shooting pressure vessels;

[Lucky]

Shooting aerosol cans and propane tanks seems popular on Youtube and forums.

What precautions and equipment are used and advised?

Some videos of propane cans show a lot of motion, camping sized flying 50m and barbecue tanks skimming for a hundred or more. This would suggest you need a 300m empty imflammable area, right? As such propane cans and tanks are likely best assumed unsafe to shoot in most conditions?

But aerosol cans, those seems safer, what's the max radius for fragments, 25m?

 

[209]

Probably best to "Just say no".

People do stupid things. It's entertaining to watch sometimes, but it's still stupid. I personally hate those videos and wish folks would keep a level head when using firearms and actually think about the perception people have about folks doing that type of thing. Plus, there is a certain amount of danger involved. Not saying it'll happen, but shrapnel can do strange things. So can ricochets.

Since it is the holiday season, I think a quote from "A Christmas Story" works well here- "You'll shoot your eye out". Just this past year, we had a death from a beer keg being thrown on a fire. Methinks shooting a propane tank could have the same consequence.

 

[chris in va]

I've shot many 1# propane tanks. It's always suprising just how much energy is stored in such a small space.

Entertaining as they are, a couple things have cropped up. For some odd reason, a rifle bullet tends to send the tank flinging back at the shooter. Just about every time I hit one with my 7.62x39, it becomes a projectile. So I've found a 45 works best...empties the tank quick and mostly stays within a 30' area.

Also there can't be any grass or flammable brush within maybe...100' of ground zero. Some liquid gas remains in the tank regardless of hole size and just sits in there putting out a low flame for a few minutes.

I simply couldn't imagine hitting a 20# with a shotgun slug. Holy cow that would be a huge fireball. I've seen the videos, but seeing it in person is a whole different thing.
Have an extinguisher handy.

 

[worthirt_99]

I'm with 209 on this one, Just say NO.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Likely illegal in many places, and a needless risk on many levels regardless. I can appreciate the destructive child-like glee that comes from making things blow up--but there is nothing positive to be gained from doing such things.

I'll spare you the details of what I was up to, but at 14 yrs old I sent a hunk of shrapnal into my best friend's leg that missed his femoral artery by 1/2".

Twenty some years later we're still friends, but had it been half an inch deeper he'd have died before we got him home.

Have a festive and safe Kwanzaa free of preasurized vessel rupture!

-Mike

 

[Walkalong]

I am glad I never thought of shooting propane tanks when I was young and dumb, but then maybe, just maybe, I was not as dumb as I remember, because that is one thing I never tried.

Just say NO to crack, and to shooting propane tanks.

 

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

I did shoot a fire extinguisher 1 time years ago. But propane is just crazy,plus tannerite makes a much better boom is much safer and is also legal in most places.

 

[boatbod]

For some odd reason, a rifle bullet tends to send the tank flinging back at the shooter. Just about every time I hit one with my 7.62x39, it becomes a projectile. So I've found a 45 works best...empties the tank quick and mostly stays within a 30' area.

I'm no expert, but for a rough guess I'd say the rifle bullet makes a bigger exit hole than entry, and thus more propane escapes out the back of the tank, driving it forward towards the shooter. A .45 probably doesn't exit, so the only hole is going to be the entry which will drive the tank away from you.

 

[armoredman]

People who shoot propane tanks are tap dancing in a mine field.

 

[kurtmax]

People who shoot propane tanks are tap dancing in a mine field.

QFT... Use tannerite.

 

[Werewolf]

I've shot lots of empty aerosol paint cans and hairspray cans with everything from .22LR to .44Mag. All the bullet does is punch a hole in the can if you get a solid hit. Otherwise it just knocks 'em down.

Perfectly safe and they make good targets out of what would otherwise just be trash.

Never shot a partially full or full one. Didn't figure that would be all that unsafe just messy.

 

[esq_stu]

As fun as it may seem, your state and local local fire codes may make that conduct a crime if done without permission.

And you should be aware that some aerosol cans contain substances that are considered hazardous waste when disposed of. Intentionally busting open a non-empty aerosol can may result in disposal of hazardous waste without a permit, an act that is a felony under federal law (5 years, $50,000 per occurrence, 42 USC Sec. 6928(d)).

Even if you don't get caught and it's not likely that you would be charged with anything, is this the image you want to project as gun owners?

 

[Roswell 1847]

I've shot lots of empty aerosol paint cans and hairspray cans with everything from .22LR to .44Mag. All the bullet does is punch a hole in the can if you get a solid hit. Otherwise it just knocks 'em down.

I had dozens of emptied paint cans at one time and decided to salvage the glass balls from them to use as Wrist Rocket projectiles.
I shot these from a distance with a .22 CO2 pistol to be sure they were completely pressure free then tore the hole wider with needlenosed pliers so the big blue marbles would roll out.

I found a flatened propane tank that had probably been run over by a truck. This flatened tank proved to be tougher than I thought and .22LR bullets would flaten on it while leaving only a dimple. Of course the two layers of metal were mashed together and supporting each other.

 

[Slugless]

See:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=280951&highlight=propane

 

[Lucky]

roger so with aerosol cans main points of concern are fire safety, shrapnel safety, and hazardous waste legislation.

Desert areas with lots of nothing in all directions probably better for propane.

 

[mekender]

ive seen some slow motion videos of spray paint cans getting shot, those are pretty cool... but no way would i shoot a propane tank...

 

[AirplaneDoc]

I saw a aerosol can that accidently got thrown in a garbage fire. When it came out of the pile toward me. After that incident, I don't think I want to shoot at aerosol cans.

 

[kurtmax]

Speaking of things in fires... I was almost killed by a flying ice cream scoop coming out of a fire.... I'm not pushing my luck with things that are supposed to explode.

 

[mattsb2000]

I threw an aerosol paint can in a fire many years ago.

It was very loud. I don't recommend it.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

the only way i would shoot a 20 pound tank is if it was chained down to a very sturdy object and there was nothing flammable around.

 

[Henry Bowman]

One of the coolest features of the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot is when they put a dozen or more home BBQ-sized propane tanks out about 75 yds from the firing line. My friend sees them and says, "They're empty, right?" I say, "I certainly hope not!" The flame ball is a sight and you can feel the shock wave concussion against your chest! So very cool!* I wouldn't try it at "home," but certainly can be done safely.



*Second only to the beautiful sound of a minigun humming through 2500 rounds in about 40 seconds.

 

[Lucky]

Again, thanks all.

For myself if I get to shooting propane, I'd agree with GP and secure the vessel so it can't become a projectile.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

couple kids in wisconcin or michigan 10 or more years ago shot one of the real big storage tanks. they didn't even get enough left of em to test for dna they did find pieces of the gun and surmised that they darwined themselves

 

[Lucky]

Your contribution is appreciated, but you must understand it is valueless, and being simply rumour actually detracts from the thread.

 

[TAB]

I've always wanted to shoot a can of "great stuff"