The Armed Citizen® November 16, 2011

by
posted on November 16, 2011
** 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)

Phillip Ramsey was drinking coffee in his kitchen when there was a knock at the door. “I didn’t recognize him and I didn’t answer the door,” Ramsey recalled. Shortly thereafter a second unknown man knocked at the door. When Ramsey didn’t answer, the man circled toward the rear of the house. Ramsey heard glass breaking and grabbed his 9 mm pistol, which he usually stores in the bedroom. “For some reason, I had it with me in the kitchen today,” he said. “God must have been watching out for me.” Ramsey called 9-1-1 and when he got to his bedroom, the man was getting off the bed below a broken window. Ramsey held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived. Following the incident he offered the following safety advice to fellow citizens: “Get a gun and learn how to use it.” (The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C., 8/31/11)

The Armed Citizen Extra

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

After placing an ad on Craigslist to sell his iPhone and getting an offer, a Tacoma, Wa., man went to meet the potential buyers near a local mall. But the so-called buyers-two teenage boys-had another plan. As the owner was showing the teens the phone, one of them grabbed it and the other shoved the man to the ground and then took off running. Grabbing his gun that he is licensed to carry, the man demanded that the boys stop. He held them at gunpoint until police arrived. (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA, 07/03/10)

From The Armed Citizen Archive

October 1979: After being robbed the previous night, Indianapolis, Ind., motel manager, Mike Murray surprised three early morning burglars in the process of removing a TV set from one of the motel units. Murray halted the three and held them at shotgun point until police could take them into custody. (The Star, Indianapolis, Ind., 7/16)

Latest

Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special 1
Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special 1

The Model 87 Ultra Special: A Rare Survivor of Ithaca's Final Gamble

In the spring of 1990, an 18-year-old received a shotgun he didn't order. The Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special he got instead was the last gasp of one of America's most iconic shotgun makers.

Five Million Friends

From one room of friends in Missouri to a nationwide movement, Friends of NRA celebrates more than five million lives touched through community, volunteerism, and a shared commitment to the future of the shooting sports.

As Gun Sales Stay High, Violent Crime Hits a Historic Low

According to a recent report from the FBI on national crime statistics, violent crime has decreased 9.3 percent from 2024, marking the largest year-to-year drop since the 1930s.

Federal to Provide Rifle Ammunition to Top Nordic Police Agencies

The Nordic Police, comprised of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, recently selected two Federal Ammunition rifle loads for duty and training use.

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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.