How many of you out there are real door kickers (carry your ar in the line of duty)?
I used to be a LEO and now I fall into the couch commando tag. I think that those who carry can give tips to the rest of us on what works in your applications.

I've kicked a door down before for training once.  I was told kicking at a door as kind of a last resort however.  most doors are knocked down by a breacher bar, or a shotgun round.  And then, a lot of times, EOD will man up first to check for possible booby traps...  but what the hell do I know, I only did it in training...

I was working in a hotel a while back and I got to kick in a door. Didn't have a gun or anything, but still rather fun. Took two kicks though, alot harder than they make it look in the movies. Come to think about it maybe it had something to do with electric locks as well. Anyways just food for thought.

Snarfbatt, there are many LEOs/SWAT operators and GIs who post here. Some of the staff and mods here are LEOs and soldiers as well. KevinB for example is a staffer here, and he is active duty Army with our great white north neighbors above.

Experience is like water in a river, the deeper it runs the more quiet it ishug.gif.

Quoted: Experience is like water in a river, the deeper it runs the more quiet it is.

+1


Hooligan tools rock!

I can carry my Beretta and kick the hell out of the crispy creme doorWhen they're fresh

I agree, the experianced are the quiet ones. I was just trying to get the idea of how many here use the AR as a Tool.
What I was referring to as "Door Kickers" are those types of folks. And yes kicking a door is a lot harder then the movies, and hooligan tools are the shit.

I have kicked a couple doors but never with the AR , I however do remember kicking a door one time on a house as the homeowner was an elderly ladie and family members thought she may have fell or died, Well needless to say she was about 5 foot walking by the door when i kicked it, The EMS had to be called cause the old lady did actually almost have a heart attack Man i felt like an idiot and the guy's at the station still talk crap about me trying to kill that ol lady I have seen her in passing since the incident and she damn near ran from me.

They've all left and have been replaced by 16 year olds asking about bumpfiring.

There aren't any doors in Afghanistan, just rags hanging down like a curtain.

I tripped on a door jam and fell thru a doorframe...that count...

Quoted: My previous profession called for me to kick many, many doors every night. I was a waiter in a fine dining restaurant, I had to kick the swinging door open every time I carried a tray out to the dining room.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they didn't let you do that with your AR though, right?






WIZZO

I've become really adept at using a fan hanger to spread the door jamb enough to slip the latch on the lock. Folks are usually really surprised when you can get it without causing such a ruckus or property damage. Shove knives are great too.

Of course, when there's smoke & fire pouring out of a window, all bets are off

Quoted: There aren't any doors in Afghanistan, just rags hanging down like a curtain.

Quoted: There aren't any doors in Afghanistan, just rags hanging down like a curtain.

Well then who here is a rag yanker?!?  

Quoted: I locked myself out of my house (twice) and my office yesterday (not a good day) Does that count I used a hammer and screwdriver to pop the hinges. I didn't think Blackhawk could deliver one of those battering ram things before dinner time.

I don't kick doors anymore. Never kicked many, in fact. Usually too much paperwork unless someone is dying on the other side. Now I have minions, who I can point to and say "kick that door down," and they do. Kind of cool.

Most of the time, in fact just about all of the time, doors I have personally "kicked" as a cop were all because someone was dying on the other side. Last one was a hotel room door, and I just about blew a knee. Three of us taking turns took a few minutes to break it down. Hotels have some pretty good doors. Lady having a heart attack inside, and FD was lost. We did get in and she lived. Good day at work.

The most important AR duty advice I can give is shoot it until manipulation of the weapon and firing is second nature, and make sure the shop installs the rack in you car correctly so your carbine doesn't keep banging you in the head. Oh, and check the batteries on your EOTech and tac light frequently and have lots of spares READILY AVAILABLE (or switch to a BAC ACOG).

Breached a  few doors with the fire service , Home & auto , no AR though

The AR is in the trunk when on duty. It comes out as needed. I only deployed it two times so far. I have not kicked in a door......yet!

Quoted: Now I have minions, who I can point to and say "kick that door down," and they do. Kind of cool.

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY NATEZ!!!


Minions.

Last time I tried to kick a door I nearly broke an ankle.

We use this now:




Or Thor's Hammer:




I dunno about the rest of you hooligans out there, but here, we call it a HALLIGAN tool:



If it's a fortified door, we either yank it off with the truck, or do an explosive entry.


Sheep

i will be going through some of those curtains in the doorway pretty soon in A-stan!!

Halligan. Designed by Hugh Halligan, 1st Deputy Fire Commisioner, FDNY

"Hooligan" was a name given to copycat products to avoid copyright infringement.

PS - stay away from the ones where the heads are pinned in place, and the fork end looks like a big ass door wedge (Paratech style). The originals were welded, and the fork end is long and narrow.

By the way, seen the Titanium Halligan?



It starts at $200 but it's half the weight of a standard steel bar.

I majored in "Door Kicking 101" in the academy !  

Really, I used to kick a lot of doors, never with an AR.   We did not officially get rifles until the "Texas Seven" escaped.   It was not until 2 years ago we got Hooli tools and rams.   Now that I have my pick of the department AR's, or my own, I have yet to kick a door with one.   I usually have someone else "kick" (Ram) the door now, then go in.   Only been twice since we got the rifles.  

Just did several breaches a few weeks ago during a warrant service/drug round-up. What kind of dumb assed dealer installs video cameras for his front door, multiple locks, dogs , etc and uses a DAMN HOLLOW CORE INTERIOR DOOR for a exterior front door? Door looks like I took a shotgun to it and the only thing that kept the breaching ram from going all of the way through the door was the handle hitting on the door frame.

Breacher

Quoted: Just did several breaches a few weeks ago during a warrant service/drug round-up. What kind of dumb assed dealer installs video cameras for his front door, multiple locks, dogs , etc and uses a DAMN HOLLOW CORE INTERIOR DOOR for a exterior front door? Door looks like I took a shotgun to it and the only thing that kept the breaching ram from going all of the way through the door was the handle hitting on the door frame. Breacher

Priceless.

Fucking morons.

My favorites are the doors that are just unlocked.  Oh sure...no reason to lock the door.  It's just a stash house.  Only got a couple of ounces laying around, a few guns with the S/N ground off and a couple of felons violating the terms of thier parole/probation.



Sheep

I bought a former crack house.

OK, technically it wasn't a crack house - the divorced wife of the owner who was still living there with him was supplementing her usage by selling - using the old style ice & parcel delivery box on the side of the house as a pass-through.

They were burning trash in the fireplace.

You should have seen the way the hood rats suddenly went from the "gangsta slouch" and straightened to attention when ol' Tango7 (big doofy lookin white guy) opened the door wearing a Smith 659 & a department T shirt when they "knocked" (kicked at the door after honking in the drive).

Can I help you fellas?

Is "Crackie D. Ho" here?  

Nope. She doesn't live here anymore. This is my house now. Anything else?  

Uh, no sir. Thank you, sir.

Oh guys? Tell your friends, will you?

And yes, they had a hollow core door on the side of the house. Crooks ain't bright.

My dad is a professional door kicker. Goes on drug raids and shit like that with the sheriff's department. Me, I'm just an ex navy oilfield trash kinda guy.

Quoted: Just did several breaches a few weeks ago during a warrant service/drug round-up. What kind of dumb assed dealer installs video cameras for his front door, multiple locks, dogs , etc and uses a DAMN HOLLOW CORE INTERIOR DOOR for a exterior front door? Door looks like I took a shotgun to it and the only thing that kept the breaching ram from going all of the way through the door was the handle hitting on the door frame. Breacher

Seen that a few times. Ram goes all the way through the door. We had one where the breacher just got a good rythym down and chewed a hole around the door lock with the ram. There was no secondary breach point on this houes (blocked with a refirgerator), so we were committed. Got a picture of the door, somewhere. Hit the same place (new occupants, same profession) a month later. They also put up a hollow-core door (or more accurately the landlord did), but the surveillance never picked up on the fact that they moved the refirgerator and couch, and were using the back door. The hollow core door on the front was blocked by the couch. Breacher broke it in half with two swings, and we all entered OVER the couch. Given my general lack of grace, balance and dexterity, that was interesting, though I managed to pull off a perfect "John Woo"-type shoulder roll when I tripped over the couch, and landed in an upright, kneeling position with my weapon pointed in the right direction, a minor miracle. Of course, the one time I DON'T bust my a** on a mission (It is almost a given that if the van is broken-down and we are deploying out of non-standard vehicles that I am going to fall down at some point in the deployment phase), nobody is watching. Probably the "coolest" move I have ever made on a SWAT mission, and nobody saw it. Damn.

Anyhow, if a door is worth kicking, it is better most of the time to have it breached by SWAT or have FD spread it. If it is "tactical," then it is safer to suit up and do it as a SWAT entry. If it is medical, then FD spreads the door and there is no paperwork (at least on our side). Of course, if it is immediate and life-threatening, we'll kick it. Haven't done that in several years, though. Last door we breached on Patrol was a little brat who had hit her mom and locked herself in the bathroom. Momma asked us to kick the door (again, no paperwork), and I told one of my troops to kick it. The officer in question is the size of a sumo wrestler (but fast and fit, actually) and he just RAN through the door, "Kool-Aid"-style. I was laughing too hard to help handcuff the startled kid.

we hardly ever kick in doors- our team has a squad whose responsobility it is to get doors open- depending on the type they will use a hydraulic wedge, shotgun w/breaching rounds, or explosive fingers...

Quoted: Just did several breaches a few weeks ago during a warrant service/drug round-up. What kind of dumb assed dealer installs video cameras for his front door, multiple locks, dogs , etc and uses a DAMN HOLLOW CORE INTERIOR DOOR for a exterior front door? Door looks like I took a shotgun to it and the only thing that kept the breaching ram from going all of the way through the door was the handle hitting on the door frame. Breacher

Did it take you longer to get the hollow-core door open than it would have taken a more solid door?  Seems like the solid door would have popped right open.  With the hollow-core, you almost lost your breaching ram.  

Former bullet catcher and now see below.

Not sure what ur looking for exactly. But if you were wondering how to kick a door while carrying a long gun its not very complicated. Just use a sling. Have ur buddies stand by lined up covering you, slide rifle around your back then go to it. Your buddies go in then you follow.  Its a no brainer. The longer it takes the more dangerous it is.

Quick story,

As mentioned, most doors are crap and can be breached easy. Once when I was getting down to buisness we were inside this apartment going through when I came to a locked interior door. It seemed somewhat sturdy and the guy in front of me decided not to try it. Me being the hero type....kicked it, nada,.....kick.....nada. Keep in mind this is a shit apartment in a shit area. Well come to find out it wa a freaking steel door with a steel frame.  As guys stood there looking at me while I punked myself out, I could not believe it. I began to tire and turned around and began donkey kicking that sucker....lol....it finally opened when the strike plate bent enough. Took a while to live that down,  live and learn.

I've kicked in a few doors over the years, but mainly i'm armed with either a AXE, HALIGAN TOOL, or 13/4 inch Fire hose!!

Actually as an elected peace officer, some people have locked themselves in during the Court ordered Eviction process and have had to kick in the door, figuring for a fight and firearms being present i would draw the .45 before breaching the door!!!! So far all present during these situations decided they didn't want to play anymore when they saw "Mr. Brownings Brainchild" headed their way!!! You'd be surprised how many jackasses think because they payed a few months rent before they didn't pay any for a few months that they own the property!!

Give me your address. I'll stop by and introduce myself during your nap time.

best door kicking story-  we were in a suburb of jenin trying to gte the computers out of some islamic jihad offices, and they had the standard steel door (in israel/territories most poeple use one).  Our hydralics was being used in a different part of town that night, and we didnt want to blow the door, something baout not having permission for explosives that night-  everyone, and i mean everyone takes turns smashing the outside of the frame with sledgehammers- even the battalion commander, a ltc, goes at it- finally one of the drivers screams from the apc- move away- every moves, and the nutjob throws it into reverse, and smashes the entire front face of the building opening a nice entrance for us to take whatever we wanted- december 2004.

edit:// not half tracked type apc- israeli version of armored 240

Nice approach occupier!!!  Score: 9.5 for Style and grace!!

Never kicked a door...now, people can breach a door with their head, but that is a matter for the internal...

For several years back in the mid-90's I worked "dope" and we did as many as 10 raids in one night , most nights 3-5 raids, week after week. The good olde days of the "Crack Wars"
I figure I have "forced" over 500 doors in my life so far.
Most exterior doors it is NOT a good idea to try to kick with your foot.
The Hooligan tool and a sledgehammer always worked good on screen doors and burglar bar doors , followed up by the ram.
Never used any 12ga breaching rounds , to much hassle/paperwork/expense.
Now interior doors are a diff breed , most are hollow , poor latches and are easy to kick open.
I've kicked dozens of them.
Couple of doors are a bitch.
Mobile homes: they always open to the outside , can never be kicked or rammed and you have to hammer the hell out of the Hooligan to get it to wedge in enough to pry.
Hotel /Motel Rooms : These are a bitch!  Most are very strong , have good locks and several of them and cost a lot to replace (I know ). You will NEVER kick a Hotel/Motel door in with your foot unless you are King Kong.
 

*Silesius looks at the door of his Motel 6 room, feels renewed sense of security*

Quoted: There aren't any doors in Afghanistan, just rags hanging down like a curtain.

You in Afghanistan now?

I'm more of a 'toe stubber' and I use the coffee table or the bed although I have slammed a door or two.
Does that count?

My friend was sitting in his apartment. His door got kicked in.
He said the Swat teams AR's looked exactly like mine, sans fun switch.
He said the MP5's look pretty fuckin badass too.

He also said it was cool looking enough to scare him pale white shitless. I'll take his word for it.

anyone else use the depressingly slow method of using a screwdriver and crowbar to push the pins out of the hinges when the hinges are located on the outside?  most sucky thing you can do ever- the whole time you are exposed to FIRE...  but when you got the wonderful media with you, you cannot have as much fun as you want.  you know, its better that a soldier get shot then a house get ruined by detcord and shaped charges.

give me a few months and ill be there    swat tryouts are coming up and this round is mine!

Everyone has their own technique.   Mine is to get a short take off run and then flip around at the last second and hit the door flat with my back.   Especially works well on hollow core interior doors, such as when an overdosed co-ed has locked herself in the bathroom.

It's REALLY a good idea to check and see which way the door opens first.

For search warrants etc,  that's what the breaching team is for.