What are the motifs in The Rifle by Gary Paulsen?

The changing nature of guns is a recurring idea in the story. As in keeping with anti-gun advocacy, a portion of Paulsen's message is that the nature of guns in America has changed profoundly, to the point that the second amendment to the Constitution bears little relevance to our modern life. When Cornish McManus crafted the Rifle in 1768, he did it for purely artistic reasons. He wanted to craft a perfect gun, the ideal combination of form and function. Thus, one might say the Rifle's creation was devoid of malicious intent.