The Armed Citizen® August 20, 2018

by
posted on August 20, 2018
** 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 (5)

In the sleepy town of Bywy, Miss., a teen was faced with a life-or-death situation. The boy was home alone when an uncle, armed with a hatchet, threatened the teen’s life. The 16-year-old used a hunting rifle to protect himself, shooting his uncle in the chest and killing the man. “My son defended himself,” the teen’s mother said. “It could have been the other way around. It could have been my son [that] … I’m picking up and having to bury, but it wasn’t.” The youth is not being charged as the investigation revealed he fired in self-defense. The boy’s mother said this was not the first time the uncle had acted in a menacing manner toward her family—but it was the last. (wcbi.com, Jackson, MS, 5/30/18)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
August 1970
Hearing sounds at his door, Gennie Conner of Avondale, Tenn., picked up his gun and went to investigate. When he returned to his bedroom, he found a burglar rummaging through a jewelry box. He captured the burglar, who was later accused by police of three other break-ins. (Chattanooga Times, Chattanooga, TN)

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 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.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.