Door breaching charges

meg_b

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Hi! I'm writing a story wherein the MC, a former Australian special forces soldier, wants to breach a thick, steel enforced door. He doesn't want anything behind that door to get damaged as there is fuel behind it and he needs that fuel. From what I've read in the beginning of my research, from Wiki:

Breaching using explosives is primarily an operation performed by highly trained explosives experts, such as combat engineers or sappers. 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 charges, containing 20 pounds (9 kg) of C-4, that can breach even reinforced concretebunkers.[SUP][8]
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I thought of using large satchel charges as I thought that would have no problems getting through the door, but was advised against it as I was told that it'd blow the whole room up. I'm mainly looking to breach/destroy the latches on the door or the lock so the MC can get in there. Is there something you could suggest. At the moment, I merely have my MC saying this when someone asks what it is:

"It’s a breaching charge that contains C-4, so you’re going to have to put a big distance between you and this door. It’s a contained blast that’ll knock the bolts off, but anything could go wrong and I want you out of harm’s way."
 

Bolero

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I've just been watching Chicago PD - and they had a shot gun with a special attachment on the barrel, a sort of cylinder, which seemed to concentrate the shot. Whatever the gun was, they walked up to the door and boom, boom, boom, three neat round holes maybe 3 inches across punched in the door - lock and two hinges (or maybe lock and two deadbolts - it was last week I watched it). So try googling for something like that.

Edited to add - then again, that was a thick wooden door.
 
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Bolero

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You might want to look at shaped charges rather than satchel charges, for a localised blow.
Is he in a hurry, are forces are about to descend on him, or is it just getting the door off?
If the latter, he could try a small careful shaped charge, which might do some damage to the door beside the hinges, then try a slightly bigger one.
 

King Neptune

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How big, thick, is the door? If it's as thick as the door on the vault in a major bank, then shaped charges at the hinges and lock might work, and a second set of charges after he gets access to the locking bars.
 

gam67

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One law enforcement tool used to gain access are breaching rounds for a 12 gauge shotgun. These are shells filled with powdered aluminum or such, these are very destructive when fired at a lock or hinges but would not damage someone a few feet beyond.. Used at very close range
 

neandermagnon

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My first thought regarding using explosives when there's fuel behind the door is that fuel will ignite easily and you'd be in danger of blowing up the fuel as well. I'm no expert though - maybe there are ways to get around this, but if I was reading a story and someone blows a door off a room full of fuel, I'd want to know how they stopped the fuel for catching alight/exploding, etc. Especially if the fuel is something like gas canisters, but any combustible will be an issue. Even flour and icing sugar can be explosive in the right circumstances.
 

GeorgeK

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I have several family members in the construction business and have heard them several times laugh about some high end metal door and frame that is set into a gypsum wall over 2x4's. Skip the door and use a box cutting knife on the wall.
 

frimble3

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That would be a great scene in a crime story: guy boasts about his 'high security' room, then comes in one day to find a person-sized hole cut between the studs right beside the door. (And, of course, either everything stolen or a dead body in it.)
 

WeaselFire

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There are a million types of explosive charges for everything from blowing a hole in the ground to cutting a 2" slot in a piece of 3" steel. As long ass you can justify the existence of such a charge in your story, he can use it as needed.

But there are also a million ways to open or bypass a locked, reinforced door. You might find something as simple as a bulldozer with a chain can yank your door off.

Jeff