[ZenGum]

I'm surprised that none of the gun-totin' types around these parts have yet pointed out the difference between "automatic rifles" and "machine guns".

AKs, M-16s, Uzis, etc are automatic rifles (or pistols as the case may be) although it is common for folks to refer to them as "machine guns" in the sense of "hold the trigger in and bangbangbangbangbangbangbang".

Machine guns, strictly speaking, are things like M-60s or larger; usually belt fed, much larger caliber, heavier weapons.

I wonder if the disagreement above was due to mixing these two senses of "machine gun".
That US civilians hold more automatic rifles than the military is quite plausible. More (strictly) machine guns ... seems less plausible to this outsider.

And so, imagine 10,000 civilians with automatic rifles*, against 500 trained military with tanks, artillery, air support, full command and control networks .... if it came to a pitched battle, I'd rather be inside one of the tanks.

EDIT: * and a few heavier weapons...