The Armed Citizen® March 29, 2012

by
posted on March 29, 2012
** 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

Early one morning, a resident awoke to the sound of someone shuffling around inside his home. He grabbed his gun and proceeded to search the premises and discovered a man hiding in his basement. The resident fired two rounds from his firearm striking the suspect both times. The injured suspect reached his vehicle and fled the scene. The suspect was later hospitalized; in his wounded state he had struck several parked cars and then crashed the vehicle about a block away. (Associated Press, FL, 12/21/11)

The Armed Citizen Extra

(The following account did not appear in the print version of American Rifleman.)

A supermarket employee was stunned one evening when a man walked into the store, held a sharp object to her back and demanded money. The suspect forced the employee into the store's office, but he wasn't prepared for what would happen next. Another employee was waiting there with a gun and fired a shot at the suspect, striking him. The would-be robber later died in the hospital. (The Courrier-Journal, Indianapolis, IN, 12/28/11)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

March 1975: Aroused at 5 a.m., Mrs. Estelle Beavan, 61, a Seattle widow, found a young man "tearing up the whole front of the house." She telephoned police. But when the man, after ripping off a storm door, bashed through a thick double-locked door, Mrs. Beavan fired one shot at about 10 ft. with a small .22 handgun that she had bought on the advice of a "relative in law enforcement." A bullet in the chest halted the intruder. Police said he was crazed by drugs. (The Seattle Times, Seattle, Wash.)

Latest

Belt1 1911 Timer
Belt1 1911 Timer

Tactical Belts For The Rest Of Us

Most shooters don’t need a "war belt." While enthusiasts like the idea of preparing for every contingency, the vast majority of us need a reliable platform for a range session, a training class or a local club match.

18 New Shotguns for 2026

Among today's firearm platforms, the shotgun remains one of the most time-tested, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Today's new crop of shotguns runs the gamut, giving modern shotgunners new options in nearly every conceivable category.

Derya Arms RAN Series: A New Take on the Lever-Action

Derya Arms' latest entry in the lever-action market, the RAN series of rifles and pistols, seeks to “reimagine” the modern lever gun.

Gun of the Week: Robinson Armament XCR-L

One man, Alex Robinson, took it upon himself to address what he saw as several shortcomings in the AR-15 design. He consulted with special forces operators and asked what they wanted in a rifle platform. The result was the Robinson Armament XCR.

Maryland Bans Glocks and the NRA Responds

Legislation recently signed into law by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore essentially bans nearly every Glock and Glock-style pistol on the market from being sold within the state.

The Armed Citizen® May 29, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.