rom Black’s Law Dictionary, 1891: “This term, as it is used in the constitution, relative to the right of citizens to bear arms, refers to the arms of a militiaman or soldier, and the word is used in its military sense. The arms of the infantry soldier are the musket and bayonet; of cavalry and dragoons, the sabre, holster pistols, and carbine.”
From the Century Dictionary, 1890: “‘Repeating arms,’ arms that can be discharged a number of times without being reloaded. ‘Small arms,’ all weapons not requiring carriages, as opposed to artillery, including rifles, muskets, bayonets, pistols, revolvers, sabers, and swords; also sporting weapons.”
From Webster’s Dictionary, 1884: “Weapons of offense, or armor for defense and protection of the body.”