Gun control: Japan has it right

[legaleagle_45]

82. Machine guns

Many legal scholars would argue that machine guns are not an arm as that term is employed in the 2nd amend. The argument is based upon the common law definition of arms found in Sir Edward Coke's, Institutes of the Lawes of England, Commentaries on Littleton 161(b), 162(a) (1628).

The definition limited the terminology arms to single person portable and use items of offense or defense commonly employed in single person combat situations. Actual definition is "anything a man wears or carries or takes in his hands to strike out or defend against another".

The definition would obviously not apply to things which a person does not carry or wear, such as a tank, but the further limitation of single person combat would disqualify area weapons even if they are single person portable... such as hand grenades, hand held missles and the like. Full auto weapons such as a military grade AK-47 are oft times termed "spray and pray" and could be classified as more in the nature of an area weapon than a weapon designed for single person combat.