Colorado Gun Shop Lines Surge as Senate Bill 3 Takes Effect

The line at the Lakewood gun shop stretched past the counter, winding around a display of AR-15 variants and out the door. It was January 16, 2025, and the air inside Bristlecone Shooting, Training and Retail Center felt thick with anticipation. People weren’t just buying guns; they were buying time. They were buying the right to own a specific type of weapon before the rules changed forever.

That image of a crowded showroom captures the mood of July, when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) processed a record-breaking number of background checks. The agency reported Monday that it received 59,452 requests last month — nearly triple the 20,172 checks processed in July 2013.

This surge wasn’t random. It was a direct response to Senate Bill 3, a law passed by Democrats in 2025 that took effect on Saturday. The legislation targets semiautomatic rifles and shotguns capable of accepting detachable ammunition magazines, like the ubiquitous AR-15. To buy one now, you can’t just walk in and sign a paper. You need a deeper background check from your county’s sheriff, and you need to complete a two-day safety course.

The cost adds up quickly. The process can run into the hundreds of dollars. For those who haven’t already completed hunter safety training, the course is a significant time commitment. But for many Coloradans, it’s a small price to pay to lock in their ownership rights before the new vetting requirements kick in.

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is leading the charge on implementing the bill. CPW spokesperson Travis Duncan explained that the curriculum was developed by CPW and 11 volunteer verified firearms instructors with over 150 collective years of experience. The training covers general gun safety, child safety, safe storage, and even victim awareness and empathy. It’s not just about pulling the trigger; it’s about understanding the weapon in a broader context.

"This curriculum was developed by CPW and 11 volunteer verified firearms instructors from across the state with over 150 collective years of experience in firearms safety training," Duncan said in a written statement. "Courses will instruct students on general gun safety, which applies to all situations where a firearm is being handled, child safety and safe storage of firearms, basic handling of firearms, including specified semiautomatic firearms and ammunition magazines, firearm deaths associated with mental illness, extreme risk protection orders, and victim awareness and empathy along with other firearms safety-related topics."

The law is one of the most stringent restrictions on gun ownership ever adopted in Colorado. State Sen. Tom Sullivan, a Centennial Democrat and lead sponsor of the bill, has been vocal about its intent. While the article cuts off before detailing Sullivan’s full quote, the political weight behind the legislation is clear. It’s designed to add layers of scrutiny to the purchase of some of the most popular firearms in the state.

Since 2013, Colorado has required background checks for gun purchases, but those checks were relatively straightforward. This new law changes the equation. It creates a two-tiered system where certain weapons require more scrutiny and more money. The CBI added staff to handle the surge, anticipating that people would rush to buy before the new rules made it harder or more expensive.

The result is a July that saw nearly 60,000 checks. That’s a considerable amount of paperwork. A significant amount of waiting. A great many people making sure they were eligible before the window closed.

Stand there long enough and you can feel the shift in the culture. It’s no longer just about owning a gun. It’s about proving you know how to handle it, proving you can afford the extra vetting, and proving you’re ready for the next phase of gun control in Colorado. The line at the shop might have cleared, but the line for the new requirements is just beginning to form.