The Armed Citizen® September 1, 2017

by
posted on September 1, 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

Three Florida teens who thought it would be a good idea to ambush a food delivery driver learned a hard lesson. Police say the teens called in the order and gave an address of an abandoned house in Jacksonville. They entered the home to wait for the food. When the meal arrived, the hooligans answered the door and held the man at gunpoint and demanded his money. The deliveryman instead kicked at one of the teens to cause enough of a distraction to draw his Glock. He fired several shots, hitting at least one of the miscreants. Two have been arrested and the other was being sought. “Is the money really worth it?” one witness asked the suspects rhetorically through the media. “Y’all planned to kill someone over $200?” (news4jax, Jacksonville, FL, 6/21/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Late one night, a homeowner was awakened by the sounds of someone kicking in the front door of his house and his wife screaming for help. The homeowner immediately retrieved his handgun and ran downstairs to protect his wife. He saw that the intruder had broken in and was approaching him with a piece of wood. At that point, the homeowner fired one shot, hitting the trespasser. The wife then called 9-1-1. The criminal was hospitalized and faces charges including burglary and simple assault. According to police, “The homeowner took action that he thought was necessary to protect himself, his wife and their home. Fortunately, they were not injured.” (York Daily Record, Lancaster, PA, 6/5/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
September 1961
Two 16-year-old boys, in a stolen pickup truck and armed with a shotgun, came to James F. Dittmore’s general store and gas station and forced the Verona, Calif., proprietor to lie on the floor while they took money from his wallet and the cash register. They were unable to operate the gas pump when they tried fueling the truck, and made Dittmore help them. When an arriving car gave him the chance, Dittmore ran back to the store, grabbed a cal. .30-30 rifle, and came back shooting. He shot one dead and clubbed the other over the head with the rifle. (Las Vegas Sun, Verona, CA)

Latest

Shortage
Shortage

Suppressor Demand Outpaces Production

The demand for suppressors is setting new records. National Firearm Act (NFA) item purchases in September—primarily suppressors—more than doubled compared to the same month in 2025.

Book Review | Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series

In this wide-ranging book, you’ll find a history of Beretta, discussion of developments leading to the Model 1951/951 Brigadier, its evolution into the Model 92 and the U.S. military’s adoption of the platform (as the M9) in 1985.

Review: Galco Revenger Holster & SB7 Gun Belt

For those who choose to carry a finely finished, K-frame revolver, Galco offers one of its finest concealed-carry setups in the form of its Revenger holster and SB7 gun belt.

Rimfire Power: The Primary Arms CLx 1-6x24 mm Riflescope with ACSS 22LR G2 Reticle

Low-power variable optics have become popular options for today's AR-15s and other modern sporting rifles, and Primary Arms now offers an option tailored for rimfire versions of those same guns.

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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.