The Armed Citizen® October 19, 2018

by
posted on October 19, 2018
** 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. **
1armed-citizen-main-image.jpg (1)

One father’s greatest gift to his daughter before he died was that he taught her to shoot. The training and commitment to our firearms freedom paid off in Forest City, N.C., when the 15-year-old girl fatally shot her mom’s abusive boyfriend as he tried to choke the life out of her. It was actually a joint effort with her 12-year-old brother; the two children saw the man trying to strangle their mother and heard him threaten to cut her throat. At that, the boy retrieved a Colt single-action revolver. His sister grabbed the gun from him and fired twice, shooting her mother’s attacker in the chest. The teen will not be charged, according to the authorities.
(wbtv.com, Charlotte, N.C., 8/10/18)

The Armed Citizen Extra
A Lincoln, Ill., woman turned back a determined intruder last month with her legally owned handgun. The suspect damaged a vehicle in front of the property in question before trying to force the door. Even after the homeowner shouted to the perpetrator that she was armed, the man continued his attempts to barge in. In response, the woman fired her pistol, though it does not appear the suspect was injured by the shot. The would-be burglar is still at large.  (Fox Illinois, Lincoln, IL, 9/6/18)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
October 1962
While spending the night in the tavern where he is employed near North Wilkesboro, N.C., Bristol McDaniel was awakened by the sound of a door being forced. He hid, waited until 2 men got inside, and turned on the lights. At the point of a .38 McDaniel ordered them to be seated while he called the police. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Latest

target with holes
target with holes

Resisting the Temptation of "Good Enough" for Firearm Performance

No matter what firearm you're using for whatever purpose, even if it's simply a trip to the range, always resist the temptation to accept “good enough” if there is the possibility of better performance.

Armed Citizens Stop a Lot More Criminals Than Most in the Media Will Admit

Since January 2025, the Crime Prevention Research Center has documented 16 defensive gun uses in which police say armed citizens stopped mass public killings.

Federal & Mossberg Collaborate on Autonomous Airborne Drone Defense

Federal and Mossberg are working with Palladyne AI in the creation of SwarmShot, a kinetic defense system that employs swarms of armed drones to shield troops from unmanned aircraft system threats.

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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.