Door breaching 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 . These methods may be divided up into mechanical breaching , ballistic breaching , explosive breaching , and thermal breaching . Mechanical failures . Mechanical breaching can be minimally destructive , through the use of lock picks . This method is relatively slow and requires a trained operator , but does not damage the lock or door . Using specialized tools ( i . e . : A - tool , K - tool ) a lock cylinder can also be quickly dismantled still in the door and unlocked . This also allows the door to be closed and relocked . Mechanical breaching also includes hydraulic breaching , which uses a special hydraulic ram to bust in the door . The hydraulic ram may be powered manually , pneumatically , or electrically . More dynamic methods ( kinetic breaching ) use force to break the lock or door . The common methods are to use a lever , such as a Halligan bar or crowbar , or to use a tool to concentrate a large amount of force on the door , such as a sledgehammer , hydraulic jack , or battering ram . Ballistic breaching . Ballistic breaching uses a projectile weapon to breach an opening . Weapons used can range from small arms to the 120mm cannon of a main battle tank with a HEAT round , which will breach most obstacles easily , though the force involved may violate the rules of engagement . A less damaging ballistic breach needs to destroy either the latch and lock , or the hinges of the door , and the ideal choice for this is the shotgun . While in theory other firearm s can be used , handgun s are usually underpowered and rifle s are less effective than the shotgun and pose a far higher risk of ricochet and collateral injury . Most shotgun ammunition can be used for breaching , though the risk of injury varies with type . Of the available shotgun ammunition , shotgun slug s pose the highest risk , as they will retain significant energy to cause lethal wounds well after they have penetrated the door . Buckshot is far safer , and birdshot even safer , as the multiple small projectiles disperse quickly after penetration , reducing the chances of causing a lethal wound . The safest option is a frangible round such as the TESAR or Hatton round , which turns to dust upon penetrating the door , and disperses completely upon exit . The TESAR is made of compressed copper dust forming a slug that after impact turns to dust . Royal Arms is the producer of the TESAR round and has great popularity with the Military and law enforcement Tactical Teams . Breaching a door with the fewest number of shots possible both is faster and reduces the chance of collateral damage . Attacking the latch and lock is easiest , as it requires fewer shots and is easiest to target , whereas attacking the hinges requires more shots , and the hinges may be hidden from the outside . Careful aim is required ; shots to the lock side are fired at a point halfway between the lock or handle and the door frame in order to hit the bolt holding the door shut . According to US urban warfare doctrine , the breaching operation is performed with the muzzle in contact with the door , or as close as possible , and angled downwards at a 45 degree angle . This process provides the best chance of hitting the desired point , while minimizing risk to occupants of the room being breached . Muzzle attachments are available on some specialized breaching shotguns to facilitate this operation , by holding the barrel securely in place while providing a slight standoff to allow powder gases to escape . Magazine capacity and operating mechanism are also important considerations in a breaching shotgun , because to quickly breach a door requires the ability to quickly fire multiple shots . For a breach on the latch side , US doctrine calls for two shots to be fired , and then an attempt made to open the door . If the door cannot be opened , the process would need to be quickly repeated . If the hinges must be breached , then doctrine calls for a total of three shots , one per hinge followed by an attempt to open the door . Explosive breaching . Explosive breaching can be the fastest method , though it is also the most dangerous , to both the breachers and the room occupants . Depending on the situation , explosive breaching is potentially slower than a ballistic breach due to the large standoff required when using explosives , if there is no cover available . Breaching can be performed with a specially formed breaching charge placed in contact with the door , or with various standoff breaching devices , such as specialized rifle grenade s like the SIMON breach grenade . Breaching using explosives is primarily an operation performed by highly trained explosives experts , such as combat engineers or sapper s . Explosive breaching charges can range from highly focused methods , such as detcord , plastic explosives , or strip shaped charges that explosively cut through doors or latches , to large satchel charge s , containing 20 pounds ( 9 kg ) of C - 4 , that can breach even reinforced concrete bunker s . Thermal breaching . Thermal breaching is one of the least common techniques and also one of the slowest . It involves the use of a cutting torch to cut through metal doors .