The Armed Citizen® January 21, 2019

by
posted on January 21, 2019
** 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. **
armed-citizen-main-image.jpg (5)
The Armed Citizen Extra
A Florida father faced a devastating choice after a billiards game between his two sons erupted into violent confrontation. His eldest son, age 30, had been acting irrationally all day, at one point attacking a door with a machete while his parents locked themselves in their room. After his younger brother, 26, managed to calm him down, the two began to play pool. It was during this game the disagreement arose, with the elder brother placing the younger in a chokehold, and holding a large butterfly knife over his head. The father pled with the elder brother to release his sibling, but after the younger man began to lose consciousness he was forced to fire, saving the younger son's life. (Fox News, Martin County, Fla., 12/19/2018)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
January 1960
In his 18 years of operating his Chicago tavern, John Fahey has killed 3 bandits and wounded 5 others. The 70-year-old saloonkeeper thwarted a recent holdup by grabbing a 1917 Colt revolver, one of 6 guns he keeps in hidden spots behind the bar, and shooting a would-be robber who came in at closing time and said, "This is a stickup!" (Chicago Sun-Times)

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.