Reply #15: We sure as heck don't have "nearly unrestricted access"

[benEzra]

to firearms in THIS country. At least not those of us who obey Federal firearms laws. That was the reporter's spin on it, but obviously the reporter is not familiar with Federal firearms law...

Not only are automatic weapons, burst-mode weapons, disguised firearms, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, handguns with shoulder stocks, sound-suppressed firearms, firearms over .50 caliber (except shotguns), explosives, ordnance, etc. etc. heavily restricted by the National Firearms Act of 1934, but there is a whole boatload of arcane Federal regulations that you have to comply with as a gun owner in order not to accidentally become a Federal felon...

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm

If we rephrased the statement to say that LAW-ABIDING citizens with NO CRIMINAL RECORD have RELATIVELY unrestricted access to CIVILIAN type firearms, it would be accurate...as far as Federal law. But states can and do add their own laws, some of which are pretty draconian...

FWIW, here is an interesting article on the rather surprising consensus that has developed in academia on the issue:

Under Fire: The New Consensus on the Second Amendment (45 Emory L.J. 1139-1259, 1996)