The Armed Citizen® July 1, 2024

by
posted on July 1, 2024
** 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 thief's attempt to rob an Omaha, Neb., jewelry store was thwarted by the store owner's willingness to defend his livelihood with a gun.

On May 4, 2024, an alleged thief clad in black threw a rock into one of the store's glass windows to gain entry. The store's owner was in a back room and was armed. "I typically carry a firearm on my waist, even after hours," the store owner told local reporters. "It's just one of those things: keys, wallet, firearm."

As the thief raised a tool to break into the glass display cabinets full of jewelry, the owner emerged from the back room, pointing the gun at the intruder, and yelled. The sight was enough to send the thief running back through the broken window.

The shop owner, an Air Force veteran who had spent three years on deployment, told local news that he was glad to have the ability to defend his business, calling his firearm a tool for the job. "My use of [a pistol] is the same as any of the other tools I have back here," he said. "They all serve a purpose. But this is the one tool that I hope to never have to use." (KETV; Omaha, Neb.; 5/7/24)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives – September 1973

Hearing glass breaking in his Everett, Wash., market long after he had closed for the night, Arthur Burnett got a revolver and went to investigate. He found a man inside the store and announced that he was armed. When the man charged at him, Burnett fired two shots and mortally wounded the prowler. (Seattle Times; Seattle, Wash.)

Latest

AR on table with target
AR on table with target

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.

Lighter & Better: Savage’s Updated Ultralite Series of Rifles

Savage Arms kicked off 2026 by announcing a new generation of Model 110 bolt-action rifles, and now, the company has also introduced an updated series of Ultralite rifles.

Gun of the Week: Franchi Momentum Elite MULE

One of the latest entrants into the general-utility rifle market is Franchi with its Momentum Utility Lite Elite bolt-action rifle, also known as the MULE.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 11, 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.