The Armed Citizen® June 2, 2017

by
posted on June 2, 2017
** 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

While it’s not a situation you’d ever hope to be in, a recent case shows that being armed with a handgun can be enough to get the better of a troublemaker who is armed with an AK-47. A Jacksonville, Fla., resident heard gunshots and screaming one day and went outside with a handgun tucked inside his belt. The armed suspect was waving his rifle around and had tried to shoot a neighborhood dog that was near some people. As the stranger started walking toward the neighbors, the armed citizen shouted out that he wouldn’t abide violent crime in the neighborhood and told the hoodlum to leave. Instead, the outsider turned his rifle on the armed citizen, who fired his handgun, scaring off the bad guy. (news4jax.com, Jacksonville, FL, 3/20/17) 

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Early one morning, two hooded and armed thugs barged into an apartment by kicking in the front door. One of the residents, a Marine veteran, jumped up off the couch in his living room when he heard the loud noises. The intruders and the veteran began to scuffle, when another resident, the son of the veteran, heard the commotion and emerged from the bedroom with a handgun. He fired at the trespassers, killing one, who turned out to have a long history of criminal activity, and wounding the other. (The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt lake City, UT, 4/1/17) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
June 1970
Returning home from a skeet-shooting tournament, Gary K. Loyd and his son Keith, 15, of Boise, Idaho, encountered two burglars in their storage room. They covered the pair with their skeet guns until police arrived. (Statesman, Boise, ID)

Latest

9X18 Makarov
9X18 Makarov

Shooting Surplus: Finding Affordable Mil-Surp Ammo in 2026

Today, the market for mil-surp ammo is vastly different than it was even just a few years ago. If you're a military-surplus collector and shooter, what should you look for in 2026? Here's our guide.

Colt Electro-Optics Introduces New Red Dots & Magnifier

No stranger to rebirth, Colt has recently spun off an optics division to make sure that, in a world where optics are considered to be standard equipment, a fully kitted-out gun can be all-pony.

What This Huge NFA Ruling Means for Gun Owners

The recent ruling in Jensen v. ATF and the subsequent lack of an appeal by the U.S. Department of Justice has left many gun owners with questions about purchasing NFA items. Here is some guidance.

Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Model 386 Night Guard

In partnership with Lipsey's, Smith & Wesson recently re-introduced two of its classic Night Guard revolvers, the Models 386 and 396, which are chambered for the .357 Magnum and .44 Special, respectively.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 14, 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.

A (Slightly Confusing) History of Colt's Police Positive Revolver

For one of the most popular law-enforcement revolvers ever made, the history of the Colt Police Positive isn't nearly as linear as one would think it'd be.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.