“a modern propane tank will not explode even if sitting in a full-on fire”
This is something I have been aware of theory wise for years. This theory was proven fact when vandals set fire to a neighbor’s small garage containing a tractor and a couple small propane bottles. The wooden structure burned to complete ashes. The tractor’s gas tank did not explode. The propane bottles were still standing upright with no evidence of rupturing.
Hollywood has us conditioned to believe that a propane bottle will explode merely by shooting a bullet into it. Similarly, all cars that go off a cliff explode. In essence, this is another form of dumbing us down.
Reminds me of an incident from my youth.
When I was a lad, a friend and myself went shooting. We frequented a large size quarry that had plenty of room with no chance of hitting anything of any worth.
We were using our .22s...mine a Remington and his a Marlin. Anyway...we brought a 14.1 oz. propane bottle. We set it it up on a tree stump about 100 yards from where we stood. We flipped for 1st shot and I won. I lined up the shot and loosed a round. Missed. Tried another. Missed. I took a third and hit it. The shot hit the side of the canister and a huge cloud of propane escaped and covered the area. But to our disappointment, it did not ignite.
So, we took a walk to inspect the canister. It took us about a minute and a half stroll to reach the stump. To our amazement...the canister was STILL SPINNING like a top on it's edge on the stump. I guess the balance was perfect and the velocity was such that the shot set it to spinning like crazy. I've never seen anything like it. We thought about getting another to try again...this time with as lit candle next to the propane bottle.
Nah. Not worth the effort. So, we set up targets and behaved ourselves the rest of the day.
A propane bottle will explode if you shoot it. Without an ignition source though it’s a just a big cloud of white gas.