Colorado Gun Laws in 2026: What Colorado Springs Gun Buyers Need to Know
Understand Colorado’s new Specified Semiautomatic Firearm requirements, firearms safety course rules, Glock purchases, AR-style rifles, waiting periods and pawn redemptions.
Colorado firearm laws changed significantly on August 1, 2026. At ACME Pawn, we hear the same questions every day:
Not Every Semiautomatic Handgun Requires the New Colorado Firearms Course
Under Senate Bill 25-003 , which took effect August 1, 2026, Colorado created a category called a Specified Semiautomatic Firearm, or SSF.
An SSF generally includes:
- A semiautomatic rifle with a detachable magazine
- A semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine
- A gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine
That last category — gas-operated handgun — is especially important for customers shopping for a handgun.
What About Glocks and Other Common Handguns?
For most customers buying a conventional handgun, the answer is much simpler than many people think.
Most conventional carry and service pistols use recoil to cycle their actions rather than the gas systems covered by the new law. Colorado law distinguishes qualifying recoil-operated handguns from gas-operated semiautomatic handguns.
So a standard recoil-operated handgun may still be purchased through the normal Colorado firearm-purchase process.
That does not mean there are no purchase requirements. The normal background-check process still applies and, for an ordinary firearm purchase, Colorado’s 72-hour waiting period still applies.
The 72-Hour Waiting Period Is Separate From the New Course Requirement
This is one of the easiest ways to understand Colorado’s current firearm-purchase rules:
A Glock does not suddenly require an SSF course simply because it is semiautomatic.
But buying that Glock from a dealer still involves the normal firearm background-check process and Colorado’s waiting period.
For a normal retail firearm purchase, the firearm remains with the dealer until the applicable waiting-period and background-check requirements have been satisfied.
72-hour waiting period = normal firearm purchase rule
SSF Eligibility Card + training = additional requirement for certain semiautomatic firearms
So What Firearms Require the New Colorado Course?
The new rules focus on certain semiautomatic rifles, semiautomatic shotguns and gas-operated semiautomatic handguns.
Many AR-style rifles with detachable magazines, for example, fall within Colorado’s definition of a Specified Semiautomatic Firearm.
One important distinction: gas operation is not the deciding factor for rifles and shotguns.
Handguns
The distinction between gas-operated and recoil-operated operation matters.
Rifles
Colorado generally looks at whether the rifle is semiautomatic and accepts a detachable magazine, subject to the law’s exemptions.
Shotguns
Semiautomatic shotguns with detachable magazines may fall within the SSF definition, subject to exemptions.
That is why simply asking, “Is it semiautomatic?” does not give you the whole answer.
What Does “Gas-Operated” Mean?
A semiautomatic firearm must cycle its action after each shot. Different firearm designs accomplish that in different ways.
Recoil-Operated Handgun
A recoil-operated handgun uses movement created when the cartridge is fired to cycle the slide and action.
Think: many conventional carry and service pistols, including typical Glock-style handguns.
Gas-Operated Handgun
A gas-operated firearm uses pressure or expanding gases generated when the cartridge is fired as part of the mechanism used to cycle the firearm.
Colorado’s statutory definition includes several operating systems and also addresses certain blowback-operated systems.
When in Doubt
AR- and AK-pattern pistols should not automatically be treated the same as conventional recoil-operated carry handguns.
Ask us about the exact firearm before beginning the transaction.
Can You Still Buy an AR-Style Rifle in Colorado?
The law did not simply make every affected firearm unavailable.
Instead, beginning August 1, 2026, a person receiving a Specified Semiautomatic Firearm generally must satisfy Colorado’s eligibility and firearms-safety requirements unless an exception applies.
For most customers, that means completing the required process before the covered firearm can be transferred to you.
Colorado’s SSF Process
- Apply through Colorado’s Firearms Safety System.
- Complete the sheriff’s eligibility process , including the required identification and background-check steps.
- Receive your Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card.
- Complete the appropriate approved firearms safety course.
- Pass the required exam and practical requirements.
- Have the firearms dealer verify your eligibility before transferring an SSF.
- Complete the normal firearm-purchase paperwork, background check and applicable waiting period.
The eligibility card is generally valid for five years.
How Long Is the Course?
4-Hour Basic Course
If you have qualifying hunter-education credentials, you generally complete the 4-hour Basic Firearms Safety Course.
12-Hour Extended Course
Without qualifying hunter education, the Extended Firearms Safety Course is 12 hours and must be conducted over at least two days.
In-Person Requirement
The required course must be completed in person with an approved instructor, and students must meet the required passing standards.
Important for Pawn Customers: Pawning an AR-Style Rifle Can Affect How You Get It Back
This is an especially important change for ACME Pawn customers.
Under Colorado firearm law, redemption of a pawned firearm is treated as a firearm transfer.
That becomes important when the firearm being redeemed qualifies as a Specified Semiautomatic Firearm.
If you pawn a firearm that qualifies as an SSF — such as many AR-style semiautomatic rifles with detachable magazines — you need to understand what will be required when you return to redeem it.
In other words:
Keeping a firearm you already legally possess is different from transferring that firearm through a federally licensed pawnbroker.
A pawn redemption is treated as a transfer. SB25-003 regulates qualifying transfers of Specified Semiautomatic Firearms.
Before Pawning an AR-Style or Other Potentially Regulated Semiautomatic Firearm
Ask us whether the firearm qualifies as an SSF and what you will need in order to redeem it.
We would much rather explain the requirements before you pawn the firearm than have you surprised when you return to pick it up.
Colorado Gun Law FAQ
Do I need the new Colorado firearms course to buy a Glock?
Generally, no for a conventional recoil-operated Glock handgun.
The handgun portion of the SSF law applies to qualifying gas-operated semiautomatic handguns with detachable magazines, while qualifying recoil-operated semiautomatic handguns are treated differently.
The normal purchase requirements still apply, including the firearm background check and applicable 72-hour waiting period.
Does every semiautomatic handgun require the new course?
No.
For handguns, Colorado distinguishes qualifying gas-operated semiautomatic handguns from qualifying recoil-operated semiautomatic handguns.
A detachable magazine by itself does not automatically mean a conventional semiautomatic handgun requires the SSF course.
Does a revolver require the new SSF course?
No.
A conventional revolver is not a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun. Normal firearm-purchase requirements still apply.
What about an AR pistol?
Many AR-pattern pistols can qualify as SSFs.
Unlike a conventional recoil-operated carry pistol, many AR-pattern pistols use an operating system covered by Colorado’s definition and accept detachable magazines.
Do not assume that something legally classified as a “handgun” is automatically outside SB25-003.
Can I buy an AR-15 in Colorado after August 1, 2026?
Potentially, yes.
A semiautomatic AR-style rifle with a detachable magazine will generally fall within the SSF rules unless a statutory exclusion applies.
For a qualifying purchase, the recipient generally must complete Colorado’s eligibility-card and approved training process before the dealer may complete the transfer.
Do I need the new course just to keep an AR-style rifle I already own?
Not simply because you already own it.
Existing lawful possession is different from a new sale, purchase or transfer.
But be careful about transferring the firearm — including putting it into pawn and later redeeming it.
If I pawn my AR-style rifle, do I need the course to get it back?
If the firearm qualifies as an SSF, the new transfer requirements can apply to the redemption.
Colorado treats redemption of a pawned firearm as a firearm transfer, and SB25-003 applies to qualifying SSF transfers.
Ask ACME before pawning the firearm if you are unsure.
Does the 72-hour waiting period only apply to ARs or SSFs?
No.
The 72-hour waiting period is a separate Colorado firearm-purchase requirement.
A conventional handgun can be outside the new SSF training requirement while still being subject to the normal background-check and waiting-period rules.
When does the 72-hour clock start?
The waiting-period clock begins when the required purchaser background check is initiated.
The firearm must remain with the dealer until the applicable waiting-period and background-check requirements are satisfied.
Do I have to be 21 to purchase a firearm in Colorado?
Yes, for every firearm. Since 2023, Colorado law (C.R.S. 18-12-112.5) requires you to be 21 or older to purchase any firearm: handguns, rifles and shotguns. There is no longer an 18-and-up category for long guns, even though federal law still allows 18-year-olds to buy rifles and shotguns in other states. The rule applies to private sales too.
The only exceptions in the statute: active-duty U.S. military members while on duty, peace officers while on duty, and P.O.S.T.-certified individuals. Antique firearms and curios or relics are excluded from the age rule.
The law limits purchases, not possession. Federal courts allowed it to take effect in November 2024 and upheld it in June 2025.
A Quick Colorado Firearm Purchase Cheat Sheet
| Firearm Type | New SSF Course | Background Check | 72-Hour Waiting Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard recoil-operated handgun, such as a typical Glock | Generally no | Yes | Yes for a standard retail purchase |
| Revolver | No | Yes | Yes for a standard retail purchase |
| Bolt-action rifle | No | Yes | Yes for a standard retail purchase |
| Pump-action shotgun | No | Yes | Yes for a standard retail purchase |
| Semiautomatic AR-style rifle with detachable magazine | Generally yes, unless an exemption applies | Yes | Yes for a standard retail purchase |
| Qualifying gas-operated AR/AK-style pistol with detachable magazine | Generally yes, unless an exemption applies | Yes | Yes for a standard retail purchase |
Colorado Gun Laws Have Changed — Buying a Firearm Does Not Have to Be Confusing
Colorado firearm law has changed substantially over the last several years. Here are several major milestones:
The rules are more complicated than they used to be, but the most important thing for customers is knowing which rules apply to the firearm you actually want to purchase.
Official Colorado Resources
Firearm classifications and agency guidance can change. Verify current requirements with the official sources below.
Have Questions? Ask ACME Pawn Before You Buy — or Before You Pawn
ACME Pawn has served Colorado Springs since 1976.
Our goal is not to make firearm laws sound more complicated than they are.
We want our customers to understand which paperwork, waiting periods and training requirements apply before they begin a transaction.
If you are wondering whether a Glock, AR-style rifle, AR pistol, shotgun or another firearm falls under Colorado’s new requirements, stop in and ask us.
If you are thinking about pawning an AR-style or other potentially regulated semiautomatic firearm, ask us about the redemption requirements first.
Knowing the rules before the transaction can save you a major headache later.
Contact ACME Pawn
ACME Pawn – Colorado Springs
Serving Colorado since 1976
This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Firearm laws, regulations, agency guidance and court decisions can change. Requirements may also depend on the firearm’s exact model, configuration and the facts of a particular transaction. ACME Pawn follows applicable federal, Colorado and local firearm laws and current agency requirements.
