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The other day, around 9PM (was dark already) someone rung the doorbell. I open the door and the man at the door goes "there he is" and makes a move towards me. my first instinct was to block the doorway with my body (i'm 5'11 and about 300lbs) which kind of got him to realize he is not in the right place. he then mumbled something about what number is this house and left.

I don't know if he was "testing the water" and if my wife opened the door it would end up another way or it was an honest mistake. Either way, this entire thing was really uncomfortable.

It made me think how do you open the door at home. I don't usually carry at home (the XDM is waiting at the second level and the Mossberg is close by on the first floor but neither is at the door or on me cause i have 2 young kids and I don't want any accidents with them reaching out with their sticky little fingers.

I was thinking of putting something by the door but I'm not sure I want to explain to the people I DO let into my house why there is a 12GA/45 by the door.

What do you do? How do you open the door?

I usually demand to know who it is before opening the door, if it is someone I have to open up for but don't know very well then I typically open the door with my left hand while the door frame hides the pistol in my right.

I have a shelf just inside the door that has a weapon on it for the few times I am not carrying.

I will not open the storm door unless I know who it is but always have my hand on the shelf

Take a look at this thread.
It's a start anyway.

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I am about 50/50 as far as carrying at home. It is pretty easy to do since you don't need to worry about concealment in your own home, although I will make sure my shirt covers the OWB holster and gun before opening the door. I usually try to put the holster on in the car before I come in the house and then put the gun in the nightstand safe when I go to bed.

For those times where I am not carrying, I walk to the front door and look at who is there (I have windows beside the door). If it is a stranger, then I will need to put the dogs in the nearest room before opening the door, and while there I grab a handgun, preferable something small enough to keep behind my back while I talking with the visitor.

I don't have a shelf or a place to put a small nightstand type table near the door, but if I did, I would probably just put a small handgun safe on it, or better yet in a drawer. No need to raise any questions, and you would still have ready access if needed.

What do you do? How do you open the door?

I use the "patented" TDM WTFisknockingatmydangdoor approach: After a quick visual check to determine if I will even open the door, support hand opens the door, non-firing foot forward ready to act as a brace, body bladed in order to mask the drawn firearm being secured behind the trailing hip with the strong hand, ready to employ if needed. Between the bladed body and the partially opened door, nobody sees or notices the firearm.

The other day, around 9PM (was dark already) someone rung the doorbell. I open the door and the man at the door goes "there he is" and makes a move towards me.

Sounds like he was talking to someone with him. Hopefully you called 911 afterwards with some kind of description..?

RPBrown wrote:I have a shelf just inside the door that has a weapon on it for the few times I am not carrying.

I will not open the storm door unless I know who it is but always have my hand on the shelf

any chance for a picture of it? i was also thinking something in that line and would appreciate an idea of how to do that.

I am openly carrying ~99% of the time at home. If someone comes to the door when I'm not expecting someone and they're still there while the dogs are barking there's a chance the door will get opened after I look through the peep hole. I might not have my gun out of its holster during the daytime, but after dark it will be even before I get to the door.

I don't answer if I'm not expecting someone. If I am expecting someone, I look out first then open it. One time, someone tried to come in after knocking with no answer. That was scary!

TheReverend wrote:I open the door and the man at the door goes "there he is" and makes a move towards me.

He's lucky he didn't do this at my house. Depending upon how aggressive his move was, he'd have been starring down the barrel of whatever gun I had me at the time (I'm usually carrying at home, but if I'm not I'm ALWAYS carrying when answering the door. Call me paranoid, but once you open the door you don't have time to go looking for your gun. If you cross the threshold of my home in an aggressive manner without my permission, you better have a badge and a warrant.

jimandyen wrote:Sounds like he was talking to someone with him. Hopefully you called 911 afterwards with some kind of description..?

It may have been innocent (drunk college kids thinking their drunk buddy is opening the door - or something similar) but who knows. Definitely let the police know about it - your neighbors may be next.

Hoi Polloi wrote:I don't answer if I'm not expecting someone. If I am expecting someone, I look out first then open it. One time, someone tried to come in after knocking with no answer. That was scary!

That's the problem with NOT answering. I think it's better to let someone know you're home, dialed 911, and just need to press send if they can't justify their existence.

TxRVer wrote:

Hoi Polloi wrote:I don't answer if I'm not expecting someone. If I am expecting someone, I look out first then open it. One time, someone tried to come in after knocking with no answer. That was scary!

That's the problem with NOT answering. I think it's better to let someone know you're home, dialed 911, and just need to press send if they can't justify their existence.

My problem with not answering is that whoever is at the door will start ringing the bell and wake up the kids...

Pistol is almost always on right side hip under dress shirt (not tucked in). I answer with my right side inside the door frame with hand on hip if I don't know them. Have shoes next to the door and put left foot in bottom of door when opening for a 6 inch crack or so. If they try and force through that door they should sort of bounce off it the first run. You would feel it on your foot but if you don't put your toes in the wrong spot it won't break anything and gives you time to draw when they try and push through the second time drop them.

Although I don't get a lot of visitors I don't know. So usually I just peepwhole and open the door for my buddy.

I don't need a Kirby or a monitored alarm system. If my daughter's boyfriend is coming by, he knows to call. I don't carry inside my home, but my doors are always locked and my gun is close to the front door. If I had to retreat, I have a second one in the nightstand. I need about 3 more!