The Armed Citizen® Jan. 23, 2026

by
posted on January 23, 2026
** 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. **
The Armed Citizen

Armed Citizen® Today

A man in the Bronx woke up during the early morning hours of Jan. 20 to get a drink of water but then heard glass breaking downstairs. Worried for the safety of his sleeping wife and three children, he went to investigate—bringing his gun along “because who knows,” as he later told reporters—and discovered an intruder in his home. The homeowner took aim and told the intruder not to move. Seeing the gun, however, the home invader jumped back out of the window and fled.

Security video later revealed that the intruder and two other suspects had been attempting to steal the homeowner’s vehicle prior to breaking in and showed the intruder rummaging around in drawers, presumably looking for keys to the vehicle. Other vehicles in the area had been stolen as well.

The homeowner told reporters he wanted to raise awareness about citizens’ right to defend themselves. He also encouraged other homeowners to be aware of their right to own a gun.

“Having a gun is the most important thing, in my opinion, right now. The government’s not going to help us. The mayor’s not going to help us. Governor’s not going to help us,” he said. “But the laws are still in place to help us. Just people need to know what those laws are.” (nypost.com, New York, N.Y., 1/21/26)

 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – August 1981

An unidentified Rawlins, Wyo., woman was awakened about 4 a.m. by noises at the front door of her home. Thinking it might be her husband, she shouted out his name but got no response. When she approached the door armed with a shotgun, a man who had been trying to jimmy the door open with a screwdriver quickly fled. (The Daily Times, Rawlins, Wyo.)

Latest

Springfield Echelon Pro 01
Springfield Echelon Pro 01

Going Pro: Springfield Armory's Echelon Pro Comp

Springfield Armory has expanded its Echelon line of handguns with several new Echelon Pro Comp offerings, bringing a number of what the company calls "performance-oriented enhancements" to the platform.

Steel Yourselves—Metal is Back

These days, it’s safe to say that injection-molded polymer of some sort is the most prevalent material from which to construct a pistol frame, but lately, that trend seems to be reversing. Metal is back.

Ori-gun-i: The ZEV Technologies FDP Carbine

The American art of folding polymer and steel into a working firearm reaches what might be its zenith with the Zev Technologies/Magpul FDP.

Study Finds Correlation Between Firearm Training & Safe Gun Storage

In a survey of more than 1,000 firearm owners across the nation, researchers found that firearm training increases responsible gun storage at a dramatic rate.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 12, 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: Glenfield Firearms Model A

The Glenfield Firearms Model A is a stalwart budget option returning to the market under the Ruger umbrella.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.