No modern government (free or dictator) will tolerate an organized and armed nongovernment paramilitary within their borders. Branch Davidians became a red flag when they owned 200 legal AR-15 rifles, and attempted to create a cohesive military unit. The government will tolerate 200 men, each owning one rifle or one collector with 200 different types of rifles, but never 200 men armed with one type of weapon, organized into a unified cohesive combat unit not under government jurisdiction. Sooner or later, the feds will find something to arrest them. They will send in provacateurs or act on any minute legal violation or complaint in order to initiate the seizure of all the firearms. All governments want internal security in one form or another. Allowing small militias that can potentially grow into large militias will be seen as a potential threat.
17 posted on 02/26/2007 9:06:43 AM MST by Fee
How many guns can a licensed FFL dealer own ?
Firearm merchants are controlled and regulated versus an individual or individuals organized with tons of firearms. Good book to read is called "Coup d'etat" by Luttwak. It argues why attempts by individuals to organize private militias will be met by government action to break it up due to internal security concerns. Modern governments (free or unfree) will never tolerate private militias.