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I'm a "gun guy", AMA

A couple people had expressed interest in this topic, and I have a bit of extra time for a couple days, so here goes:

Bona fides: I am a former infantry NCO and sniper, hunter, competitive shooter, reloader, hobby gunsmith, sometimes firearms trainer and currently work in a gun shop, mostly on the paperwork/compliance side. Back in the day, was a qualified expert with every standard small arm in the US inventory circa 2003 (M2, 4, 9, 16, 19, 249, 240B, 21, 24, 82 etc.), and today hang around the 75th percentile of USPSA classifications. I've shot Cap-and-Ball, Trap and Sporting Clays badly; Bullseye and PRS somewhat better and IDPA/USPSA/UML/Two-gun with some local success. Been active in the 2A community since the mid-90s, got my first instructor cert in high school, and have held a CPL for almost twenty years now.

I certainly don't claim to be an expert in every aspect of firearms, there's huge areas that escape my knowledge base, but if you've got questions I'll do my best to answer.

Technical questions

Gun control proposals for feasibility

Industry

Training

Wacky opinions

General geekery

Some competition links (not my own) just for the interested.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=U5IhsWamaLY&t=173

https://youtube.com/watch?v=93nEEINflXE

https://youtube.com/watch?v=utcky0zq10E

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xVh4CjbgK7s

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0IK2RUxVq3A

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In your opinion, what should be the legal limit to the 2A? Did Heller go too far, or did it not go too far enough?

Not nearly far enough, IMO, but perhaps on different axes to our current political situation.

My dreamworld 2A is explicitly military, and would have tiered sections for access to higher level/more dangerous firearms, of which concealed carry handguns would be the top. The current and last couple generations of standard infantry arm should be the base level. So ARs>hunting guns>beltfed>handguns. Combine with national service/training for the lower rungs (well regulated), add in some graduated time requirements (perhaps with graduated age requirements). As an example if you have had access to firearms for ten years, have completed all the safety training for all the tiers and are thirty years of age, you could get a CCW permit. I view personal carry as a side benefit of the 2A, not the main point, and handguns are by far the most dangerous in terms of crime.

So ARs>hunting guns>beltfed>handguns.

Why ARs ahead of hunting guns?

Adherence to the original intent of the amendment. The intent is for the "security of a free state", not pheasants. It would be constitutional to ban hunting outright, plus all guns of a "purely sporting use". Only long tradition and statute protect those guns, but the 2A protects AR-15s (and 1903s, M14s and Garands etc.) almost above all else.