HARTFORD, Conn. —

A firearms industry trade and lobbying organization secretly built a database containing the personal information of millions of gun owners and used the data to reach gun rights supporters with political ads dating back to the 2000 elections, according to a new lawsuit.

The suit against the National Shooting Sports Foundation, based in Shelton, Connecticut, alleges the organization obtained the data from major gun manufacturers, whose customers never agreed to share their personal information for political purposes. The suit filed by two gun owners alleges “unjust enrichment” — that the NSSF benefited from using gun owners' information without paying for it.

The NSSF, whose members include thousands of gun manufacturers, distributors and retail shops, did not respond t

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