LEGZ30
LE
I always got the impression that public support for stricter gun laws was always there but the congressmen were fully bought and paid for by the NRA who spoonfed them (very reasonable sounding but flawed) arguments to use against gun controls.
The votes they would lose from constituents annoyed at voting through poor gun laws is worth far more to them than the campaign contributions they get from the NRA. People in general aren't against new guns laws, they are against the ones that would penalise them and do little or nothing to prevent gun crime.
Look at who the NRA actually give campaign donations to, they are all politicians who already have strong positions on the second amendment. I can't think of a single example of a politician that changed their stance on gun laws after receiving a campaign contribution.