The Armed Citizen® July 27, 2018

by
posted on July 27, 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 (7)

Calling 9-1-1 when someone breaks into your home is the right thing to do, but sometimes help doesn’t arrive soon enough. That’s when a gun for personal defense can help, as a case involving a home invasion near Decatur, Ala., shows. An intruder forced his way into a home and grabbed a knife that he found there. He later fought with two people inside the home. He injured both, but one of them grabbed a gun and shot him. Police dispatchers had received a call about the burglary, but the residents had to defend themselves before the officers arrived. The suspect was found dead at the scene. (The Gadsden Times, Gadsden, AL, 5/14/18) 

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Thanks to an armed citizen, a robbery spree was abruptly interrupted. An armed robber, who had previously hit a local market, moved on to a convenience store, displaying a handgun as he entered the store. A legally armed patron inside the store saw what was about to go down and confronted the robber, who immediately fled the scene. (The Patriot-News, Hummelstown, PA, 6/23/18) 

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
July 1974
As Memphis, Tenn., shoemaker E.L. King put new heels on a man’s shoes, the stocking-footed patron drew a gun and demanded money. King promptly pulled a pistol and ordered the gunman to leave. Two accomplices vanished, but the “customer” lingered briefly to ask for the return of his shoes. King opened fire and the man raced away barefoot. (The Memphis Press-Scrimitar, Memphis, TN)

Latest

Beretta APX Ported 01
Beretta APX Ported 01

New For 2026: Beretta APX A1 Ported

Beretta first entered the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market in 2017 with its APX, and nearly 10 years later, the company has added the APX A1 Ported to the lineup.

CDC Restores Basic Armed Citizen Data

As of Aug. 24, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s webpage is again providing defensive-gun-use data.

Rifleman Review: Taurus GX4 Strike Bravo

Since Taurus USA joined the micro-compact market with its GX4 in 2021, the company has expanded the line to include a number of different options, and the latest, the GX4 Strike Bravo, incorporates a unique chassis design.

Old (Un)reliable: Finding a Magazine that Works for Your 1911

There have been more than 100 manufacturers of 1911-style pistols and magazines, some more faithful to the original drawings than others.

3 New Shotgun Suppressors for 2026

Just because you're in the field hunting for upland game or busting clays at your local range doesn't mean you can't protect your hearing.

First Breach Begins Trading on NASDAQ Under "FBDT" Ticker Symbol

In August 2026, First Breach Defense Technologies, a producer of ammunition and unmanned aerial systems based in Hagerstown, Md., announced that its common stock had begun trading on the NASDAQ capital market under the ticker symbol "FBDT."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.