience with this scenario? Any experience based suggestions on which bullets to try?

Please don't lecture me on safety. I'm trying to protect my grandkids (who love to fish) in a safe and sane manner. If this is a bad idea it won't happen. I figure that if anyone knows of a bullet for my application it would be someone on this forum. Thanks for your input..
 
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I dont think any bullet will fragment at the angle you would be shooting on the water. That is more of a glancing shot that a direct hit on the water. There is the option of some of the better shotgun shells with a tighter choke that will get out to 50 yds. They are expensive though.
 
My ex-father in law used to have a bunch of moccasins that would sunbathe in the shrubbery around a couple of his ponds/lakes on his cattle farm in SE KS and I dispatched a bunch of them with a .22 while up on the flat bed of his hay truck...

Most problems with shooting at water stems from the angle from which you are shooting... Anything less than 40 degrees and you are inviting quite a long distance ricochet...

If you shoot pavement or other solid objects at less than that angle, the bullet will tend to bounce about a distance of about 8 inches from the surface and then resume it's flight in a straight line, parallel to that surface, whether it is hitting pavement or a brick wall...For some reason, water can elevate it a little more.
 
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I'd grab the SX's and go for it. You'll have to hit pretty close to flat to bounce off. Think of it this way, the tip hit's first, the bullet will probably come apart. Hit the snake and the bullet will come apart.
 
This thread kinda gives me the heebie jeebies,I`m not terribly afraid of snakes, but I sure dont like `em. I wonder if some frangible bullets would come apart?I have seen a few advertisements lately but have no experience with them.Hope you find something that works.I have often thought that if Satan had a pet it would be a snake!
 
May be better of with a ground blind and some turkey mags out of the shot gun. Leave the blind up and just sneak into the thing.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760May be better of with a ground blind and some turkey mags out of the shot gun. Leave the blind up and just sneak into the thing. Leave it UP! so that snake could slither in there and wait for ya? I dont know man....LOL
 
Put a half a dozen snake traps around the pond on the swamp side. They are very simple to make and require very little attention. When you do catch one throw it out in deeper water for 30 minutes and then get rid of the dead snake. They are there 24-7 when you are not.
 
Shoot from on top of a ladder, increase that angle
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Then .22lr.
 
nosler 40gr B-tips. They blow up even when shooting pill bottles filled with water. stay away from soft points as they tend to stay together a lot better then b-tips in my experience shooting them at steel targets.
 
I shoot near the water all the time and have never had a ricochet with v-maxes or sierra blitzkings yet. from 243 to 17 fireball. any angle or velocity they absolutley disintergrate on impact.
 
Originally Posted By: MogleyI shoot near the water all the time and have never had a ricochet with v-maxes or sierra blitzkings yet. from 243 to 17 fireball. any angle or velocity they absolutley disintergrate on impact.

He didnt ask about shooting near the water. He asked about shooting onto the water.
 
Originally Posted By: evilwoobienosler 40gr B-tips. They blow up even when shooting pill bottles filled with water. stay away from soft points as they tend to stay together a lot better then b-tips in my experience shooting them at steel targets.

That is completely different than what he is asking about.
 
varmint grenades will blow up on a piece of fly crap. should work good on water although i can't recommend any glancing shots on water
 
Take 1/4 hardware cloth and roll it it into a 8-10" diameter x 48" long cylinder . Then take some of the same material and make a funnel that will slide into each end of the cylinder. You want about a 1-1/2 hole in the center for the snake to enter thru.(Looks like a fish trap). Now the important part. When you set them put them near the bank running parallel to the bank with the hole at the water level so that when the snake is swimming he will swim right thru the hole. I try to find a bush or log in the water that forces them to go between it and the bank and then narrow it up and set my trap there. Does not to hurt to put a door on it so you can get the snake out. Make sure when you set it to keep the door under water so they do not push on it as hard as if it was at the top.
 
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