Andy RR,
Not really.
The whole gun issue is bound up in a provision of the US Constitution, and court precedents flowing therefrom. Indeed, the 2nd Amendment dates from 1791, just a wee bit before the Wright Bros. Almost before the Mongolfier brothers.
The FAA Experimental Certificate (including Amateur Built) only dates from the 1950's, after hard fought battles against vested interest with names like Cessna and Beechcraft etc., who only saw reduced sales of their products --- but all in the interests of "safety", you understand, not using "aviation safety" rules for commercial protection, perish the thought.
Indeed, some of the illogical conditions such as the "51%" rule, and how it is defined, and even the existence of the 51% rule are examples of the political compromises to placate the light aircraft manufacturers, that resulted in the emergence of the rule.
Cessna and Beech etc. "agreed" to the 51% rule, because they thought it would be virtually impossible to achieve, and would, therefor, stymie the whole idea.
Even the name "Experimental" was designed to detract from the whole idea, in the minds of the general public, and hopefully (in the minds of the opposition) lead to popular "safety" demands that would kill or severely limit success.
The whole history of EAA, its raison d'etre, is the history of making it work.
Tootle pip!