The Armed Citizen® March 16, 2014

by
posted on March 16, 2014
** 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 (1)

Shortly before midnight, three men entered Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall brandishing weapons and attempted to rob the polka bar. The owner of the business, Andy Kochanski, pulled out his own firearm and fired on the suspects, killing one. The other two robbers fled the scene, but were later arrested. "I defended myself," said Kochanski. "I did the shooting. Two guys with guns, what are you going to do? Protect yourself and your customers, that's what I did." (The Huffington Post, Milwaukee, Wis., 8/19/13)

Jeanna Harris, 43, was asleep when an intruder forced his way into her home through a patio door. Around 1:15 a.m. Harris awoke to the sound of someone rummaging through the belongings in her bedroom. Despite the darkness of the room, Harris could see that the intruder was just a foot or so away from her bed. She wasted no time grabbing the .20-gauge shotgun she kept next to it. She shouted at the burglar, who fled the home after seeing Harris' firearm. Harris called 911, and the 28-year-old intruder was arrested on a charge of second-degree burglary soon thereafter. No shots were fired during the incident. (The Decatur Daily, Decatur, Ala., 1/15/14)

From The Armed Citizen® Archives

August 1959: When Ray Bandle drove by his Las Vegas garage, he spied a light in the closed office. Slipping quietly into the building, Bandle trapped a burglar and held him at gunpoint until police arrived. (Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas, Nev.)

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Bulwark 1
Gotw Wilson Combat Bulwark 1

Gun of the Week: Wilson Combat Bulwark

Wilson Combat has long been known for its custom work on 1911-style designs, but the company also develops its own firearms, and one of its latest in-house creations is the new Bulwark.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 4, 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.

NFA Wait Times Continue to Drop

In early 2021, it took the ATF about 280 days to process a Form 4 NFA transfer. In August 2026, using the recently implemented eForms system, that wait time had dropped to only nine days.

Pelican Air Carry-on Case Review

An industry staple just made air travel more convenient.

The ROSE Program by SIG Sauer: Empowering Women in Shooting Sports Across the Nation

The ROSE Program is a shooting program created specifically for women. It aims to create a community of women in shooting that can learn about shooting and self-defense.

I Have This Old Gun: French MAS-49

Despite being early adopters of several semi-automatic rifles for military use, the French army took several decades to work out a standardized semi-automatic rifle for general service use. The rifle that finally came to being was the MAS-49.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.