The Armed Citizen® March 7, 2025

by
posted on March 7, 2025
** 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. **
The Armed Citizen

Armed Citizen® Today

A burglary spree in Falls Church, Va., was ended by an armed homeowner who fired upon an early-morning intruder in January 2025.

Fairfax County police say the suspect had attempted to break into another home in the Lake Barcroft neighborhood before attempting to enter the second home. The alleged break-in occurred at about 2:30 a.m. while the homeowner was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher. After confronting the burglar at the front door of the house, the homeowner opened fire, striking the intruder with multiple shots.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, and police say he will face charges once his condition improves. Local neighbors commented on the rising crime in the area. "We've been living here 25 years, and it's like, little stuff—cars getting fussed with—that's become more frequent in the last three or four years," an anonymous neighbor told reporters. (FOX 5 DC; Falls Church, Va.; 1/16/25)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – February 1981

St. Louis restaurateur Gus Kircher started carrying a gun in his restaurant after he was robbed of $600. A week later, a robber accosted Kircher and two female companions in an alley as they entered the restaurant. 

The robber put a gun to the one woman's head, demanded money, and pulled the trigger four times. The gun didn't fire. Kircher pushed the gun aside and shot the robber twice, fatally wounding him. Police found two unfired rounds in the deceased's revolver. (The Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Mo.)

 

 

Latest

Smith Wesson Model 29 10 Facts 1
Smith Wesson Model 29 10 Facts 1

10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About The Smith & Wesson Model 29

Without a doubt, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 is one of the 20th century’s most shootable, collectible "superstar" revolvers. Here are a few little-known facts about the gun.

Packable Punch: Discreet Ways to Carry More Firepower

While folding and takedown firearms chambered for full-power rifle cartridges may be niche defensive tools, the dark situations in which they shine brightest aren’t going away anytime soon.

Southpaw Solution: Ruger Introduces Left-Handed American Gen II Ranch Rifles

Traditionally, Ruger has offered a range of left-handed rifle models for the southpaws among us, and now, the company's Gen II American rifles are available in a left-handed variant, starting with the Ranch models.

Gun of the Week: Kimber 1911 DS Warrior LW

In 2026, Kimber developed its 1911 DS Warrior, an American-made, double-stack design that is intended to be an affordable entry point into Kimber's double-stack handgun line.

The Armed Citizen® April 24, 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.

Spin Difference: The Impact of Barrel Twist Rates on Terminal Performance

When most shooters think of rifling-twist rates, they mostly think of rifles with their high BC projectiles, but the rpm of a bullet also plays a part in terminal performance.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.