What rights does the second amendment guarantee or protect?

Right to keep and bear arms.
"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."

The second amendment means exactly what is says. It protects our right to own firearms. What part are you confused about?

If you are confused about the well regulated militia part I will explain.

When the Bill of Rights was written "the militia" was the people themselves.

The founders thought it was necessary to have a well regulated militia, where all the people were trained to arms, in order to protect our freedom against the federal government or other enemies foreign or domestic.

The Anti-Federalists like Thomas Jefferson believed strongly that standing armies were dangerous to individual liberty and therefore the Federalists and Anti-Federalists agreed that if everyone were allowed to have firearms then they would be able to revolt if the government ever became too oppressive.

"A well regulated militia, composed of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country." 鈥? James Madison

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." 鈥揟homas Jefferson

"The militia, who are in fact the effective part of the people at large, will render many troops quite unnecessary. They will form a powerful check upon the regular troops, and will generally be sufficient to over-awe them" - Tench Coxe, An American Citizen IV, October 21, 1787

How about this, a free and open press being necessary to the freedom of an independent people, the right of the people to have a free press, shall not be infringed.

Does this mean that a free press is a right to no be infringed? Of course and it is language that is similar to other parts of the bill of rights, which according to historians was well understood that the first ten amendments were to limit government, not "grant" things to the people.

If the Second amendment had anything to do specifically with the militia, only, then it would have not been needed as the militia cause in article one is already specific.

Remember, a right not used is a right lost, don't lose ANY of your rights.

What's the question? You quoted the amendment. The right may not be "infringed," just as the freedom of speech and of the press may not be "abridged" under the First Amendment. But that doesn't mean that every law or regulation on the topic is impermissible.

Or do you not understand what "bear arms" means? It means the right to own weapons, most likely firearms (you know, guns); remembering of course that the document was written in the early 1790s.

You answered your own question. When the Bill of Rights was established, it was not uncommon for the local military to be housed at a nearby home. This is called quartering soldiers and that is one big aspect of the 2d Amendment. But today, the real issue is the right of all individuals in the US to bear/hold/carry guns. Gun laws restrict the use of personal weapons and are always at odds w/ the 2d Amendment. I hope that helps.

i believe you answered your own question. i hate how people use the "the 2nd amendment is outdated" argument. you could say that about any otehr amendment on teh bill of rights, so the argument cancels itself out.