How do you open the door at home?

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TexasGal
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#16

Post by TexasGal »

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!
When that happened to my mom, we were all little. She quickly had a shotgun trained on the door.Then she used her mama bear voice and yelled to the guy if he came though that door, she would "blow his head off with both barrels". He left. :biggrinjester:

I answer only after asking who it is from a spot away from the door. Then I answer with my pistol in my hand behind my back and keep the person outside on the porch unless I know who it is. Even then it is still on me concealed. I carry on my person at home.
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The Annoyed Man
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#17

Post by The Annoyed Man »

Texas Dan Mosby wrote:
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.
You're patent must still be pending, because I've been using that method for a while, and I haven't heard from your lawyers yet. :mrgreen:

Most of the time I'm home during the day, I have a pistol holstered anyway; so there is no need for me to pick one up from somewhere on my way to the door. For those WTFisknockingatmydangdoor moments after dark, I add that I am left handed, and my door hinges on the right (from the "inside the house" perspective). Also, my front door is one of those that has a 1 ft wide X 3 ft tall oval section of decorative glass right in the middle of it; so I have to be careful how I approach the door to begin with. If at all possible, I will approach it from enough of an angle that they can't see me, but I can "peek" around the angle enough to see them. This also puts me outside of any potential line of fire.

I realize that the glass is a security weakness, but I try to use that weakness to my advantage. In any case, I'm not looking for facial recognition. I'm looking for body/clothing recognition, since making their face visible to me would also make mine visible to them. If I dont' like what I see, I can always communicate verbally through the closed door. If I am reasonably reassured that things are OK, I will stand off to the left side of the door just a tad, open it enough to confirm things are OK, and my drawn pistol is held out of side behind my left hip. I am standing both offline relative to the door opening, and bladed away from whomever might enter. So even if a bad guy were to get past my initial inspection, he has to make a turn to his right to face me—a tactical disadvantage for most right handed people if you think about it because it places their weapon within my reach if they are armed with a drawn weapon. Also, I can retreat behind a modicum of cover if things go high and to the right right off the bat.

The corresponding illustration will show what I mean. The exterior entry way is actually deeper than portrayed in the diagram. The exterior walls on either side of it are brick.
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#18

Post by mrvmax »

I have security cameras I installed last year. I have three cameras that cover anyone entering the front of my yard up to my door. I can see who is there without having to open the door. Depending upon what I see at the door I may not even go near it. I can stay in my bedroom and monitor while getting whatever firearm that is appropriate ready (I always have a handgun ready but depending upon what is at the door I can get my 870 or AR).

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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#19

Post by RPB »

I have a one-way small window at a 90 degree angle to my door, facing the street I can see through prior to getting up house came that way.

Then the front door has a small window in it I have a small window shad on to keep direct sun out in evenings

I have a 180 degree view of my front yard, street and driveway all the way up beside my house to the back yard from where I sit, so I already know who is approaching my front porch and also peek under the shade prior to opening the door.... just to be sure.

I almost always am wearing a gun, and have more located where I can get to them if needed.

It's unusual that anyone gets out of their car without me seeing them, either in my drive or on the street ... all the way to the corner of the street.

Neighbors relatives and friends hollar before they reach the porch announcing who they are (but I already know and am at the door to greet them by the time they reach the door) Jehovah's Witnesses don't seem to mind a shirtless guy in shorts carrying IWB, but they only stay an hour or so; they get frustrated and leave eventually anyway ... I like talking with them :cool:

Brick house, narrow slit windows they can't get in through and tough to aim into from a distance ... sorta designed for Indian attacks ... house came that way when I bought it.
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#20

Post by Mr.ViperBoa »

this is how i answer the door at night.

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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#21

Post by Jeff Barriault »

I'm reading all of these and thinking of the day the census worker was just about to knock on my door just as I was opening it and heading out to my truck with my AR. Perfect timing. The look on her face was priceless. I think I was just as startled as she was and thought to myself what would I have done with an unloaded AR. Now I don't carry anything out of my house without holstering up first.

My wife won't let me keep it by the door though so I usually answer the door with my right hand in my pocket holding onto my tactical lock blade. But that is only if it is someone I don't know.
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#22

Post by C-dub »

Jeff Barriault wrote:I'm reading all of these and thinking of the day the census worker was just about to knock on my door just as I was opening it and heading out to my truck with my AR. Perfect timing. The look on her face was priceless. I think I was just as startled as she was and thought to myself what would I have done with an unloaded AR.
Either point it and do your best Detective Callahan impersonation or slam the door shut and retreat to a loaded weapon. ;-)
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#23

Post by NavAir »

So, it is like 4 am on a Sunday morning, and the doorbell rings. I answer the door with my CCW in hand. Looking out of the small window at the top of the door, I see it is one of the off-duty San Antonio cops our neighborhood uses as security. "Wait a minute" (while I get rid of this cannon...), I says. Turns out some kids egged a number of cars, including ours, and he was just letting folks know. When I finally opened the door, he smiled, and looked at me like he knew what just happened.
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#24

Post by CEOofEVIL »

Thanks for sharing your techniques all! Very interesting to hear how other folks do it.

My home has security bars over the windows, and a wrought iron security door in front of my front door. Wow, that sounds kinda confusing. At any rate, that security door is only unlockable with a key, so it provides the "First line of defense " if you will. My front door is of the solid no window variety, but does have a peep hole. Lastly, I have an old B/W security camera setup so that it looks out of my living room window (which is directly to the left of my front door) right at anyone who comes to the door, as well as a bit of the surrounding area.

Typically if someone rings at night, I have the shades/curtains closed so no one can see in, so I look at the security monitor which is also in the living room to see whom it is, followed by looking out the peep hole. If I know them, great, if not..... off they go. I usually wont answer if I don't know who it is, especially at night. My two dogs go nuts when the bell rings so that usually makes anyone ringing step back a few paces from the door (even though there are two doors in the way, lol!). If for whatever reason I choose to answer it after checking the camera and I don't know who it is, I'll crack the inner front door enough to show my face and see what they want (and my dogs are usually trying to push their way between my legs, the silly beasts). Its nice having that wrought iron door, since I know unless they have a key or are going to attach cables to pull it down, no one is coming through it unless we let them.

Where does my gun play in all of this? If it's not on me at home, its on whatever coffee table/table/ desk im sitting in front of and gets picked and held out of sight if its someone I don't know. The Mrs. Pretty much follows the same course of action as well.

During the day when I have my window coverings open, I more or less see the person coming if im in the living room, and they usually see me. I'll normally just answer it in the same fashion as stated above.

I honestly have to say that I never considered what a bad guy/ burglar might think if no one answers the door. Oops! I hope my dogs barking helps with that. Duly noted from now on. :thumbs2:
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#25

Post by Blindref757 »

I used to watch that show on Discovery about home invasions and I'm convinced that a large barking dog will foil 99% of all random burglaries. I think it's the best home security system available. If the dog sounds like he's irritated, all the better!

If it's an inside job and the BG knows you have something valuable and knows that your Labrador will only lick him to death once he gets inside, then you need to call your "Good Neighbor Agent" when you get home.

The "This Home Protected by Smith and Wesson" sticker might work well too!

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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#26

Post by johnson0317 »

[quote="Texas Dan Mosby"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.[/quote]
What do you do if it is someone you do not mind being on the front step? How do you account for your strange posture, and your sudden need to rid yourself of a firearm? Just wondering? I will be the first to admit that I have a nasty habit of opening the door to people that I end up telling to shove off. I need a good in-between policy.

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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#27

Post by Lonest4r »

I carry all the time when at home IWB with a supertuck and untucked t-shirt. I live in an apartment which has a 90 deg entryway, so my wife and I usually inquire with a loud "who is it" from around the corner before approaching the door. If we recognize the voice, we usually are pretty casual opening the door after a quick peek through the peep-hole. If we don't recognize the voice we usually ask a few follow up questions before opening the door. As far as technique, I am right handed, opening a door with hinges on the left (opening towards me). I use my right hand to open the door knob and plant my left foot at the base of the door to prevent a charge (a good reason to wear shoes inside). If it was after dark, they would need to have a real good reason for me to open that door and I would definitely grab my 12 gauge pump before heading over to check it out.
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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#28

Post by speedsix »

Texas Dan Mosby wrote:
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.

...Bingo!!! and if it's someone I invite in, they're only mildly surprised to see the gun disappear under my shirt...how careful is "too" careful these day.!!! My UPS / Fedex persons and the mail people are used to accepting cold bottled water at the door from a fat guy with his shirt off and a .45 in his belt...

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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#29

Post by speedsix »

johnson0317 wrote:[quote="Texas Dan Mosby"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.
What do you do if it is someone you do not mind being on the front step? How do you account for your strange posture, and your sudden need to rid yourself of a firearm? Just wondering? I will be the first to admit that I have a nasty habit of opening the door to people that I end up telling to shove off. I need a good in-between policy.

RJ[/quote]
...at my house, it's the people who come to the door who need to do the "accounting"...

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Re: How do you open the door at home?

#30

Post by TheReverend »

Thanks everyone for you interesting responses. I defenetly picked up a few good tips. Just out of curiosity, can you guys profile your area? I mean something like "bad part of town" , "hi end suburb" downtown Dallas", "out in the country" etc.
It'll be very interesting I think to compare the behavior to the area.
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