guns

Of course, in this case defense means to kill the attacker before they kill you or greatly injure your body. Technically more accurately the intent is to "stop the threat," because "still alive but no longer a threat" is an acceptable outcome, but ykwim.

Also a small group of people with muskets could take on the government when the government also had muskets. The "2a intent" argument isn't an argument for why rights should be restricted, this is an argument for civilian owned HIMARS and Javelins and all that fun stuff.