Paulsen, you’re hopeless. What do you think the militia was comprised of? If you were intellectually honest, you would know our founders were leery of standing armies and militias were formed as needed. Many states didn’t form militias because they had no need. Therefore it was incumbent upon all able-bodied Americans to be armed and trained via individual ownership of arms. This way the militia could be formed on an ad hoc basis, and then disbanded as the need had passed.
The militia was everyone. But the founders didn't believe that an armed populace would be effective without being trained -- and training everyone was out of the question. From Federalist 29:
"The project of disciplining all the militia of the United States is as futile as it would be injurious, if it were capable of being carried into execution. A tolerable expertness in military movements is a business that requires time and practice. It is not a day, or even a week, that will suffice for the attainment of it. To oblige the great body of the yeomanry, and of the other classes of the citizens, to be under arms for the purpose of going through military exercises and evolutions, as often as might be necessary to acquire the degree of perfection which would entitle them to the character of a well-regulated militia, would be a real grievance to the people, and a serious public inconvenience and loss."
"But though the scheme of disciplining the whole nation must be abandoned as mischievous or impracticable; yet it is a matter of the utmost importance that a well-digested plan should, as soon as possible, be adopted for the proper establishment of the militia. The attention of the government ought particularly to be directed to the formation of a select corps of moderate extent, upon such principles as will really fit them for service in case of need."
They decided a "well regulated Militia" was necessary to the security of a free state. And, according to the Militia Act of 1792, only adult, white, male citizens qualified. They were "the people" of the second amendment. Not everyone.
"Therefore it was incumbent upon all able-bodied Americans to be armed and trained via individual ownership of arms. This way the militia could be formed on an ad hoc basis, and then disbanded as the need had passed."
You're just making this up. Only a select group were trained. Less than 20% of the population at the time.
And they were trained with muskets -- inaccurate, but suitable for volley fire. If citizens had private weapons, more than likely they were rifles, accurate for hunting and personal self defense, not smooth bore muskets.