The Armed Citizen® Jan. 30, 2023

by
posted on January 30, 2023
** 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. **
The Armed Citizen

Armed Citizen® Today

A licensed concealed-carry holder used her personal handgun to stop an alleged attack outside a bank in Roseland, Ill., and she credited her CCW pistol for saving her life.

The woman had left the bank with cash in her hand and was getting into her car, when she was approached by an alleged carjacker. The man opened her front door and aimed a gun at her head. The woman pulled out her concealed-carry gun and began firing at the man, who ran from the scene. The woman then ran inside the bank to get help.

"Thank god I had my gun, or I'd probably be dead right now," the woman said. "I pray every night that I don't have to shoot nobody, but I have to, then I'm prepared and ready." (CBS Chicago, Roseland, Ill., 11/29/22)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – July 21, 1987

Alerted by the sound of his front door being kicked in, Lexington, Ky., resident Bernard McCarthy armed himself. When a knife-wielding burglar burst into McCarthy's residence, the homeowner warned he would shoot. As the man continued to threaten him with a knife, McCarthy fired, wounding him. Charges of first-degree burglary were placed against the man. (The Herald-Leader, Lexington, Ky.)

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.