You may read it as because states have armies, you need a weapon to defend yourself against the state.
That is exactly what they meant.
Yes, recognizing that armies exist apart from people, the future would always pose a risk that such armies could be used against a free people, hence the people must have a right apart from government to hold arms.
It is a check against tyranny.
“you need a weapon to defend yourself against the state.”
And don’t give me that old crapola re “automatic weapon” were never conceived by the founders !
Worse than that,they NEVER knew about NATIONWIDE newspapers, radio or TV ! Those are worse for the nation than Browning’s inventions ..Maybe radio and TV should be regulated to reach only 5 MILES, — Sound reasonable ?
If their argument works for guns, why not Radio and TV ?