‘Even more insidious than the NRA’: US gun lobby group gains in power

"From leading dangerous smear campaigns against ATF director nominees who publicly promise to better regulate the gun industry, and bullying members of Congress to vote against even the most reasonable pieces of legislation regulating guns, the NSSF continues to value gun-industry profits more than the American people's right to live in safe communities," Vokhiwa said. 

Other gun-control advocates say the NSSF, like the NRA, has often exploited fears of gun owners and pushed conspiracy theories about "big government" efforts to undermine the second amendment, in order to rally opposition to gun-control measures. 

"The firearms industry was peddling anti-government conspiracies long before Trump came along talking about the "deep state"," said Suplina. "That includes claiming that even modest proposals for gun-violence prevention, like requiring background checks on every gun sale, are part of a sinister government plot to disarm all Americans…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/01/gun-lobby-nra-national-shooting-sports-foundation