NCJ Number
199639
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2003 Pages: 76,78,80
Date Published
March 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the features and uses of pry bars, rams, spreaders, and multi-tools, which can help tactical teams breach doors.
Abstract
The pry bar is the most basic tool used. It is used to pry open doors, break and clear windows, and defeat locks. The bar, which is made of a strong metal, separates an area of the door from the doorway, causing stress on the entire structure. The ram is one of the most popular tools for forced entry. The manual ram is an effective and simple tool; however, the major problem with its use is the variation in the force applied depending on the varying levels of strength and technique of the team using it. The power ram, on the other hand, can guarantee a certain amount of force. In one type of power ram, the power head holds a .45 Winchester Magnum shell filled with Bulls-Eye black powder. Once contact with a door is made, an explosion occurs inside the head, exerting 40,000 pounds of additional force upon a door. Another entry tool is the spreader. A tool with "jaws" exerts force through a spreading motion to separate a door from a doorjamb. The challenge is to design a tool that applies the force quickly enough to avoid alerting the occupants on the other side of a doorway. Manufacturers have solved this problem by powering the spreader with hydraulics or batteries. There is one multi-tool on the market, i.e., the Magnum Force Uni-System Entry Kit manufactured by B-Safe. The Magnum provides 67,000 pounds of cutting force, 15,000 pounds of spreading force, and 11,900 pounds of squeezing force. A two-person team is required to operate the Magnum, which is powered by a hydraulic system. Sometimes a breach situation will only require that a lock or bolt be broken to gain entry. B-Safe makes the Door Buster, a tool that looks like a gun with a chisel sticking out of it. It provides 20,000 psi and has a 10-cartridge .27-caliber strip load. The Door Buster is designed to penetrate any lockset up to three inches by disabling the lock through pressure.