Montezuma Sheriff Blocks New Colorado Gun Law Enforcement

Rifle —What does it mean for a rancher in Montezuma County or a commuter on Highway 145 that buying a semiautomatic rifle now requires more than just walking into a store?

The answer, according to two county sheriffs and the National Rifle Association, is that it means a legal fight they intend to win.

Colorado’s new gun control law took effect August 1, 2026, requiring purchasers of semiautomatic firearms and rapid-fire devices to complete training and obtain certification. The state legislature passed Senate Bill 25-003, sponsored by Sen. Tim Sullivan of Centennial, with the stated goal of preventing mass shootings. But to hear the sheriffs tell it, the law is failing its primary test: public safety through practical enforcement.

The pushback has been swift and organized. The NRA joined a lawsuit against the governor, arguing the bill oversteps executive authority. Locally, the opposition is rooted in constitutional duty and administrative burden.

Montezuma County Sheriff Steven Nowlin issued a statement four days before the law went live, declaring his office “will not be participating in the management and issuance of the training certificate required through the mandated Colorado Parks and Wildlife program.”

Nowlin didn’t just opt out of the paperwork; he opted out of the premise. In an interview with The Center Square, he explained that while laws are generally enacted to promote public safety, he does not believe SB25-003 achieves that aim.

“I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the state of Colorado,” Nowlin wrote in his online statement. “I perform the duties of the Office of Sheriff in Colorado by protecting those rights for all citizens in Montezuma County.”

His office’s refusal to issue certificates effectively blocks the enforcement mechanism within his jurisdiction. If you buy a restricted firearm in Montezuma County, your sheriff’s office won’t process the certificate through the state system. Whether that makes your purchase invalid or just creates a bureaucratic headache depends on how other courts interpret the law.

Custer County followed suit on August 11, posting a picture of Colorado’s Constitution, Article II, Section 13 — the right to bear arms. They agreed to oblige with the bill’s implementation in principle but signaled strong disagreement with its execution.

The financial stakes for consumers are also rising. DCF Guns, Colorado’s largest gun store and range company, pledged $400,000 to fight the bill in court. They are also working to reduce rates for the firearm safety classes that the new law mandates, trying to keep compliance affordable while they challenge its constitutionality.

Pro-gun rights groups like the Second Amendment Foundation and Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Gun Owners have joined the chorus, arguing on constitutional grounds that the state is imposing a burden on law-abiding citizens.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife was tasked with preparing county sheriffs’ offices with the resources to implement the law, ensuring permitting systems were ready by August 1. The goal was to prevent delays. Instead, the result has been fragmentation. Some sheriffs are enforcing; others, like Nowlin, are refusing to participate entirely.

The question is whether this local refusal will hold up in state court, or if the sheer volume of non-compliant purchases will force a legislative adjustment. For now, neighbors buying rifles in Montezuma and Custer counties are doing so with a clear understanding: the right to bear arms remains, but the path to proving it just got wider.

Nowlin’s stance suggests that for rural communities, the cost of compliance isn't just in dollars, but in autonomy.

“The intention is public safety,” Nowlin said. “But the method is not working for us.”