It seems that the "hunting" aspect of the right to bear arms is a "distraction" to fuel the "right".
In researching the Second Amendment it becomes clear that the intent to arm a "well-regulated" militia was for the purpose of combatting possible "tyrrany".
But who would be the ones that "well regulate" a militia?
At that time there were 13 colonies....and other areas and geographical locations in the USA were held by Spanish, French, Dutch and English forces.
So "taking on the government"could have meant combatting any or every of several different ones. But the tyrrany they were thinking about mainly was British enforcement of British ideas and laws.
Firearms (muskets) were often cobbled together out of parts made by different manufacturers.....basically "whatever worked" in many cases ...and parts came from different countries and their arms makers.
There was little "standardization". Because the musket was so damned innaccurate at anything over really short distances, volume over accuracy was adopted by almost all
military units from anywhere. The more lead you could throw by more people in a given instance the better your chances of "winning". But if you were a longrange sniper using a musket you were basically useless.
Population of the USA in 1776 was about 2 and half million.
The Second Amendment was not inked in 1776.....it happened a number of years later.
There are different versions of The Second Amendment...that were legally interpreted and adopted way back in that era.
Does the government legally have the the ability to curtail "rights' in times of national threat?
So far.....yes.. in the USA the Terrorist Act trumps many "rights" if the need arises.
Up here in Canada....there is that but also "The War Measures Act"........Trudeau invoked it once in the seventies...
In WW2 in Canada and the USA and elsewhere many "rights" were kicked to the curb in favor of "national security".
In 1776 , slave-owners were first and foremost in the ideology to bear arms for the combat of "tyrrany" ironically.
Bearing arms had nothing to do with protecting "freedoms" and "the right to pursue life,liberty and happiness".....
that is...unless you were white.
Back In 1776 the majority of people in the USA were farmers,who, according to archived sources actually didn't give much of hoot about gun ownership. From a hunting standpoint, the musket was the last weapon you would choose for hunting because of its short range and legendary inaccuracy. There might have been plenty of game around.....but you have to hit first.......good luck if you're using a musket.
Some good info on the subject:-
13 Colonies:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies
The 1776 Continetal Army:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Army
Second Amendment:-
Go to Wiki and type in "Second Amendment To The United States Constitution"
Early Militia Effectiveness:-
http://www.claytoncramer.com/speeches/columbia.18apr01.
This link doesn't seem to work...but it does if you go to ClaytonCramer.com and look up in "legislative speeches".
British Military Rifles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_military_rifles
