Im like a lot of others here....I havent gone anywhere unarmed since I was 18
Been in a couple touchy situations but giving up my liberty or my arms never entered my mind.
All in all these parts are pretty low risk. The OP was an aberration. But a young boy disappeared from his paper route at about that same time period in a town about twenty miles away. All they ever found was his bike and papers along the street.
As to going armed, I was fifty before I ever owned a handgun. It was a 7 1/2 inch SBH in 41 mag. Grpwing up, of six uncles and aunts and 24 cousins, one uncle owned a Colt Trooper revolver. But it was more of a conversation piece or grouse shooter than meant for self defense.
Finally a couple of my cousins bought a couple revolvers in the mid seventies.
Yes, I do own carry capable weapons today. But I very seldom take them out of the safe. As others have said, often trouble can be avoided if one does not go looking for it.
