General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: TAX THE AMMO!!! [View all]benEzra
(12,148 posts)In any case, target shooting is a necessary prerequisite to the ability to shoot in self-defense, just as writing practice is a necessary prerequisite to journalism, and U.S. v. Heller did explicitly recognize the right to use guns for lawful purposes, not *just* self-defense.
Of course the 2ndA doesn't protect murder, any more than the 1stA protects slander, libel, espionage, or child porn.
It's moot anyway; even if lawful shooting weren't constitutionally protected, there are ~80 million gun owners, all of whom are of voting age, and even the small minority that only owns Mauser-style bolt-actions with straight stocks would push back hard at the polls if you slapped them with a means test.
Last time I checked, target shooters were going through about 14 billion rounds annually. Target shooting is not a fringe activity...