Only a single example in a complex social issue, but here goes....
Some years back, there was a significant number of tall dark, elegant folk arrived in town. Possibly from Ghana but thet doesn't matter. Generally nice people who were glad to escape a bad place.
My friend ran the local gun shop.
A tall dark chap came in and after looking around, asked in broken english
"You sell guns?"
"Yeah, we are a gun shop."
"Sell me AK47...please."
"Sorry, I can't sell you one of those." (He didn't have them anyway).
"Sell me something smaller?"
"No, I am not selling you any guns. Not allowed."
"Sell me knife, then? They call me names. Not fair. I make it right."
I suspect that process happens a bit. As well as other individuals with criminal intent trying to avoid harsher penalties when caught with weapons.
And OME your example was before my time, but I suspect that handguns were not so easily obtained back then. Besides, if you want to be sure of killing anyone with a pistol, you nearly have to be close enough to stab them. And guns make too much noise.