A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the regulation of firearm barrel transfers, and,
Page 1, Line 102in connection therewith, creating a criminal penalty
Page 1, Line 103for the unlawful sale of a firearm barrel.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill requires a firearm barrel to be sold or transferred in person by a federally licensed firearm dealer. A person who is not a federally licensed firearm dealer shall not possess a firearm barrel with the intent to sell or transfer, or with the intent to offer to sell or transfer, the firearm barrel. Unlawful sale of a firearm barrel and unlawful possession with intent to sell a firearm barrel are each an unclassified misdemeanor.
A person must be 18 years old or older and legally allowed to purchase a firearm under state and federal law to purchase a firearm barrel, subject to certain exceptions.
The bill requires a federally licensed firearm dealer to record a sale or transfer of a firearm barrel for at least 5 years.
The bill requires the Colorado bureau of investigation to create a form for federally licensed firearm dealers to record a sale or transfer of a firearm barrel.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 18-12-118 as
Page 2, Line 3follows:
Page 2, Line 418-12-118. Unlawful purchase or sale of a firearm barrel -
Page 2, Line 5penalty - definitions.
Page 2, Line 6(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
Page 2, Line 7requires:
Page 2, Line 8(a) "Firearm barrel" means the tube through which a
Page 2, Line 9projectile or shot charge is fired. A firearm barrel includes any
Page 2, Line 10forging, casting, printing, extrusion, machined body, or similar
Page 2, Line 11article that has reached a stage in manufacture where it may
Page 2, Line 12readily be completed, assembled, or converted to be used as a
Page 2, Line 13firearm barrel, or that is marketed or sold to the public to
Page 2, Line 14become or be used as a firearm barrel once completed,
Page 2, Line 15assembled, or converted. A firearm barrel may have a rifled or
Page 2, Line 16smooth bore.
Page 2, Line 17(b) "Firearm barrel" does not include a firearm barrel
Page 2, Line 18that is permanently attached or affixed to a firearm.
Page 2, Line 19(2) (a) It is unlawful for a person to sell or transfer a
Page 2, Line 20firearm barrel, unless the person selling or transferring the
Page 3, Line 1firearm barrel is a federally licensed firearm dealer and the
Page 3, Line 2sale or transfer occurs in person.
Page 3, Line 3(b) A person who violates this subsection (2) commits
Page 3, Line 4unlawful sale of a firearm barrel. Unlawful sale of a firearm
Page 3, Line 5barrel is an unclassified misdemeanor punishable, upon
Page 3, Line 6conviction thereof, by a fine of not more than five hundred
Page 3, Line 7dollars and thirty days imprisonment in the county jail; except
Page 3, Line 8that a second or subsequent offense is a class 2 misdemeanor.
Page 3, Line 9(3) (a) It is unlawful for a person who is not a federally
Page 3, Line 10licensed firearm dealer to possess a firearm barrel with the
Page 3, Line 11intent to sell or transfer, or with the intent to offer to sell or
Page 3, Line 12transfer, the firearm barrel in violation of this section.
Page 3, Line 13(b) A person who violates this subsection (3) commits
Page 3, Line 14unlawful possession with intent to sell or offer to sell a
Page 3, Line 15firearm barrel. Unlawful possession with intent to sell or offer
Page 3, Line 16to sell a firearm barrel is an unclassified misdemeanor
Page 3, Line 17punishable, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of not more than
Page 3, Line 18five hundred dollars and thirty days imprisonment in the county
Page 3, Line 19jail; except that a second or subsequent offense is a class 2
Page 3, Line 20misdemeanor.
Page 3, Line 21(4) (a) A person may purchase or otherwise acquire a
Page 3, Line 22firearm barrel from a federally licensed firearm dealer only if:
Page 3, Line 23(I) They are at least eighteen years old; and
Page 3, Line 24(II) They are not prohibited from possessing, receiving,
Page 3, Line 25owning, or purchasing a firearm under state or federal law.
Page 3, Line 26(b) A person who purchases a firearm barrel in violation
Page 3, Line 27of this subsection (4) commits unlawful purchase of a firearm
Page 4, Line 1barrel. Unlawful purchase of a firearm barrel is a civil
Page 4, Line 2infraction.
Page 4, Line 3(5) A federally licensed firearm dealer shall legibly
Page 4, Line 4record the following information pertaining to the sale or
Page 4, Line 5transfer of a firearm barrel on a form to be prescribed by the
Page 4, Line 6Colorado bureau of investigation:
Page 4, Line 7(a) The date of the sale or transfer;
Page 4, Line 8(b) The purchaser's or transferee's driver's license number
Page 4, Line 9or other official government identification number and the
Page 4, Line 10state or territory where it was issued;
Page 4, Line 11(c) The make, model, and caliber of the firearm which the
Page 4, Line 12firearm barrel is designed for or used in;
Page 4, Line 13(d) The purchaser's or transferee's full legal name;
Page 4, Line 14(e) The full legal name of the employee who processed the
Page 4, Line 15sale or transfer of the firearm barrel;
Page 4, Line 16(f) The purchaser's or transferee's full residential
Page 4, Line 17address and telephone number; and
Page 4, Line 18(g) The purchaser's or transferee's date of birth.
Page 4, Line 19(6) A federally licensed firearm dealer shall retain the
Page 4, Line 20records required pursuant to this section for at least five
Page 4, Line 21years. A dealer that does not retain their records pursuant to
Page 4, Line 22this subsection (6) is subject to the penalties described in section
Page 4, Line 2318-12-401.5 (7)(a).
Page 4, Line 24(7) This section does not apply to:
Page 4, Line 25(a) The sale or transfer of a firearm barrel to a federal,
Page 4, Line 26state, or local law enforcement agency;
Page 4, Line 27(b) The sale or transfer of a firearm barrel to a federal
Page 5, Line 1firearms licensee;
Page 5, Line 2(c) The sale or transfer of a firearm barrel to the United
Page 5, Line 3States military;
Page 5, Line 4(d) The sale or transfer of a firearm barrel to a person
Page 5, Line 5who, in the same transaction, is separately purchasing a firearm
Page 5, Line 6and undergoing a federal and state firearm background check
Page 5, Line 7pursuant to 18 U.S.C. sec. 922 (t) and section 18-12-112.5;
Page 5, Line 8(e) The sale or transfer of a firearm barrel to a federally
Page 5, Line 9licensed collector who is acquiring or being loaned a firearm
Page 5, Line 10barrel of a firearm that is a curio or relic, as defined in 27 CFR
Page 5, Line 11478.11;
Page 5, Line 12(f) A transfer of a firearm barrel that occurs by
Page 5, Line 13operation of law or because of the death of a person for whom
Page 5, Line 14the prospective transferor is an executor or administrator of
Page 5, Line 15an estate or a trustee of a trust created in a will. A transfer or
Page 5, Line 16sale of a firearm barrel by an executor or administrator of an
Page 5, Line 17estate or a trustee of a trust created in a will must be
Page 5, Line 18conducted by a federally licensed firearm dealer and is subject
Page 5, Line 19to the requirements of this section.
Page 5, Line 20(g) The sale or other transfer of ownership of a firearm
Page 5, Line 21barrel if the sale or other transfer of ownership is to an
Page 5, Line 22authorized representative of a city, city and county, county,
Page 5, Line 23state, or the federal government, and the entity is acquiring the
Page 5, Line 24firearm barrel as part of an authorized voluntary program in
Page 5, Line 25which the entity is buying or receiving weapons from a private
Page 5, Line 26individual.
Page 5, Line 27(8) The Colorado bureau of investigation shall create a
Page 6, Line 1form for retail record keeping pursuant to this section.
Page 6, Line 2SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-12-401.5, amend
Page 6, Line 3(7)(a) introductory portion as follows:
Page 6, Line 418-12-401.5. Permit required - issuing agency - cash fund -
Page 6, Line 5inspections - penalty - report - rules - repeal.
Page 6, Line 6(7) (a) Except as provided in subsection (8) of this section, if the
Page 6, Line 7department finds that a dealer failed to post the required notice or make
Page 6, Line 8a report concerning unlawful purchases in violation of section 18-12-111;
Page 6, Line 9failed to make a record required pursuant to section 18-12-118;
Page 6, Line 10failed to make a record required pursuant to section 18-12-402;
Page 6, Line 11transferred a firearm without a locking device or failed to post the
Page 6, Line 12required notice concerning locking devices, in violation of section
Page 6, Line 1318-12-405; failed to comply with any of the requirements of section
Page 6, Line 1418-12-406; failed to comply with any of the requirements of section
Page 6, Line 1529-11.7-105 (5); violated any other provision of this article 12 or any
Page 6, Line 16other state or local law concerning the sale of firearms; or violated any
Page 6, Line 17federal law or rule concerning the sale of firearms or firearm components
Page 6, Line 18for which the penalty includes potential revocation of the person's federal
Page 6, Line 19firearms license, the department shall:
Page 6, Line 20SECTION 3. Effective date - applicability. This act takes effect
Page 6, Line 21July 1, 2026, and applies to offenses committed on or after said date.
Page 6, Line 22SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 6, Line 23determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 6, Line 24preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 6, Line 25the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
Page 6, Line 26institutions.