Guns and more guns
After 37 years in PNG I left never having an urge to have a gun for self defense or as some phycs say, for an extension of the phallic symbol. When aircrew could get a licence, I could see no real use of a pistol after going down in the jungle, maybe a 410 would be of greater benefit at least to shoot small birds or game.
I do recall a couple of incidents ivolving pilots witrh unlicenced firearms that after being 'lost' were possibly used in acts of violence against other residents. If the guns had not been there in the first place, the later incidents would not have occured.
I recall when two pilots were going on leave and asked Sharpie to mind their gats while they were away. One had a shortnose .38 special and the other an automatic .32 beretta.
My tenure of the pistols was supposed to be confidential, but a few days after the two guys departed POM, another pilot asked me if he could have the pistols as he was going white-water rafting down the Waghi and needed a bit more than moral support. He had got authority from the two owners, who never informed me of the fact. I gladly transfered custody of the weapons to the bright young lad on the understanding that they were his to look after from then on.
A week or so later, I saw the white-water rafter and asked about the trip. He rather sheepishly replied that they had been held up with a tree across the river, divested of all personal effects, clothes apart from his wife's and other's undies. When asked about the two pistols, he said that there were too many of the Chimbu's and they got the guns as well.
Another pilot had a .375 magnum plus about 50 rounds of ammo, all of which was kept next to the bed. Many knew about this great weapon as he told many. After returning from the Aviat one evening, he found that his unit had been ransacked with the .375 and ammo missing.
It is believed that the .375 was used to stop a police land cruiser a few days later,with a few well placed bullets through the block, and that the two taken in the white-water rafting episode were also used in later crimes.
Yes, there have been instances where expats have been saved by using a gun in self defense but there have been more instances where people have been wounded or killed by the criminal element using guns stolen from expats.
Even my brother who has been driving the Waghi for more than 37 years now, has never felt the need to carry a weapon.