How to shotgun a door

Door breaching is a process used by military, police, or emergency services to force open closed and/or locked doors. A wide range of methods are available, one or more of which may be used in any given situation.

Where no tools are available, it is usually possible to force open most inward-opening doors with a strong kick that breaks through the door frame. This can be a common method of entry for many trained police officers who are conducting warranted searches, and the "macho" concept of kicking in doors has frequently been glamorized on various police procedural shows. Kicking in a locked door is also sometimes attempted or performed by neighbors and ordinary passers-by who witness an emergency situation such as a house that is on fire (though the first step should always be to call Emergency Services) in order to ensure that everyone is out of the house or to notify/assist anyone who is not. Kicking in doors is less commonly used in burglary attempts since the process requires a great deal of energy and makes a lot of noise.