Colorado Sees Record Spike in Firearm Background Checks Ahead of New Gun Law
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation processed 59,452 requests in July, nearly triple last year, as buyers rushed before Senate Bill 3 took effect.
- The Colorado Bureau of Investigation processed a record 59,452 background checks in July, a 195% increase from the same month last year, ahead of Senate Bill 25-003 taking effect on Saturday.
- Senate Bill 25-003 mandates that residents obtain a five-year eligibility card from a local sheriff and complete a safety course before purchasing semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, or gas-operated pistols with detachable magazines.
- CBI Director Armando Saldate III doubled the InstaCheck Unit's size by adding 20 staff members, successfully maintaining the 72-hour waiting period despite processing as many as 3,700 checks daily toward month's end.
- Critics argue the new mandates add hundreds of dollars in costs, while backers emphasize the importance of safety training; the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office announced Monday it will not participate due to funding issues.
- Demand for InstaCheck services is expected to drop in August and return to historic averages in coming months, while Colorado Parks and Wildlife and 11 volunteer instructors developed the mandatory safety course curriculum.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Colorado gun sales surge ahead of permit-to-purchase scheme
DENVER–A record number of Coloradans got background checks to purchase guns last month ahead of the state’s new permit-to-purchase scheme for many commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, which officially took effect August 1. Colorado’s InstaCheck Unit, which runs the background checks, processed 59,452 checks in July, a 195% increase from the 20,172 background checks the unit ran in July 2025. That marks “the highest volume of firearm backgroun…
YOUR VIEW: Vote “yes” on gun control - Plymouth Independent
his week I am writing to you about ballot question #9 in the Nov. 3rd state election. Question 9 asks voters if they want to uphold An Act Modernizing Firearms Laws enacted July, 2024. I urge you to keep the current law by voting YES.The law provides many gun violence prevention measures, such as the prohibition of untraceable ghost guns and 3-D printed guns. It also expands red flag laws and updates the definition of assault weapons as well as …
CBI Insta-Check manages record surge in firearms background checks
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation on Monday commended the exceptional efforts of its InstaCheck Unit for successfully processing the highest volume of firearm background checks on record during the month of July 2026, all while ensuring processing times remained within…
Denver Post
Estes Park Trail-GazetteCBI reports record gun background checks ahead of new Colorado assault weapon requirements
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation ran nearly three times as many background checks for people buying guns in July as it did in the same month last year, ahead of a new training law taking effect.
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