Why should a private citizen be allowed to have a military-style firearm?
Private ownership of “military” firearms—those that are particularly useful for defensive purposes—is at the heart of the centuries-old militia concept recognized by the Constitution’s Militia Clauses and Second Amendment, and by federal law since 1792 [10 USC 311][]. And in U.S. v. Miller (1939), the Supreme Court observed that the militia consists of people “bearing arms supplied by themselves.” (Emphasis added.) For the last century, Congress has supported programs to train private citizens in marksmanship in the interest of national defense and has equipped local shooting clubs for that purpose. Countless thousands of private citizens currently participate in modern versions of these programs, culminating in the annual National Rifle and Pistol Matches conducted by the NRA at Camp Perry, Ohio. Because of these programs, many of our troops learn marksmanship before they enter military service. Many firearms used by the military were first widely used by civilians, including, among o
