The Armed Citizen® June 30, 2017

by
posted on June 30, 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 (8)

Sometimes a bad guy who doesn’t heed a warning pays the price. That was the case in Pittsburgh when a man, who was armed with a crowbar, broke into a home. The resident confronted the intruder, told him to lie face down on the ground and said that police were on their way. Rather than complying, the interloper raised the crowbar and charged the armed citizen, who—after a brief scuffle—fired his gun and shot the assailant in the leg. (WPXI, Pittsburgh, PA, 4/4/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Early one evening, a family of four was at home when a young woman, posing as an official from the homeowners association, knocked on the door and asked the female resident some generic questions. The woman waved to a male accomplice in the car, who then approached the home. When the female resident noticed the approaching man, who was masked and armed, she immediately locked the door and screamed for her husband. The male intruder ignored her and proceeded to kick in the front door, but upon gaining entry was shot and killed by the husband. The female accomplice was found shortly after and arrested on charges of first-degree burglary and criminal conspiracy. The homeowner was not charged. (The Post and Courier, Charleston, SC, 3/15/17) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
June 1972
Hearing his wife’s screams, Albert Backofen grabbed a 12-ga. shotgun from the rear of his Springfield, Mass., grocery and ran to the front. A masked gunman took one look at the shotgun, pocketed his handgun, and begged “Don’t shoot,” then ran off before police arrived. (Springfield Union, Springfield, MA)

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

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

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.