For the first time in more than a decade, the United States Supreme Court has retried a major gun law case.

The constitutional judges on Wednesday examined the extent to which states can regulate and prohibit the carrying of firearms.

Proponents of stricter gun control fear that the conservatively dominated Supreme Court could strengthen the rights of gun owners with a new landmark ruling.

The constitutional judges examined the lawsuit of two gun owners and the lobby group NRA over a law in the state of New York.

The New York authorities had prohibited the plaintiffs from carrying a gun in secret for self-defense on the basis of a law that was more than a hundred years old.

The two men, however, went to court, but were unsuccessful.

They then called the Supreme Court.

This now examined whether the decision of the New York authorities constitutes a violation of the second amendment to the constitution.

The so-called Second Amendment is the basis for the right to own weapons in the United States. However, the exact interpretation is disputed.

"Basic constitutional law"

In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in principle that the second amendment to the American Constitution enshrined an “individual” right to own weapons.

However, it remained unclear how much leeway there is for restrictions - also with regard to the question of bringing weapons outside of one's own home.

Plaintiff attorney Paul Clement said at the hearing on Wednesday that carrying firearms outside of one's own home was a "basic constitutional right".

The Supreme Court could strengthen the rights of gun owners with a new landmark decision.

Conservative judges at the court have had a majority of six out of nine judges since the tenure of former President Donald Trump.

Three of the judges were appointed by Trump, who advocated gun owners.

Bloomberg news agency already writes that the six are likely to support the lawsuit brought by the two gun owners and the NRA. "Why is it not enough to say that I live in a violent area and would like to be able to defend myself?" Asked the Trump-appointed judge Brett Kavanaugh. Two other conservative judges, on the other hand, suggested that the states should leave room to ban weapons in “sensitive places”, for example. Judge Amy Coney Barrett said this could include Times Square on New Year's Eve, while Supreme Court chairman John Roberts hinted that he would allow gun bans in sports stadiums.

Speaking at a rally outside the courthouse, the vice president of the anti-weapons group Everytown for Gun Safety, Angela Ferrell-Zabata, said the effects of a new landmark ruling could be "pretty dire."

A new ruling could "make it difficult for states and cities to address this crisis," she said, referring to the numerous victims of gun violence.

30 percent of all Americans own a gun

Everytown for Gun Safety's legal arm, Eric Tirschwell, said it was a bad sign that the Supreme Court allowed the lawsuit in the first place.

Law professor Joseph Blocher said that should constitutional judges agree with plaintiffs, it would have a direct impact on similar laws in other states such as California, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

The issue of gun law is highly controversial in America.

Guns are widespread in the country, with around 30 percent of all adults owning a firearm.

At the same time, around 40,000 people, including suicides, die each year from gunshots.

Again and again, firearms massacres cause horror.

President Joe Biden had promised in the election campaign to tighten gun law.

Given the resistance of the conservative Republicans in Congress, he has little chance of legislative reforms.