The Armed Citizen® July 3, 2017

by
posted on July 3, 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

A gang of would-be invaders learned a lesson the hard way after surprising a 22-year-old male in his Jacksonville, N.C., apartment. While the resident was getting ready to head out to dinner one night, he heard a knock on his apartment door. His mother and a friend were in the home with him, and he wasn’t expecting any visitors. He went to the door and, looking through the peephole, saw an individual dressed in a hoodie. Since he didn’t recognize the person, he grabbed his Glock 30 before opening the door. At first, he saw no one, but as he turned his head to look down the stairs, he was kicked in the face by the stranger, who then tried to force his way into the apartment. The armed citizen fired five shots at the attacker, striking him several times. The thug later died. The apartment dweller noticed several others fleeing after he shot the man in the hooded sweatshirt. Four suspects were subsequently arrested and charged as co-conspirators. Onslow County officials said the armed citizen will not be charged because he was acting in self-defense. (jdnews.com, Jacksonville, NC, 4/27/17)

The Armed Citizen® Extra
A family was at home one afternoon when a group of teenagers broke into the residence by way of an upstairs balcony. While the wife protected the children, the husband grabbed a gun and confronted the intruders, holding them at gunpoint. Two of the intruders ran but were eventually caught. A neighbor called the police and all five were arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary. (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Chino Hills, CA, 5/2/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
July 1980
When two armed men entered his Mira Mesa, Calif., coin shop and announced a robbery, owner Roy Collins drew his revolver and exchanged shots with the gunmen. One robber fled, but the other grappled with Collins, pointed a gun at his head and threatened to kill him. At that, Collin’s wife, who had secured her own pistol, shot the would-be robber, critically wounding him. (The Union, San Diego, CA)

Latest

Hk Cc9 GOTW 1
Hk Cc9 GOTW 1

Gun of the Week: Heckler & Koch CC9

The Heckler & Koch CC9 isn't merely just another micro-compact. It's the result of a significant amount of work on the part of the company's US subsidiary to create the first truly American-made HK.

The Armed Citizen® May 22, 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.

The PROOF Research PXT: A New Approach to Barrel Rifling

PROOF Research has introduced PROOF eXponential Twist (PXT)—an advancement in rifling that improves durability, accuracy and shootability—to the commercial market.

Review: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Heatseeker

Back when American Rifleman reviewed Springfield's Model 2020 Waypoint, we noted that we ...couldn’t help but wonder if a tactical-version Model 2020 rifle might be a logical future offshoot of the Waypoint hunting rifle." With the Model 2020 Heatseeker, that version is finally here.

Marlin Goes Mad: The Marlin Mad Pig Customs Model 1894

Marlin’s latest Model 1894 lever-action rifle, a collaboration with Mad Pig Customs that is a far cry from traditional, delivers “modern, factory‑installed features previously found only on custom builds.”

The Jewish Community Is Embracing Our 2A Freedom

In this episode of the NRA’s The Armed Citizen Podcast, we interview Gayle Pearlstein, COO and co-founder of Lox & Loaded, a Jewish-owned and -operated gun club that now—after being launched only a year ago—has 50 chapters around the United States.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.