The Armed Citizen® August 11, 2017

by
posted on August 11, 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 (2)

When a Pennsylvania man heard his front door being kicked in early one June morning, followed by his wife’s screams, he grabbed his handgun and went to investigate. Downstairs, he saw a stranger, armed with a piece of wood. As the intruder lunged toward the armed homeowner with the wood raised in a threatening manner, the resident fired and the intruder collapsed. The homeowner’s wife then called 9-1-1. The suspect was taken to the hospital, where he was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. He faces charges of burglary, simple assault and criminal mischief. (pennlive.com, Harrisburg, PA, 6/4/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
A group of would-be burglars broke into a house of a Marine Corps veteran, threatening to harm him if he reported the crime. Unintimidated, the veteran immediately reported the break-in, and as promised, the thugs returned with a shotgun and fired several shots into the house. The homeowner retrieved his own firearm, but not before getting hit in the shoulder. Undeterred, the brave veteran returned fire, wounding all three intruders. Police arrested one of them at the house and caught the other two at a nearby store. The homeowner was taken to a hospital for treatment and, according to the sheriff captain, was deemed to have acted in “a clear-cut case of self-defense.” The trio was set to be booked into jail after being released from the hospital. (The Press-Register, Mobile, AL, 6/22/17) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
August 1960
In Columbus, Ga., Mrs. Thelma D. Lee, a mother of five small children, awoke to see an intruder at her bedside. Mrs. Lee, whose husband must work at night, eased a cal. .22 revolver from under her pillow and fired. The intruder fled to another room and Mrs. Lee fired at him again. Police found his body face down nearby. (AP, Columbus, GA)

Latest

Taurus 66 Combat GOTW F
Taurus 66 Combat GOTW F

Gun of the Week: Taurus 66 Combat Revolver

Taurus USA recently expanded its revolver line with the 66 Combat, a larger, all-steel revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. Watch our "Gun of the Week" video to see the 66 Combat in use on the range.

The Armed Citizen® March 6, 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.

Armed Citizens Outperform the Police in Stopping Mass Murderers

A recent crime study indicates that armed citizens are better at stopping mass killers than the police.

Building A Legacy: One Hunter's Journey Toward a 338 ARC Bolt-Action

Hornady's 338 ARC cartridge was designed to pack plenty of subsonic power into an AR-sized platform. But how does it perform if you're looking to build something a bit more traditional?

Industry Manufacturers Pay $1.3 Billion Tax Bill

Last month, nearly $1.3 billion was delivered to state conservation and wildlife access programs as part of Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson excise taxes paid by manufacturers in the outdoor industry.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Rifle Muskets, Trapdoors & Early Bolt-Actions

The U.S. Army would enter the 19th century equipped with a smoothbore flintlock musket that differed little from the designs of the past, and it would exit the century with a modern, bolt-action, repeating rifle that used smokeless powder ammunition.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.