Yes, Although bullets can kill you when close to the surface, water slows down the bullets very quickly. However, many movies and video games incorrectly show people shot under water. Sorry about the previous answer, just based it off of stupid fiction.

The gang on MythBusters actually tested this. They found that water can actually be a pretty good protection from bullets. When a bullet goes from air to water it decelerates very rapidly. As result of this bullets become harmless after only traveling a few feet through water. The interesting thing about it is that the faster the bullet, the more quickly it is stopped by the water. This is because faster moving bullets tend to disintegrate as they enter the water. So their energy is lost more quickly as the bullet flies apart and the fragments fall harmlessly to the bottom. So, diving into a body of water can protect you from someone who is shooting at you from the shore. However, you would still have the problem of having to come up for air periodically. ************ "scubabob: You are still out of luck if hit with spent uranium. Doesn't come apart like copper jackets and much higher velocities." How likely are you to be the target of uranium bullets. They are only used in rather high caliber anti-armor munitions and are only used by the military. So, if you are dodging depleted uranium bullets, then I think that you are in more trouble than merely jumping into to a body of water can get you out of because you would be engaged in battle against the US or one of it allies.

Safe - No But a few things that help. 1) Light will be defracted - so if the shooter aims directly at you under the water as he sees you - then unless he is directly above you - he is likely to miss becuase the light will be defracted. You will not be where he sees you. (Science class - take a straight ruler and place it at an angle into a bowl of water - it looks like the ruler is bent). 2) The further down into the water you go - the more the bullet will be slowed down. Not likey to help much. 3) You will be harder to see than in the open