See my other post in this thread on precisely that point. The Assad regime in Syria is likely to fall, and that's despite having and using tanks, jets, artillery, and chemical weapons. Gun rights are no guarantee of victory against tyranny, but they can provide a powerful leg up.
It's a bit hard to explain if you're not from the DMV area. Most people who say they live in DC actually live in NoVA/MD. I'm in NoVA and voted Virginia, but I was tempted to vote DC as well.
I'm from Fairfax County, and my guess is that it will still be hard for you to explain to me how his location in Virginia is closer to DC than it is to Virginia.