Could you blow up an rpg with a bullet?

Question

If sombody had a loaded RPG (Bazooka) and you shot the rocket or rocket launcher, would the rocket and weilder blow up? If not, why not?

Answer 1

The answer is YES...

A Sniper did it in Afghanistan...

Took out Three with one shot...

Hit the War head...1 in a million shot...

They sent out a Patrol the next day, and sure enough

there were three KIA Taliban...

A Canadian Sniper took out a Taliban at 4300 yards

that was on the the mountain across the valley...

Geez...doesn't anyone keep up what is going on over there...

Answer 2

If you scored a direct hit on the explosive warhead,  his luck just ran out.

Answer 3

It is possible, however it depends on the exact type of RPG weapons system.

For instance, an RPG-6 has an impact fuse that goes to the detonator. The fuse allows the grenade warhead to make contact with the target, armor, but detonate a short distance from the armor, which allows for better penetration than detonating on impact. The charge is placed farther back in the grenade tip so that the fuse impacts first detonating the charge behind it. Tests show that it causes more damage and has better penetration if it is a slight distance from the armor, rather than right on it.

So... it is conceivable that a direct hit with enough power on the grenade head would detonate the explosive compound by forcefully hitting the impact fuse in the right way. It would require a substantial blow to the whole face of the fuse, and I'm not sure that a bullet would have enough surface area to do this. The shot would have to be remarkably well placed. Nothing, for the most part, is impossible.

Some Rocket systems have safeguards that don't arm the explosive tip until it has left the tube, so again, it depends on the weapons system. Other systems are wire guided so the explosive won't detonate until it reaches the target.

Additional:

Marine5 is correct in his remarks below, those are well documented events, but the fact remains, it depends on what type of RPG or Rocket Launcher system. Many will not detonate even if struck by a bullet, and like he says in his answer, it was a Trained Sniper, and a "One in a million shot".

Answer 4

Don't think so, it becomes activated after it is fired.  The kinetic energy of the primer blast would denotate it within the breaching weapon if not!  But I am not sure about a bullet...one would hope not!  I carried HE 40-mms exposed!  IT makes me want to put them somewhere since you mentioned it...d**n good question!