Preaching to the Choir

[stanc]

let us examine the actual linguistics of the 2nd amendment.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

"being necessary to the security of a free State"

lets particularly examine "free State"

the free State, surely refers to encompass all the lawful citizens and their elected representatives, as one body. indivisible. the elected representatives the apparatus of the will of the free people, by design. the free states, then encompassing the union of the United States of America.

Alternatively, I think a "free State" could infer a "free state of nature" in context. However, I think under no circumstances, does the "free State" allude to the "State" as a reference to Central Government as we commonly see it referenced today (Example: The State VS. Heller).

IIRC, in Heller, the majority opinion is that "free State" is synonymous with "free country" -- which would correlate with your first idea, that it refers to the entire body of people...and, I would submit, the territory in which they reside, for without state/national boundaries, there is no "state" as such.