Gun control groups have claimed victories in recent months, successfully pushing Starbucks to declare guns unwelcome in stores and persuading Facebook to crack down on unregulated firearm solicitations. …

“Congress locked the door, so moms are going through the window,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action.

The gun control organization, modeled on Mothers Against Drunk Driving, has made the corporate push a third prong of its strategy, along with campaigns to influence state and federal policies, Watts said.

Pro-gun groups downplayed the likely effectiveness of these tactics, which have also been embraced by Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Officials from the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America described the corporate campaign as a retread of past initiatives.

“This is not the first time we’ve seen this kind of thing,” Gun Owners of America spokesman Erich Pratt said, pointing to an unsuccessful effort a decade ago to sue gun makers.

“Whenever the anti-gun groups get stymied in Congress they resort to boycotts and other private measures.”