***At that time a “musket” was a smooth bore weapon that only had ONE use, and that was military.***
Not so. They were also used as shotguns by militia members. Many of the Kentucky style “rifles” were actually smoothbores. Does that make them a “military style” firearm?
After the Civil War many rifled muskets were de-milled by reaming out the rifling and grinding off the bayonet lug. They were then given or sold to the public, after all, they were PUBLIC PROPERTY.
In the west, the army received shipments of new breach loading rifles. Instead of issuing these to the troops, the commanders ordered them to be given to the settlers heading west as they needed them more than a muzzle loader.
Dang! What you can learn from 50 years of haunting libraries where they have REAL BOOKS!
“Not so. They were also used as shotguns by militia members. Many of the Kentucky style “rifles” were actually smoothbores. Does that make them a “military style” firearm?”
I must respectfully disagree. The term “Rifle” implies rifling. Some units during the revolutionary war used “rifles”, but these were for “sharpshooters” (snipers).
“After the Civil War many rifled muskets were de-milled by reaming out the rifling and grinding off the bayonet lug. They were then given or sold to the public, after all, they were PUBLIC PROPERTY.”
By the civil war the “rifle musket” was the standard military firearm. The Minnie Ball made this possible, plus increased the range and accuracy of the weapon....with devasting effects against military personel still using Revolutionary/Napoleonic style attackes. By removing the rifling, you rendered a musket (in the post civil war era) no longer suitable for military use. Actually, I don’t think you have your facts correct here either though. Most civil war rifle muskets were modified to make them breach loaders using cartridge. Many of the modified arms were given to states for their militias.
Whatever that doesn’t change the point that the term “bear arms” refered to military weaponry. In revolutionary times these were primarily smoothbores. This changed with time.
BTW = Please correct me if I have misread you, but you seem to be taking an anti-2nd Ammendment viewpoint that military style firearms are guaranteed for possesion by individual citizens.
If you take an anti-2nd ammendment view...it is not welcome on this forum and will get you zotted.