Ok, so in short: the states can do what they want as long as it doesn't violate federal law.

Yep. In all things where there is no federal law, the States are in charge. I mean, I'm sure there are probably some odd little exceptions here and there around the country (like maybe some State-Indian tribe compacts or something like that), but for the most part the States are the sovereign in all areas where federal law doesn't govern.

And it's been my experience in life that no one gives up an advantage unless there's a benefit to them, quid pro quo. And an abstract idea such as we all benefit from the reduction in violence and murder if we allow the federal Government to restrict the arms we are allowed to have is too difficult an idea to sell across 50 states.

And it definitely appears that those shaping the 14th intended to get an individual right to keep and bear arms to the population, and blacks, so reinterpreting that is far to difficult. One thing left is too pick up the original definition of infringed - to break, violate, not its meaning now of encroach, to allow the Federal government to limit the type of arms the people can have, and that is too difficult right now. We have to wait for zealots and members of the USSC to die off to attempt it, with no guarantee of success. The idea of passing an amendment is just extremely difficult, and not worth trying IMHO.