4/20    If a bullet-proof vest penetrating bullet can penetrate bullt-proof
        vests, can it penetrate oil tankers? If I shoot at an oil tanker,
        will it go through the tank gracefully, or will it cause spark and
        explode?
        \_ According to the Laws of Anime, it will explode.  Immensely.
           Though perhaps not exactly when you expect.  But it will go
           boom.
        \_ Go ask your question on the Rainbow 6 msg boards.  Someone there
           will know.
        \_ Full metal jacket rounds will typically spark - however if you
           can get a hold of cast lead high power rifle bullets (boat-tail
           profile), I think you can pull this off.  - ciaspook
           \_ Just out of curiosity, do you play R6/RS?
                \_ Do you have a GF ?
                   \_ No.
                   \_ Yes.
                   \_ I just farted.
                      \_ If I shoot at your ass, will it go through
                         gracefully, or will it cause spark and explode?
        \_ It's not as simple a comparison as you seem to think.  For one
           thing, ballistic armor comes in a wide range of threat levels.  A
           vest designed to protect you from a 9mm pistol round isn't going
           to stop a round with a lot more energy behind it (a .44 magnum or
           .454 casull, for example).  For the most part, ballistic armor is
           designed to stop pistol rounds, not rifle rounds.  The amount of
           armor needed to stop a round from a rifle is generally not
           something that you can wear and move around in easily, so it tends
           to get worn by people like bomber pilots.  Then there is the
           composition of the bullet to consider.  The ss-109 5.56mm NATO
           round is lead with a steel core, copper jacket, and tungsten
           penetrator (just beneath the lead nose).  Lead hitting an iron
           tanker probably isn't going to spark, but that steel core most
           likely will.  Will it penetrate?  Depends on the thickness of the
           tank, the caliber being used, and the design of the bullet.  Armor
           piercing rounds are generally different from incendiary rounds.  A
           simple trick is to use an armor piercing round, then an incendiary
           round on the next shot (aasuming you're using something that can
           penetrate the wall of that tanker, which I doubt).
           \_ I think the question is more like, "As a U.S. citizen can
              I Internet mail-order myself a long enough rifle with big
              enough bullets at reasonable cost that will put a hole
              through a tanker wall?"
              \_ All purchases in California must go through a local FFL.
              \_ last I checked - the 62 gr SS109 bullet had an all steel
                 core.  Depending on how volitile the contents of the tanker
                 are - sparking from the entry might enough to set it off
                 (gasoline or propane - possibly, diesel fuel - no way).
                 \_ The ss109 definitely has the tungsten cone at the head of
                    its steel core.  I use them in my AR15, and have seen
                    what they look like if you pull one and slice it
                    lengthwise (even if you want to doubt the spec, which
                    is pretty clear on this point).
              \_ Except that what they transport in those tankers is crude oil,
                 which is far less volatile.
                \_ You'll get a slowly leaking hole of burning petrol that may
                  or may not go out when it hits the water.  Any internal spark
                  will probably lack the necessary O2 to burn within the hold.