For gun control advocates, one thing they often tell themselves is that there’s a lot more common ground on gun issues than might actually be there.

What we tend to see is that while there may be those who have some concerns, the anti-gun agenda tends to push way too far, often driven by a poor understanding of firearms in the first place.

A prime example of that comes from Missouri.

There, a lawmaker is quite sure he can get Republican support on some gun control proposals.

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, state Rep. David Tyson Smith talks about the trajectory of the 2023 legislative session — including his prognosis for how gun control measures will fare.

Smith is a Democrat who represents a portion of Columbia in the Missouri House.

Here’s what he had to say during the show:

• Even though the GOP supermajority tends to be hostile to gun control, Smith is more optimistic than some of his colleagues that the legislature will pass measures to keep some firearms out of the hands of minors. Smith sponsored a bill barring anyone under the age of 20 from selling or purchasing semi- or fully automatic firearms.

It’s almost adorable that he honestly thinks that.

First, these are lawful adults, not minors. They’re old enough to vote, sign contracts, enlist in the military, have their own home, and a host of other actions. These are not children, which the term “minor” implies.

Then there’s the fact that the term “semi-automatic” firearm includes a lot of guns that we’ve been told over and over again that gun control advocates have no interest in restricting. After all, semi-automatic is an action type, and not one exclusive to the much-vilified “assault weapons.”

What this law will do is make it harder for people in this age range to buy guns that shouldn’t be an issue in the first place.

For example, let’s say a 19-year-old wants a shotgun for bird hunting. One of the best options for such an activity is a semi-automatic shotgun. Birds are small and quick, so follow-up shots are important.

Yet this bill would take that option off the table entirely.

That doesn’t even touch on the fact that such firearms are also useful for self-defense as well.

And Smith thinks Missouri Republicans are going to sign on with that? Even if they might be willing to restrict lawful full-auto gun ownership–which isn’t generally a thing for this age group–he thinks they’ll go along with a semi-auto restriction?

What color is the sky in his world?

Look, this is the same state that passed a law essentially nullifying federal gun control laws. How can he possibly believe that these same lawmakers will restrict guns for lawful adults like this?

Honestly, if he’s on something, he needs to pass it along because it’s got to be some good stuff. If not, well, he’s clearly not understanding much of anything relating to the issue of guns, either in Missouri or elsewhere.

Or he’s just so blinded by his desire to pass gun control that he honestly thinks people will sign on. Then again, there’s probably a reason he thinks that.