The older tubes made before the various "integral implosion protection" schemes are certainly much more energetic as a rule.
Most of the modern tubes I have disposed of were pretty unspectacular. Just a quick hiss when the neck was broken off, even the big ones over 25". The most powerful bang I remember was a lowly 10BP4 that I chucked into an empty dumpster behind the shop I worked at. Sounded like an M-80 firecracker going off, and threw pieces of glass up higher than the building.
