[lepton]

The framers could have had no conception of the massive scale on which government-sanctioned murder would be committed in the twentieth century, but they had a keen appreciation of the peril of being defenseless. That wariness is reflected in the Constitution. (Justice Janice Brown)

Wow! That's a powerful counterpoint to the argument that the Founders had no conception of assault rifles and machine-guns.

[RKV]

The founders used Letters of Marque which provided for private naval vessels with canons. Certainly more firepower than a machine gun.