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

Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1
Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1

I Carry: Taurus TX9 Compact in a Galco Holster

In our latest "I Carry" segment, we pair the new Taurus TX9 Compact with a leather Stow-N-Go holster from Galco, Inc. This compact, concealed-carry kit is rounded out with an Xolotl automatic knife produced by CRKT.

The Armed Citizen® March 13, 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.

Review: Canik USA MC9 Prime

Canik USA built out its concealed-carry handgun lineup with the MC9 Prime, which is a larger, yet still slim, CCW gun that sits in the same category as other upsized micro-compacts.

U.S. Army Awards Mossberg Contract for Additional 590A1 Pump-Action Shotguns

The U.S. Army has awarded O.F. Mossberg & Sons a contract for approximately $11.6 million dollars to supply the U.S. Army with additional Mossberg 590A1 pump-action shotguns.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Bolt-Actions & Semi-Automatics on the Battlefield

In just a few decades, the U.S. Army would see itself go from a single-shot, blackpowder design in the form of the Trapdoor Springfield to a modern, semi-automatic fighting rifle in the M1 Garand.

Modernized & Economical Muzzleloaders: The CVA Optima XP & XP-SB

CVA's longest-lasting muzzleloader design, the Optima, has been updated in 2026 with "modern ergonomics and modularity."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.