The Armed Citizen®: Feb. 18, 2015

by
posted on February 18, 2015
** 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 (3)

A 28-year-old man was sitting on the backyard patio with his wife, 36, at around 10 p.m. when they were approached by a man wearing a mask. The man carried a gun and ordered the couple inside the home where their three young children—ages 6, 13 and 14—slept. Once inside, the husband was able to retrieve his firearm, and he fired it at the masked assailant. The police arrived a short time later, and the gunman was pronounced dead at the scene. The family remained unharmed. “It’s shocking,” a neighbor said. “But he had to do what he had to do to protect his family, his household.” (The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA, 8/22/14)

The Armed Citizen® Extra 
A suspected burglar suffered a fatal gunshot wound after allegedly breaking into a townhouse in Brookhaven, Ga. Officials say the suspect repeatedly rang the doorbell in the morning hours, and when he got no response, he proceeded to kick the front door in and enter the home. Inside he encountered a resident, who fired one shot at the intruder, striking the interloper in the head. The burglar was taken to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery, but ultimately succumbed to his wounds. Police say the area had recently been hit repeatedly by similar break-ins. No charges against the resident have been filed at this time. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta, GA, 12/4/14)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
October 1968:
As a burglary suspect was being booked in the San Patricio County, Texas, jail, he grabbed an officer’s pistol and fled. At a nearby filling station he forced two Dallas boys Larry Trujillo, 17, and his brother Timothy, 10, to drive him away in their car. When the car spun out of control shortly afterward, the boys scuffled with the man. Though Larry was shot in the leg, the boys managed to wrest the pistol from the fugitive and flee on foot. When the man pursued them, Larry turned and fired, wounding the man in the jaw. Police then recaptured him. (Houston Chronicle, Houston, TX)

 

Latest

firing a musket rifle
firing a musket rifle

Today’s Makers of Yesterday’s Firearms

Original firearms from the American Revolution era are valuable and best preserved for posterity. For those who want to shoot them, several modern makers offer quality reproductions.

Left Turn (Bolt): Tikka's New Left-Handed T3x Ace Rifles

Lefties of the world unite and rejoice, as Tikka has announced left-hand versions of its award-winning T3x Ace chassis rifles.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 14, 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.

Skills Check: Rifle Standard Delta 2

Carbine performance is all about maintaining control. The Rifle Standard Delta 2 is a drill that pressures recoil control, visual discipline and cadence as distance decreases and time compresses.

Gun Sales Up for the 7th Month in a Row in 2026

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) estimate of last month’s gun sales was up 2.2 percent compared to August 2025.

Caring For & Feeding Your Cap-and-Ball Revolvers

Compared to pistoleros of the 19th century, today’s handgunners have it easy. It's not enough just to get an old-school, cap-and-ball revolver. You also need to acquire everything to shoot and clean it.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.