2nd Amendment - Founder's Intent

 

To understand the Founding Father's original intent of the 2nd Amendment, it is necessary to recognize the period in which the Constitution and Bill of Rights were written.

The Supreme Court's "contextualists"/"originalists", National Rifle Association, "Militia" groups, and some gun enthusiasts continue to take the specific language of the 2nd Amendment out of context because it suits their personal interests.

Could the Founders living when most Americans were using smooth bore rifles, flint locks, and small round metal balls for bullets have imagined the automatic weapons and large-capacity magazines used in 2026? Absolutely not! 

In 1787, a well-trained soldier could fire 3 rounds in a minute. 

A Civil War soldier could fire from 3-5 rounds per minute (musket) to 10-15 rounds per minute (Springfield Model 1861) Complete Era online: https://completeera.com/how-many-times-could-a-civil-war-soldier-reload-the-surprising-truth-behind-military-efficiency/ 

In 2026, an AK-47 can fire 600 round per minute (Expert Beacon online: https://expertbeacon.com/how-fast-does-an-ak-47-fire-per-minute/). A standard AR-15magazine is 30 rounds (USA Gun Shop online: https://www.usa-gun-shop.com/ar-15-magazine-capacity-laws/)

Currently, only 14 States have magazine limits. The limits range from 10 - 17 rounds. (The Mag Shack online: https://themagshack.com/gun-magazine-capacity-laws-by-state/).