Brute Force: Ramming Doors

[Psychlonic]

Ramming

Doors that swing away from you can often be forced from the frame by exerting enough force. This method is often loud and leaves unnecessary evidence even if you do not succeed, but it also requires very little skill and no equipment. Ramming depends on two things: the strength of the frame and the flexibility of the door. If the frame isn't solid metal, or the door is flexible, chances are you can ram the door open. Bars and chains inside would be your only problem, but you should be able to make a good guess depending on what type of building it is whether they are present or not.
The best way to ram a door is to use your shoulder. Your first attempt should involve holding the knob with the arm you plan on using to ram, leaning back, then slamming the side of your shoulder into the door with as much force as you can without injuring yourself. Aim for the center of the door to maximize applied force. The purpose of holding the knob in this case is so the door doesn't fly forward and cause even more noise than is necessary.
Should this fail, and you still insist on the ram, let go of the knob, get back further, and give the door everything you've got. This generates massive force. Should this fail as well, chances are you aren't going to be able to ram the door without mechanical assistance. Reasons for failure may include physical barriers on the inside, too sturdy of frame and/or door, or you might just not have the strength required. At this point you need to think of something else. Improvise and overcome. Maybe you can create an expedient mechanical ram on the spot, or you might be forced to change entry techniques.

Your foot can also be used to kick the door in, but this has several drawbacks. Your foot makes a smaller point of impact which is inefficient and may even go through the door entirely depending on how it's built. It is also louder, and typically cannot generate as much force as your shoulder will. Thus, a kick should only be considered in situations where you need both hands free during entry, such as if you carrying a weapon and suspect you may need to use it the moment the door opens. A kick is also desirable if you don't want to risk tumbling through to the other side. This is why you see police use the kick more often than the shoulder. When kicking, always use the bottom of the foot to connect. This generates more pushing force and also keeps you from injuring your toes from a snap kick.
As you can guess, ramming is only going to work on a hinged door, so don't be a dumbass and start ramming garage doors cause it's not going to work.

Some things to avoid:
- Don't ram a door that swings toward you. Enough brute force can technically accomplish this, but it is entirely unnecessary. Dumbest Criminals TV Show material, even.
- Don't ram into a soft, hollow door too hard unless you really want to smash through it like Mr. Kool Aid.
- Don't ram sliding bay doors and garage doors. Seriously.

Some unorthadox ideas to ponder when all else fails in a must-complete scenario:
- In a last ditch effort to ram, speed and weight is what gives it power. There's nothing stopping you from trying to drive a pick-up straight through the door if you must.
- Again, if you absolutely must ram and you can get away with it, pump some lead into the hinges and/or the knob and locks if you've got a firearm to make it easier.
- It's possible to fabricate high powered ramming machines in situations where there is no alternative. These may rely on hydraulics, electricity, compressed air, or propellant.

All things considered, ramming is almost always unnecessary. It may be tempting to operate without spending some time learning other bypass techniques, but it's going to pay off in the long run. Ramming creates risks that could be avoided by other techniques or simply choosing an alternate entry point. Your only exception to this general rule is for breeching the door and engaging in close quarters combat. You're also running a high risk of causing visible damage to the door frame, and if you're trying to keep your entry discrete, you're going to have to spend more time on scene repairing this.