I agree that the rights are about defense and aren't about hunting - that wasn't what I was saying. I was just stating the hunting aspect b/c that's my use for them, and to indicate that I'm not someone who is afraid of guns because they are "evil weapons". I'm also not particularly "Left" on the issue either. I don't know if I'm misinterpreting your comment or not, but my point wasn't about being as big as the government. My point was that if the military turned against U.S. citizens for suppression, guns are the "small weapons". Civilians don't have the resources to combat the EM weapons, "intelligent weapons systems" and other tech that the military has. They don't have to make it a close quarters game, and civilians wouldn't be able to "get their hands on the government's weapons" because, by the time they're close enough to be in your hands, you're dead. The controls for those weapons systems usually aren't even close to the area of effect. I'm not saying you couldn't put up a fight, but there is a crap-ton of high-tech dedicated junk the military can use and never have to get near their adversary. I guess I'm what I'm saying is that when it was musket vs musket, there was some level of equality and reasonable chance to resist a government army. Now it's more like musket vs drone launching a missle at your butt from 10 miles above. Those odds are a lot less in the musket's favor. I could be wrong of course, and I truly hope we never have to find out. That said I still want to keep my musket :)