If my reading of history is correct...

[Arlequín]

I suppose that as many were living hand to mouth, people bought what they needed and if they didn't need it, they didn't buy it. I wouldn't be surprised to find that a significant proportion of shotguns and rifles were still black powder percussion weapons well into the 20th Century. I'm sure there's some old-timer out there still totin' their grandpappy's gun, which while its had a couple of new barrels, a new lock system and a new stock or two, has been a darn good rifle.



As a modern comparison, a member here has commented in another discussion, that in the interests of economy and utility, there are a few people still with a M1 Carbine in their pick-up's gun rack.

I imagine that most people who could run to actually buying a pistol, made their living by it, or the hazards of their profession made owning one recommended. Otherwise as has been said, hand me downs and re-fits of antiques is likely not to have been unusual. Even the Hollywood Westerns usually only have the protagonists with pistols, pretty much everyone else is using 'carbines', scatter guns, or like Mattie Ross in True Grit, her daddy's Colt 1848 Dragoon. 

[Franz_Josef]

During the Northfield, Minnesotta raid, many of the townsfolks armed themselves from the weapons held as stock in the general store.  Either they did not have weapons themselves, or there certainly was no reason for average people to go into town armed.