How do you answer the door?

S

scorpion_tyr

New member
It's late at night and someone starts banging on the door. You're not expecting anyone so you grab your HD weapon. How do you answer the door? Do you ask who it is through the closed door? Open the door with gun in hand? Gun pointed at visitor? Gun hidden behind door, but ready?

I answer the door with the handgun behind the door. My wife answers it with the gun in hand and at least one Pit Bull barking and trying to break through the screen door.

Neither of us have ever been trained or seen any demos on how to do this. I'm sure they're out their we just haven't run across them so I thought I'd ask my fellow members.
 
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Do you ask who it is through the closed door? Open the door with gun in hand? Gun pointed at visitor? Gun hidden behind door, but read?
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Yes, but not pointed at someone. Don't open the door if you don't know who it is and/or expecting someone. Have gun behind your back or out of sight.

We had a scruffy guy knock on the door one afternoon, trying to sound like he was offering a carpet cleaning service. No company vehicle in sight, and his pants/shirt were really ragged. I own a business and make darn sure I look good before ringing someone's doorbell. My Sig was behind my back as I cracked the door, and he was at least 10' away.

I'd like to get an inexpensive intercom of some sort, but that seems a little excessive.
 
peep holes are awesome. i lived in a really bad apartment complex back when and i think the old tenant was a dealer. had some interesting encounters. always kept the door shut unless i knew who it was no reason to invite trouble to barge its way in. as far as approaching the door gun at the ready and leaning against the door to help against it getting kicked in. never had a problem just told them julio moved the be cop station is still across the street.
 
My doors are all glass and the drive is all in plain view. Dogs always alert me once someone is with in view of the home. Heck, they alert me every time a moose is outside, which is pretty much every day and oftentimes several times a day.

Not too many "scraggly dressed carpet cleaner types" out where I live, they would freeze to death dressed that way. (-20 degrees F most of today)

I pretty much know everyone who comes out here, but when I don't I believe that the dogs are a great deterrent as is which ever gun I happen to be packing if it were to get to that point. I feel pretty confident that I could draw, if need be, in the time it would take someone to begin to deal with the dogs.
 
Just to clarify, the reason I'm asking is because the senario I opened with happens about once a week. The neighbor hood is going downhill fast. My door has no peep hole, only a window at the top that makes it a little difficult to see out without being seen. Most people who come by are looking for my sister-in-law, and those people are always bad news. The way the house is set up, it's hard to tell we have dogs. I'm just openminded to new approaches to this.

AZAK- I'm hoping to move to an area very similar to yours, just not as cold, really soon.
 
First, put up a "No Soliciting" sign to cut down on traffic.

Then just exercise reasonable caution. You should have a peephole or a window that gives you a view of the front porch area. Don't open at all for someone who "makes your hackles rise" and be very careful about anyone you don't know.

A fairly substantial screen/storm door with a decent lock on it is a very useful thing since it allows you to carry on a reasonable conversation while keeping a barrier between you. I don't expect my storm door to keep anyone out, but I do expect it to slow them up just long enough to let me get the drop on them.
 
My best friend will make himself being heard, a 100 lb Doberman with an attitude is kind of sobering just to hear and once his girlfriend chimes in, a 95+ lb Rottweiler with a bigger bark, guess what?
 
Always answer door late at nite with gun in hand and in plain sight. My friends and family all know I carry and a gun in my hand is old news to them. If it is someone other than family or friends I want them to know that knocking on my door late at nite isn't the smartest thing to do. I have had this happen twice, once the BG, Drunk, Idiot, or whoever he was turned around and left without saying a word, and the second time an older lady was looking for help with a flat tire, she saw my gun and asked if I could help her. I did. I think whoever appears on someone's doorstep late at night should believe that the resident is armed. BGs leave, good guys ask for help and ignore the gun.
 
Get a peephole or live video cam and an intercom. Put the inside part of the intercom several feet from the door. You don't want to be standing right there at the door. NEVER open the door AT ALL unless you're SURE who's out there. That locked door is your only protection. Call the cops if you don't like the looks of the guy or what he tells you.

If you always have to answer the door with gun in hand, I'd seriously consider moving.
 
I don't answer the door.
If you haven't called me and told me you are coming, I am not going to answer the door.
If you call me and I don't see who is calling on caller ID I don't answer the phone either.


I don't do this for any kind of security reason. I just don't want to be bothered with people taking up my time. History has shown that my friends don't show up unannouced at my door. In other words, people who do show up at my door unannouced are a nuisince. Door to door salesmen, religious groups, kids selling stuff, carpet cleaners, ................................. I don't want to talk to them so I don't answer the door.
If it is the middle of the night, or if it sounds like there is something going on outside, I want to answer it less.
 
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I don't answer the door.
If you haven't called me and told me you are coming, I am not going to answer the door.
If you call me and I don't see who is calling on caller ID I don't answer the phone either.


I don't do this for any kind of security reason. I just don't want to be bothered with people taking up my time. History has shown that my friends don't show up unannouced at my door. In other words, people who do show up at my door unannouced are a nuisince. Door to door salesmen, religious groups, kids selling stuff, carpet cleaners, ................................. I don't want to talk to them so I don't answer the door.
If it is the middle of the night, or if it sounds like there is something going on outside, I want to answer it less.
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My answer is exactly the same, except for a different set of reasons. First, there is no reason whatsoever for anyone with legitimate business to come knocking at my door, unannounced, late in the evening. Bells are already going off in my head when this happens. Second, by opening the door, you're ALREADY TOO CLOSE if it's a bad guy doing the knocking. He's within easy range of overpowering you simply by slamming the door into you as you open it, retrieving your (almost certainly dropped) weapon and putting several rounds into you.

I don't even look through the peephole - the person on the other side of the door can tell that someone is looking through it by the way it darkens when you move your eye over it.
 
I think whoever appears on someone's doorstep late at night should believe that the resident is armed. BGs leave, good guys ask for help and ignore the gun.
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Deet, that strikes me as a great answer/response. When I look at it that way, it makes perfect sense to me... nice post:)
 
Middle of the night is one thing. Daylight hours, I say "It's open, come in." (Remember, crime in my area is all but 0 especially the violent variety)

At night I'd be armed an approach from an angle and shout something like "Who's there!? What do you want!?" and go from there. Any body I know would have called me first 99.9% of the time.
 
Well, first I'd suggest that if I lived in someplace where this was a worry for me, I'd move. But, realizing that some fail to utilize that option, get a peephole, they are easy to install. Get a good door block of some kind (not those silly little chains. I doubt having a gun in your hand or on you will do much to slow or stop determined door crashers itself, so you need something that will slow their entry down for you to improve your position.
 
FWIW: I have a steel security door that opens out on the front and back door.
If I wanted to, or needed to, I could open the door and still have a barrier between me and whoever is out there.
 
First, put up a "No Soliciting" sign to cut down on traffic.
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Those two words seem to be some of the most difficult for some people to understand. I swear they attract solicitors. I don't use a sign like that at this house. The houses are far apart with long driveways. It's a lot of work to door-to-door in this neighborhood, so the solicitors are few.

I have an eighty foot long driveway (short for around here), then ten steps up to a gate that opens to a large porch. There is an atrium just inside the foyer and the front door can be approached from either side of it. There are large windows across the front of the house and a couple of vantage points where someone standing at the door may be observed without giving myself away. If I don't know them, I just don't answer the door. If they look at all suspicious, I step to the nearest weapon and hold it until they leave.
 
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How do you answer the door?
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I dont. I have a NO SOLICITING sign up (which has worked wonders compared to other posters) and I keep the front door area well lit. Family, friends and acquaintances all know to call ahead first.

If the door bell rings and talking through the door isnt good enough, I come out the side door and approach them from behind.
 
NEVER OPEN THE DOOR TILL YOU KNOW WHO IS ON THE OTHERSIDE. I always ask who it is & if it's not someone I know I just tell them to leave. I'm able to see from another room who is out there. Weither I bring my gun depends on time of day etc.

Always let some one at the door know you are home. If you fail to answer the next thing may be a big kick on the door when they think no one is home.
 
I have a second floor window that gives me a full view of the front door. I call to the front door. I go up thier to see ,M1 carbine in hand.
When I do go to open the front door I do so with my pistol in my belt.
 
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