... If a new, totalitarian government was hell-bent on disarming America, how do you think they would go about it?

I see two extreme sides of the spectrum, with two differing outcomes - neither of which they'd push:

(1) Total ban on firearms = Total disintegration of the Country – it’s just too radical.

(2) "Death of a thousand cuts” approach = Too slow, not a swift enough, sum-zero operation.

... My guess is somewhere in the middle. Some sort of highly visible, positively spun & much ballyhooed nation-wide firearm registration effort. Imagine if you will, something along the lines of a “Only you can prevent forest fires, Smokey The Bear” theme with glossy, images of how it will help reduce crime in the Country. Giving good citizens a year-long amnesty to register all their guns prior labeling them a friend of terrorism and the subsequent brute consequences of disobedience.

... So, what do you expect could be the next major quantum-leap scenario in gun-control that would be palatable and “acceptable” to the average American citizen.

Simple, just ban the possession of any firearm.

Then start a huge PR campaign to convince the masses that gun owners are dangerous, evil, and probably child molesters. They would offer huge rewards for turning in any gun owners too.

The SWAT teams sent to raid suspected gun houses would take some casualties when gun owners resist. But, so what? The people who support gun control absolutely HATE the kind of people who join the military or become police officers. They will secretly delight in every LEO death. And it will just aid their political spin that evil gun owners are shooting at the police.

Quoted: Simple, just ban the possession of any firearm.

... I don't see that happening in the next 20 years

Quoted: ... If a new, totalitarian government was hell-bent on disarming America, how do you think they would go about it?

I see the Gov't starting small. Maybe by banning our swords etc.

it won't be "death of a thousand cuts" it will be more like "death by ten cuts"

AP ammo ban

Assault Weapon ban

High capacity magazine ban

Sniper rifle ban

Non-sporting ban (mil-style)

Unsafe ban (no decocker/safety, chamber loaded indicator, mag disconnect = no-no)

Cheap-gun ban (lorcin, Glock, anything under $800)

Handgun ban

.30 cal + ban

Centerfire ban

.22 cal ban

Airsoft/pellet gun ban

How about a ban on politicians who vote for it and department heads who give the orders to take the action?

Quoted: it won't be "death of a thousand cuts" it will be more like "death by ten cuts" AP ammo ban Assault Weapon ban High capacity magazine ban Sniper rifle ban Non-sporting ban Handgun ban .30 cal + ban >.22 cal ban .22 cal ban Airsoft/pellet gun ban

I would put 'handgun registration' at the top of the list if there were a 'quantum leap' in gun control.  Maybe even making handguns under NFA control and then go from there.

Yeah a outright ban would be to radical and if anyone tried to enfoce it would lead to casualties, but taking little bits at a time will weed away at  ownership,

Ammo tax. Something simple to start with like 10%, then in a few years it would grow out of control. IMHO

Quoted: (2) "Death of a thousand cuts” approach = Too slow, not a swift enough, sum-zero operation.

It may be slow, but it has an effective track record in "civilized" countries (Great Britain, Australia, Germany, some South African countries, Egypt, Mexico, Argentina, etc.).

Ban on importation of all ammunition.

SCOTUS would eventually rule, just need one more progun judge, and individual right will be affirmed. No more control.

Also, this is not GB, Australia, etc. where gun control can pass. Remember how the Republicans got control of and still maintain control of Congress due to one fact-AWB. The masses did not own guns in those countries and millions did not hunt, go to the range weekly, etc. Politicians would die here if they banned guns. Bubba or Tex deer hunter will not surrender to a bunch of liberal laws

Hilary / other democrat gets elected and resigns the AWB, but with updates (similar to the CA ban).  This is the most likely thing I see.  

Hitlery will never be president. NEVER. Neither will Guillani who is a big RINO. McCain is wasting his breath too.

Quoted: Ammo tax. Something simple to start with like 10%, then in a few years it would grow out of control. IMHO

I think it is already 11%.

None of the above. Things are leaning in our favor, and IMHO, all signs are that they will continue to do so for the forseeable future. What's happened in the last 5 years?

The AW ban sunset. No renewal bill ever made it to the floor of either house of Congress.
PLCA passed and was signed into law.
The national CCW effort continues to lean in our favor - a couple more states fell into the Shall Issue column. No state has moved to further restrict CCW. Alaska went to no-permit.

The only bad news is a couple more fairly trivial laws in the most anti-guns states around.

What's behind this resurgence? IMHO, it's the new media. Before, all anyone had to go by was the news and editorials in the mainstream media. If you didn't personally know any "gun people", you would have a pretty hard time figuring out the truth. Now, anyone can search the internet and find the facts. The CCW movement has been a big help too - people see that the states that enact shall-issue don't descend into chaos as the gun-grabbers promised, and it encourages them.

I realize you're talking in theory, but for something so far out of the realm of what's plausible, we might as well be talking about what we'll do when aliens invade. Something like "What gun grabs will California try next?" might be more interesting.