The Armed Citizen® May 1, 2012

by
posted on May 1, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
ac2009_fs.jpg

Police received a call from a 15-year-old girl claiming there was someone trying to get into her house while she was home alone. She reported that she heard the front door jiggle, looked out the window and saw two men there. One man managed to get into the garage where he was attempting to steal a pickup truck. After retrieving her father’s handgun, the girl confronted the man in the garage causing him to immediately flee. His accomplice, who had already made his way inside and was ransacking the contents of the home, quickly followed suit. (The Daily News, Texas City, Texas, 1/15/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra

(The following account did not appear in the print version of American Rifleman.)

A 25-year-old Bedford Heights, Ohio, homeowner spotted an intruder breaking into a neighbor’s home, which prompted a quick call to 9-1-1. The homeowner remained on the phone while he confronted the intruder, who had climbed through a broken kitchen window. The intruder proceeded to grab a kitchen knife and threaten the homeowner, who retrieved a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and fired. The intruder was taken to the MetroHealth Medical Center for treatment and is in the custody of the Bedford Heights police. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 4/25/12)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

April 1980: Two men, one carrying a crowbar, entered a Norwich, N.Y., motorcycle shop, approached the owner’s son, and asked to see an item from a wall display. When owner Loren Frink walked into the room and saw his son being beaten with the crowbar, he drew his pistol and fired. The would-be robbers fled unharmed but soon were arrested. (The Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, N.Y. 1/23)

Latest

Beretta APX Ported 01
Beretta APX Ported 01

New For 2026: Beretta APX A1 Ported

Beretta first entered the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market in 2017 with its APX, and nearly 10 years later, the company has added the APX A1 Ported to the lineup.

CDC Restores Basic Armed Citizen Data

As of Aug. 24, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s webpage is again providing defensive-gun-use data.

Rifleman Review: Taurus GX4 Strike Bravo

Since Taurus USA joined the micro-compact market with its GX4 in 2021, the company has expanded the line to include a number of different options, and the latest, the GX4 Strike Bravo, incorporates a unique chassis design.

Old (Un)reliable: Finding a Magazine that Works for Your 1911

There have been more than 100 manufacturers of 1911-style pistols and magazines, some more faithful to the original drawings than others.

3 New Shotgun Suppressors for 2026

Just because you're in the field hunting for upland game or busting clays at your local range doesn't mean you can't protect your hearing.

First Breach Begins Trading on NASDAQ Under "FBDT" Ticker Symbol

In August 2026, First Breach Defense Technologies, a producer of ammunition and unmanned aerial systems based in Hagerstown, Md., announced that its common stock had begun trading on the NASDAQ capital market under the ticker symbol "FBDT."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.