I’m not sure, but I think I’ve read that the word ‘can’, evolved from the word canister. Canister was a munition where many musket balls were packed in a tin container and fired from a cannon. When they started using ‘cans’ to contain ‘canned food’ the tin food containers resembled the munition.
Yes, you're correct Jeciron. Canister shot was used against packed troops on the battlefield and the musket balls were housed in tin cylinders, the tin disintegrating after being fired. It had a limited range but was deadly, like a big shotgun although a "canister" could be any cylindrical object holding foodstuffs. Sounds reasonable though. The problem with the first tin cans was the lead solder; it was poisonous and people died from long term exposure to the lead until corrected by using a tin based solder.
Cap't Jack