Gun Control Reform Activism

android: I totally agree that we need to regulate firearms. I disagree that their only purpose is to kill.

Technically you are correct of course, but arms were considered a tool of war circa revolutionary war; I think the more appropriate issue, in OP context, is what was meant by 'to bear arms'.

Webster's 1828 dictionary (click on partial definitions): arms 'ARMS, n. plu. [L. arma. ]
1. Weapons of offense, or armor for defense and protection of the body.
2. War; hostility. Arms and the man I sing. To be in arms, to be in a state of hostility, or in a military life. To arms is a phrase which denotes a taking arms for war or hostility; particularly, a summoning to war.
To take arms, is to arm for attack or defense.
Bred to arms denotes that a person has been educated to the profession of a soldier.
Sire arms, are such as may be charged with powder, as cannon, muskets, mortars, &c.
A stand of arms consists of a musket, bayonet, cartridge-box and belt, with a sword. But for common soldiers a sword is not necessary.
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/arms

4. In law, arms are any thing which a man takes in his hand in anger, to strike or assault another.

It's most likely that 'to bear arms' meant in the military/militia sense.
One wouldn't put on armor to go hunting, predominantly just to fight a battle; nor would one take arms for offense unless he was generally going on righteous posse or to a military battle.