The Armed Citizen® January 12, 2018

by
posted on January 12, 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 (2)

Criminals might consider the elderly a vulnerable segment of society and easy victims to prey upon, but that wasn’t the case in Florida. When a would-be burglar tried breaking into the home of an 81-year-old, the homeowner turned the tables on him with a gun. The incident started when a stranger rang the doorbell of a New Smyrna Beach, Fla., home. The resident, not recognizing the visitor, declined to answer the door. A few minutes later, the citizen noticed the man on the porch was putting on white gloves. At that point, the senior citizen grabbed his personal protection handgun. When the outsider proceeded to break the glass of a first-floor window and reached in to unlock it, the older man fired several rounds, possibly grazing the suspect. Police were searching for the bad guy. (The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Daytona Beach, FL, 10/9/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
When three men broke into a home early one morning, the homeowner was having none of that. Although the intruders shot the resident in the leg, the homeowner was able to respond with his own gunfire. One of the ill-intentioned trespassers died at the scene while another was later found dead in a stolen vehicle. The third man was taken into custody. (mlive.com, Greenleaf Township, MI, 11/20/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
January 1959
Grocer Bernard Frey of Buffalo, N.Y., thwarted his third holdup in five years by jerking out his own revolver when a bandit pointed a pistol and demanded money. The robber pleaded, “Don’t shoot,” dropped his gun, and fled the store. (Evening News, Buffalo, NY)

Latest

2026 Gba Nra Media F
2026 Gba Nra Media F

NRA Announces 2026 Golden Bullseye Award Winners

For the 24th year, NRA Media is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 NRA Golden Bullseye Awards, highlighting new, innovative products offered by the firearm, ammunition, and optics industries.

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 29, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

I Have This Old Gun: Ruger Mini-14 GB

When initially released in 1973, the Ruger Mini-14 quickly made a name for itself on the recreational-shooting market. Designed by L. James Sullivan and Bill Ruger, it combined the best attributes of the M1 Garand and the M1 carbine with a “rock-’n’-lock” detachable box magazine inspired by the M14.

Preview: Mec-Gar Glock Magazines

Mec-Gar took its expertise in metal-formed magazines and applied the technology to one of the most ubiquitous designs on the market: Glock. Now you can have incredibly durable metal magazines for your 9 mm Luger-chambered Glock handgun, as all of Mec-Gar’s offerings are made using heat-treated carbon steel.

Enough Gun: Weatherby's New Mark V Frontier & Dangerous Game Rifle

Weatherby's new Mark V Frontier and Dangerous Game Rifle (DRG) are ultra-reliable, accurate and devastatingly powerful rifles designed to go after the nastiest creatures on four legs the world has to offer.

Preview: Safariland Pro Impulse Bluetooth

One of several new additions to Safariland’s Impulse line of hearing-protection solutions, the Pro Impulse Bluetooth is a set of Bluetooth-enabled earmuffs that is equally easy on your ears and your pocketbook.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.