I fear that you may already be at stage 9 even without passing through stages 1 through 8

http://www.progressive.org/mag_mc100406

I think you've detailed the most likely chain of events, based on recent historical (hysterical) events!!!!!

Since banning all firearms would take a constitutional amendment, it isn't likely.

However, if it did happen, they might get all the registered firearms, but that still leaves a few million they don't know about.

SO TRUE!!! And oft understood and forgotten.

"...laws would be repealed..."

Fat chance of that, when was the last time anyone saw a law repealed???

Um, prohibition, no wait, the assault weapons ban, no wait, that one just expired, didn't get repealed.

Agreed. Our culture in the UK is too different for meaningful comparisons. And I agree with those who say it is too late to apply gun controls to America because the genie is out of the bottle.

Agreed. Except I see that as an argument in favour of controls, because knives are less dangerous than guns.

I suspect it would just need a reinterpretation. The amendment can be seen as merely making provision for "a well regulated Militia", that is, a normal standing army. I'm not advocating that, but it has been interpreted that way in the past and could be in the future.

Fortunately the D.C. Federal Court of Appeals struck down the militia intrepretation again last month and held that the 2nd amendment right to bear arms is not limited to militias and is a right of all citizens.