But they didn't get away scot free, did they? Among other consequences, the governments' actions at Ruby Ridge and Waco inspired a couple of psychos (McVeigh and Nichols) to commit an atrocity of their own to take revenge. [1]
Fast-forward to the occupation of the Malheur refuge by the Branch Dildonians several years later. This time, the government waited them out. They knew better than to take a third swing at the hornet's nest. They were arguably afraid to go up against US citizens using violence as a first resort.
You can see that as a good thing -- and I do -- without having any sympathy at all for the beliefs and actions of the Malheur occupiers, with McVeigh, or with Randy Weaver for that matter.
[1] https://www.history.com/news/how-ruby-ridge-and-waco-led-to-...
No one was charged or convicted as a result of Ruby Ridge or Waco. No one involved was fired or demoted. No one paid any personal price for killing people who need not have died, or for destroying and tampering with evidence. Everyone involved got away Scot free.
Well look at lessons from history - which of those weapons end up actually being used against rebelling citizens of a country?
From my limited knowledge it's hand weapons plus armored vehicles, and rarely, very rarely, tanks.
Against that an armed populace can stand. Plus don't forget the populace would be a guerrilla force, while the government would be visible.
A typical scenario: The government wants to arrest someone. What weapons would they use? Not heavy ones! If the citizens have no weapons the government doesn't need any weapons at all, but if the citizens have someone as simple as hand guns suddenly things are not so simple for the government.
In short: The government doesn't want to wipe out its own citizens (nuclear weapons? seriously?) they want to selectively remove undesirables. And against that, personal weapons are quite effective.