[SPEMack618]

NoGun, in regards to the Constitution being framed in a different time. You are totally correct. Most of the heavy weapons used by the Colonists during the War for Independence were privately purchased.

The Colonial Navy, John Paul Jones aside, paled in comparison to the work of privateers, private merchant vessels armed at owner expense and ordered by Congress to go forth and raid British merchant traffic.

The argument could be made that the average Colonist was equally, if not better, armed than his British counterpart.

So yes, the Consitution was framed in a different time.