The Armed Citizen® May 1, 2012

by
posted on May 1, 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

Police received a call from a 15-year-old girl claiming there was someone trying to get into her house while she was home alone. She reported that she heard the front door jiggle, looked out the window and saw two men there. One man managed to get into the garage where he was attempting to steal a pickup truck. After retrieving her father’s handgun, the girl confronted the man in the garage causing him to immediately flee. His accomplice, who had already made his way inside and was ransacking the contents of the home, quickly followed suit. (The Daily News, Texas City, Texas, 1/15/12)

The Armed Citizen Extra

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

A 25-year-old Bedford Heights, Ohio, homeowner spotted an intruder breaking into a neighbor’s home, which prompted a quick call to 9-1-1. The homeowner remained on the phone while he confronted the intruder, who had climbed through a broken kitchen window. The intruder proceeded to grab a kitchen knife and threaten the homeowner, who retrieved a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and fired. The intruder was taken to the MetroHealth Medical Center for treatment and is in the custody of the Bedford Heights police. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 4/25/12)

From The Armed Citizen Archives

April 1980: Two men, one carrying a crowbar, entered a Norwich, N.Y., motorcycle shop, approached the owner’s son, and asked to see an item from a wall display. When owner Loren Frink walked into the room and saw his son being beaten with the crowbar, he drew his pistol and fired. The would-be robbers fled unharmed but soon were arrested. (The Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, N.Y. 1/23)

Latest

Ruger Beretta Agreement F Updated
Ruger Beretta Agreement F Updated

Beretta Holding and Ruger Agree to Partnership

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. and Beretta Holding S.A. have announced that both companies are entering into a strategic cooperation agreement.

Return of the Encore: T/C Arms Brings Back Its Iconic Single-Shot

In 2024, former owner Gregg Ritz purchased Thompson/Center Arms. Now the company has introduced a modern take on its classic Contender/Encore concept: the ENCORE PROHunter.

7 New ARs for 2026

While it's certainly a saturated marketplace these days, the AR-15 has never been more popular with American firearm enthusiasts, and many manufacturers are continuing to feed the need with new options loaded with new features.

The Armed Citizen® May 4, 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.

The Drawbacks of Being a Numbers-Oriented Gun Guy

Like any hobby or pastime that is in any way even vaguely related to machines or technology, firearms attract a (possibly) disproportionate number of “right-brained,” STEM-oriented personalities who like numbers.

First Look: MDT Hand Cannon Slingshot

Slingshots are fun, but they can also be a legitimate backup defensive tool—in 2023, a 13-year-old Michigan boy saved his 8-year-old sister from being kidnapped by using a $3 slingshot to fire a marble and a rock at the assailant, striking him in the chest and head.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.