The Armed Citizen® March 14, 2016

by
posted on March 14, 2016
** 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 (3)

What goes through the mind of an armed citizen when he or his family is threatened? A North Carolina businessman who lived through that type of situation said he hated to have to kill a man, but said he couldn’t take a chance because his wife was being chased by a gunman. The businessman, who describes himself as a gun collector and an experienced target shooter, has long kept a shotgun at his jewelry store. When three armed men came in one day in November and started smashing display cases and stealing merchandise, the store owner’s wife ran to the back, yelling, “Gun! Gun!” Her husband grabbed his shotgun and had a fraction of a second to make a decision because one gunman was only three or four feet away. “I’m glad he didn’t (fire) before I did. I was afraid he might,” the store owner said. The thief he shot was killed, but his two accomplices fled. (Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem, NC, 11/10/15)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
After an argument between two Macomb County, Mich., neighbors led to one of the participants physically attacking the other, a woman with a .38 Spl. revolver was able to end the assault—potentially saving the life of the victim. When the woman saw that her boyfriend was on the ground being pummeled in the head by their intoxicated neighbor, she ran to his side with her gun in hand and forced the assailant to retreat. After a tense standoff, the attacker returned to his home, where he was later arrested and charged with felony assault. The 52-year-old victim suffered serious damage to his head, and the armed citizen also had to be hospitalized following the event due to the stress of the altercation. (Detroit Free Press, Detroit, MI, 11/10/15) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
July 1971

LaVerne K. Berry of Battle Ground, Wash., saw two youths loosening the lug nuts on the wheels of his car. Grabbing a gun, he went out, confronted the youths, apprehended them and held the two until police could arrive. (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

Latest

Gotw Walther Fseries Prox Pmm 1
Gotw Walther Fseries Prox Pmm 1

Gun of the Week: Walther Arms PDP F-Series Pro-X PMM

One of Walther Arms' recent introductions combines the features of several other PDP handguns, meaning the Walther PDP F-Series Pro-X PMM is packed with a number of different design elements.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 30, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

President's Column | Your Input is Valued

I wish to thank all our members who have sent me e-mails these last 12 months. I’m doing my best to keep up with all your e-mails, but please be aware it seems I’m always 300 to 400 e-mails behind. I want to reiterate that I am reading them all as fast as I have time for.

Building an X-Card Gun for Turkey Shoots

Unofficially known as a “turkey shoot,” X-Card competition challenges shotgunners to place shot pellets as closely as possible to the center of a target. And some makers have perfected a way to fine-tune shotguns for this purpose.

Spanish National Police Adopt Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC

The Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional) has officially adopted the Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC 9mm pistol as the issue pistol for its uniformed officers.

NRA Launches New NRA.org Platform and Official App to Modernize and Enhance the Member Experience

The National Rifle Association today launched its new NRA.org website and continued enhancements to the official NRA App, marking a major step and significant investment to modernize the organization and better serve members.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.