[robertpaulsen]

Well, if muskets were as versatile as you say, used for hunting and defense, people would have already had them and there would have been no need in the Militia Act of 1792 to give Militia members 6 months to acquire one.

You pick the strangest points on which to take a stand.

[Dead Corpse]

If you don't already have one, and they aren't to be for sale to the general public, where the f*ck do you think they would buy one from?

Also, while more rural folks may have had them for hunting, what about city dwellers who had never hunted and therefore never had the need? Did you stop to think that maybe it was these folks that were given 6 month to buy a privately owned musket/rifle if they wanted to serve in the militia?

Nah... that wouldn't fit your preconceived little gun grabber notions now would it...

Gods are you pathetic.