The Armed Citizen® October 9, 2012

by
posted on October 9, 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

When a homeowner heard noises coming from the first floor of his home, he called out. One of two intruders reportedly identified himself as a police officer so the resident descended the stairs to investigate. One man hurled a hatchet at the homeowner, but missed. The resident fought back and fired a shotgun striking one of the intruders. Both men fled upon hearing the gunshot. The wounded suspect was later arrested when he sought medical treatment. (Kitsap Sun, Tacoma, WA, 6/28/12)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

August 1969: Suddenly awakened, Mrs. Margaret King, Godfrey, Ill., found an intruder standing in her bedroom. She fired two shots from a cal. .22 pistol. The intruder fled. Police later detained a man who sought treatment for gunshot wounds in the chest at a nearby hospital. (Belleville, Ill., News-Democrat)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

May 1987: At a Cleveland, Ohio, doughnut shop a knife-wielding robber ordered two female clerks to lie on the floor. When he ordered Bonnie Kerkhoff to hand over her purse, she complied but produced a .38 revolver from it and fired at the intruder, wounding him. Police charged a wounded suspect with aggravated robbery. (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio)

Latest

firing a musket rifle
firing a musket rifle

Today’s Makers of Yesterday’s Firearms

Original firearms from the American Revolution era are valuable and best preserved for posterity. For those who want to shoot them, several modern makers offer quality reproductions.

Left Turn (Bolt): Tikka's New Left-Handed T3x Ace Rifles

Lefties of the world unite and rejoice, as Tikka has announced left-hand versions of its award-winning T3x Ace chassis rifles.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 14, 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.

Skills Check: Rifle Standard Delta 2

Carbine performance is all about maintaining control. The Rifle Standard Delta 2 is a drill that pressures recoil control, visual discipline and cadence as distance decreases and time compresses.

Gun Sales Up for the 7th Month in a Row in 2026

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) estimate of last month’s gun sales was up 2.2 percent compared to August 2025.

Caring For & Feeding Your Cap-and-Ball Revolvers

Compared to pistoleros of the 19th century, today’s handgunners have it easy. It's not enough just to get an old-school, cap-and-ball revolver. You also need to acquire everything to shoot and clean it.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.