Couple of points, from a Brit who spends a lot of time in the USA...
1. The way the 2nd amendment is interpreted is wierd. I spend a lot of time in New York city, here it is *impossible* for an ordinary citizen to legally own a handgun, never mind carry one. You just can't get a permit.
Long guns can be legally owned, but the process of getting a permit to do so is complicated and expensive, and takes a long time - many months. In fact, it's at least as hard to get a legal gun in New York as it is in the UK. I can't square this with 'shall not be infringed' but the courts seem to have managed to do so.
If the first amendment (free speech) was screwed-around the way the second has been, there would be hell to pay!
2. In response to posters who question the 'need' to own a gun - think of it like the crash axe or fire extinguisher: you really really hope *never* to 'need' it, but if you ever do, you will need it very very badly!
R1, unarmed and moderately dangerous