On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:34:04 -0500, Jim Yanik wrote:
I doubt a copper/lead bullet piercing a gas can would ignite one.
(anyone care to experiment for the group? 8-) )


http://mythbustersresults.com/episode15

If a bullet is shot through the fuel tank of a car, it will explode.

busted

The gas tank did not explode.

(This myth was revisited in episode 38 and it was found to be plausible if
the tank is shot with a tracer round.)

http://mythbustersresults.com/episode38


REVISITED: A gas tank will explode when shot by a bullet. (From Episode 15)

busted

It has already been proven that when shot by a normal bullet a gasoline
tank will not explode. However, if a gasoline tank is shot by a tracer
round from a great enough distance so that the round can ignite with air
friction, it will cause the gasoline to catch fire. By the time this
happened the tank was so riddled with bullets (from previous tracers that
were fired too close to ignite) that there was no contained pressure, but
the MythBusters surmised that had the tank been properly enclosed, it may
have exploded; but overall it remains extremely improbable.