Many, Seems to me, that we should consider what the weapons were at the time the Constitution was written. They had flint lock rifles, that had to be loaded with a powder pack, ball, and wad, jammed into the barrel with a ram rod, and then needed powder poured into the tray, cock the hammer back, and then aim and fire. The pistols were also muzzle loaded.
But it is reasonable that the definition of fire arms, should be updated to consider the newer technology that has modernized them. Then we have to consider what can be called a fire arm. I think it is a weapon that can be fired by a single human being in the defense of his life, family, property, and/or community, which would exclude things like artillery, bombs, etc. Things like that, need to be under the control of the military of the nation. |
