Save Shooting Over Water
Hey there, fellow long-range shooters and hunters! Picture this: you’re standing on a platform over a serene lake, lining up a shot at a target 600 meters out. The challenge is thrilling, the scenery is unmatched, but there’s a catch—shooting over water can be risky. A missed shot hitting the water can skip like a stone you’d toss across a pond, potentially traveling hundreds of meters with enough energy to cause serious harm. Today, I’m sharing a real-world design for a 3-meter-high shooting platform over water, using a .308 Winchester with 177-grain bullets, with targets at 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 meters. We’ll explore how to eliminate ricochet risks, keep your focus on the target, and ensure a safe setup you can trust. Let’s dive in!
The Setup: A Scenic Range Over Water
You’re on a sturdy platform, 3 meters above the IJsselmeer lake, with targets set up at 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 meters. Each target is 1 meter above the water, mounted on poles—like the kind of setup you might see at a professional range, but now you reach them over the water. You’re shooting a .308 Winchester with 177-grain bullets, a go-to for long-range precision and hunting game, with a muzzle velocity around 850 m/s. The water stretches the entire length of the range, so a missed shot could hit the lake surface. That’s the challenge: if the bullet strikes the water at a to shallow angle, it’ll ricochet, much like a flat stone skipping across a lake during a hunting trip.
To make this range safe, we’ve will place backstops just behind each target—for example at 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 meters—with heights of 2.0, 1.8, 2.0, 1.4, and 3.0 meters, respectively. These backstops are made of “islands” of sand and other items, the kind of material you’d see in at shootingsranges around europe, packed meters thick to stop a .308 dead in its tracks. Let’s see how this setup keeps you safe and focused.
Step 1: Understanding Ricochet Risk
If you’ve ever skipped a stone across a lake while scouting a hunting spot, you know how a flat object can bounce across water. Bullets do the same when they hit water at a shallow angle—less than 10 degrees. For our .308, a shallow strike means the bullet could keep up to 70-80% of its energy, skipping hundreds of meters downrange. Not a risk we want on the range.
Let’s break down what happens without backstops. From the platform (lets assume 3 meters above the water), the bullet starts high but curves downward due to gravity, like an arrow arcing toward a target during a bow hunt. By 100 meters, it’s still about 2.93 meters above the water—just a slight dip. If it misses the 1-meter-high target, it’d hit the water at a very shallow angle, around 1.66 degrees. That is within the high ricochet risk angle range, like tossing a flat rock at a shallow angle and watching it skip five or six times across the lake. At 500 meters, the bullet’s down to 0.50 meters above the water, and the angle shrinks to 0.06 degrees—basically flat, guaranteeing a skip.
These shallow angles are a red flag for any shooter. A skipping .308 could ruin your day—or someone else’s. That’s why we need a setup that stops stray bullets before they even touch the water.
Step 2: Backstops Eliminate Ricochet Risk
Here’s where the backstops save the day. Think of them like the berm at your local range, but tailored for this unique water setup. The backstops—at 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600 meters—are tall enough to catch any stray shot before it hits the water. For example when shooting at the:
100 meter target, The 2.0-meter backstop at 100 meters catches anything up to 2.0 meters high. It’s like having a 6-foot-high wall behind your target—plenty of coverage for a clean miss.
500 meter target, The 1.4-meter backstop at 500 meters catches shots up to 1.4 meters high, giving you a safe buffer above the 1-meter target
600 meter target , but the 3.0-meter backstop at 600 meters grabs it first. Nothing’s getting past it.
There’s no ricochet off the backstop itself, and therfore no missed bullet reaches the water to skip. That means zero ricochet risk.
Step 3: Field of View—Keeping Your Focus on the Target
As a long-range shooter or hunter, you know how important it is to stay focused on your target without distractions. Imagine you’re lining up a 300-yard shot on a buck, and a glint of sunlight off the water throws off your aim—not ideal. In this range setup, the backstops are designed to block the water from your sightline, keeping your eyes on the target and ensuring stray shots don’t reach the lake.
From your position on the 3-meter platform, with your eye about 3.5 meters above the water (accounting for your head height while aiming prone or seated), the backstops act like a visual shield. Let’s check what you’d see:
Between 100 and 200 meters: If you look toward the water at 150 meters, the 2.0-meter backstop at 100 meters blocks your view—it’s like trying to see over a 6-foot fence while aiming at a target just beyond it. The water’s hidden, so no distracting reflections.
Between 200 and 300 meters: The 1.8-meter backstop at 200 meters does the same thing. It’s as if you’ve set up a row of hay bales at your local range—you can’t see the ground behind them, just the next target.
Between 300 and 500 meters: The 2.0-meter backstop at 300 meters keeps the water out of sight, like a tall blind hiding the terrain while you’re waiting for a deer to step into view.
Between 500 and 600 meters: The 1.4-meter backstop at 500 meters ensures the same focus, acting like a low wall that keeps your eyes on the prize.
This setup means you’ll only see the targets and backstops—no water, no distractions. It’s like hunting from a tree stand with a clear lane to your target, nothing else in the way to pull your focus.
Conclusion
For long-range enthusiasts and hunters, safety and focus are everything. Whether you’re dialing in your scope for a 300-yard elk shot or competing in a precision rifle match, you need a range that eliminates risks and keeps your mind on the shot. This design delivers:
Zero Ricochet Risk: The backstops stop all stray .308 rounds before they hit the water—no skipping, no danger. You can shoot with confidence, knowing a miss won’t turn into a hazard.
Laser-Sharp Focus: With the water blocked from view, there’s nothing to distract you—no glints, no ripples, just the target. It’s like having a clean shooting lane in the woods, free of brush or glare.
Practical and Buildable: A 3-meter platform is easy to construct (think a sturdy dock on pilings), and rubber mulch backstops are budget-friendly and effective. Plus, using recycled tires is a win for the environment—a bonus for us outdoorsmen who care about the land we hunt and shoot on.
With warm regards, Team Dutch Precision Range