What are the acceptable limits of the 2nd Amendment?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by ETR3(SS)

True they might and that could be an assumed part of ownership of said plane. But I would still be a civilian. And if I joined the Guard or Reserve I don't actually own the equipment, the government does. Not to mention I would be subject to the whims of the military because I would be a part of the military.

All true. Something that gets lost in that exact discussion is the Letter of Marque. During the Revolution and the war of 1812 Civilian owners of armed merchant ships (read 'cannons') were given official authorization to attack British Shipping, for the very reason that they had exactly the same cannons U.S. warships had. This left official warships free to act like warships, while armed citizens became privateers.