Baby Boy, up until this statement I had respect for your intellect, even if I did not agree with your conclusions. I retired from the Navy, having hung around with Marines from time to time. I own four hand guns and two rifles, many others having passed through my hands. According to the Heller and McDonald decisions, handguns are the most common means of defense, and are protected by the Second Amendment. The Ak 47s owned by most folks are semi automatic, and no different in function than a Ruger ranch rifle. Machine guns, which fire as long as the trigger is held down and there is ammunition loaded, require the payment of a $200 fderal transfer tax. No legally owned machine gun has even been used in a crime, since the law was passed in 1934. If you limit yourself to rifles and shotguns, that's fine by me. Just don't attempt to dictate my choices. Handguns are easier to carry, and are likely to be at hand when needed. If it wouldn't upset the general public too much, I'd carry a larger weapon, but they are harder to conceal. The gun grabbers try to use these differences as wedge issues to divide gun owners. Don't let them. Wherever concealed carry laws are in effect, the crime rates have gone down. Restrictive gun laws were first originated after Reconstruction, to keep blacks from being armed. You should know this from your study of history after the war. Stan