Lissabet, who lives in Fairfax, is the founder of the American Firearms Association. Hoping to attract sportsmen disaffected with the NRA's strong stands on gun control, Lissabet wants to build the AFA into the first national voice for gun owners who aren't bothered by modest legal restraints on weapon sales and who care more about hunting game than drawing a bead on unfriendly politicians.
Lissabet's group is two years old and has about 750 dues-paying members nationwide, compared with the NRA's 3 million members. It is a gnat buzzing around a giant. NRA spokesmen have nothing to say on the record about Lissabet's organization, saying privately that it's just another anti-gun group -- and a tiny one at that. Lissabet remains convinced that his group will gain members and influence if he can just get out his message.