The Armed Citizen® September 28, 2011

by
posted on September 28, 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 (3)

It’s a familiar scenario: An armed citizen with a concealed-carry permit is likely once again to have saved multiple lives. Several customers were doing business inside a pawn shop when a man walked inside, pointed a gun toward the ceiling and announced a robbery. Did the gunman intend to shoot the clerk? Would he take hostages? We’ll never know, because a customer with a concealed-carry permit promptly drew a pistol and shot the robber in the stomach. The robber has been charged with aggravated robbery. (KSAT-TV, San Antonio, TX, 06/22/11)

The Armed Citizen Extra

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

When a homeowner spotted three men outside of his apartment trying to get in, he grabbed his handgun and stood his ground. After trying unsuccessfully to get in, the three men kicked the door down and approached the man with knives. The homeowner fired three shots, causing the intruders to flee. Police caught up with two of the men immediately and arrested them. (KFOX, El Paso, TX, 04/22/10)

From The Armed Citizen Archive

September 1971: Donald Sims, owner of a restaurant in Bremerton, Wash., snatched a shotgun when he heard someone breaking a window to enter his place of business. Sims caught a suspect and held him for police. (The Bremerton Sun, Bremerton, Wash.)

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.