The Armed Citizen® October 12, 2011

by
posted on October 12, 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

A 68-year-old grandmother was lying in bed when she was startled by the sound of someone breaking in. So she got up and grabbed her .410 shotgun, a gun she’s kept for self-defense for many years, a gun she was never sure she could actually use on a human being and didn’t want to find out. However, when her French doors flew open and her burglar alarm went off, that was all it took-mortal fear-and she fired upon the three men. Her first volley of bird shot struck one suspect in the face and a second suspect was struck in the chest. All three men fled and are in police custody. At least one had been armed, as police found his handgun’s magazine in the yard. The woman received many calls and e-mails cheering her actions. “One of them said ‘Go, Granny, Go’,” she recalled. “I don’t consider myself old, but apparently everyone else does.” (WTVF-TV, Nashville, Tenn., 08/11/01)

The Armed Citizen Extra

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

An elderly Washington man was at home early one morning when he heard what sounded like someone breaking into his car. When he went to investigate, the intruder burst into the kitchen and wrestled him to the ground. The homeowner managed to get free, and ran to grab his gun. He shot the suspect twice, and held him at gunpoint with a neighbor until police arrived. (The Seattle Times, Seattle, WA, 04/08/10)

From The Armed Citizen Archives...

October 1979: Shortly before closing-time, two armed men entered a Grand Rapids, Mich., grocery and announced a holdup. When one of them jumped on the counter and pointed a gun at part-owner Theodore Tonning, the grocer pulled a gun and fired, wounding him. The other robber, who was armed with a sawed-off rifle, took a shot at Tonning, but the rifle misfired; Tonning fired and killed the man. (The Press, Grand Rapids, Mich., 06/18)

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 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.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.