I believe that the 2nd Amendment potentially applies to all small arms which meet the following criteria:
1. Suitable for Infantry Militia use. Specifically, can be carried and operated by one person; of a general type in common use by the US Infantry soldier; does not qualify as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.
...OR...
2. Any weapon primarily useful for self-defense, hunting, sport, or other lawful purposes.
Weapon of Mass Destruction: a weapon that cannot be used for individual self-defense against another individual, because of its inherent tendency to affect large numbers of people within an area of effect in an uncontrolled fashion; chiefly toxic, biological, radiological or nuclear in nature.
Weapons that would definitely be protected (for individual use) under the 2A by this definition: knives, swords, sticks, pistols, shotguns, rifles, selective-fire rifles/shotguns/pistols/subguns capable of firing short controlled bursts.
Weapons that might, debateably, be protected under the 2A by this definition: full-auto infantry light machineguns, certain infantry-borne anti-tank or anti-aircraft missile systems... perhaps grenades, grenade-launchers, that sort of thing.
One could reasonably add the caveat to #1 that says "must be capable of damaging only a single target when used by a skillful operator". That would exclude explosives, and perhaps full-auto-only LMGs.
In other words, I think blades, pistols, shotguns and rifles are covered without question. Selective-fire weapons capable of burst fire, probably yes. Heavier stuff is debateable... I wouldn't necessarily object to some more stringent background checks and storage requirements and permits for those.
Well gosh, come to think of it that's not much different from how things are in many or most States already.... you can buy handguns rifles and shotguns with just a quick NICS background check, and you can buy a .50 machine gun if you have a Class III license (which comes with some fairly stringent checks and storage requirements, etc).
The main sticking point seems to be selective-fire rifles.... M-16s, AK47s, M4s, and so forth that are capable of auto or burst fire. Given that those are standard-issue for American Infantry soldiers, considered a small-arm and personal weapon, capable of targeting a single target when used correctly, not a WMD, also used by Police, etc.... I see no reason to restrict ownership to any great degree.
As a matter of strict principle, I think the Fed mandate for NICS checks may violate the 2A.... but on the side of pragmatism I really don't object to it. It's quick, the intrusiveness and infringement is brief and not overly cumbersome, and maybe it even helps a little to keep felons and nutters from legally buying guns, forcing them to turn to the black market.... well yeah when all is said and done it doesn't really keep anybody from illegally getting a gun, but it makes the hoplophobes feel a little safer, so whatever. :lol: :mrgreen: