My theory: Gun control advocacy is largely a way of fighting "sinful" behavior- i.e. gun ownership

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9. I agree in a way but I think it's a bit simpler

Many people involved in the gun-control movement are involved politically. Whenever there's a problem, good people want to find an answer that will help. Finding a problem can lead to a search for a person, group or segment of the people to blame for the problem.

This is the kind of thinking which can backfire. Our host made a few points up thread:

The massive drop in crime from 1990 to about 2002 was not due to gun-control laws. It was due to birth control and abortion becoming widespread and the removal of brain-damaging lead in gasoline. Both of these occurred a generation before the start of the crime drop, and combined they had the effect of making the pool of future criminals much smaller. Far fewer unwanted pregnancies, no more lead in the air, and thus far fewer kids brought up in life-of-crime patterns of behavior.
https://upload.democraticunderground.com/1172209180#post7

IMHO supporting safety efforts (lock giveaways) and partnering with gun sellers and buyers to give them a way to keep guns away from those with violent issues will be more productive than banning stuff based on bayonet lugs or pistol grips.

Just because you CAN make a law, doesn't mean you SHOULD. Sometimes when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. Gun-control needs to get creative. Work with people and creative incentives is generally more productive than punishing those you blame.