Colorado’s latest wave of gun restrictions has left law-abiding citizens scrambling, sheriff’s offices overwhelmed, and firearms instructors stretched thin. Supporters of the measures claim they will promote safety, but critics say they were designed to make it harder for ordinary Coloradans to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Rush Before the Deadline
House Bill 24-1174, signed by Gov. Jared Polis in 2024, went into effect July 1 of this year. The law forces anyone applying for a concealed handgun permit (CHP) to jump through new hoops: eight hours of in-person classroom training, a written test with at least 80% accuracy, and a live-fire requirement of 50 rounds shot at 70% accuracy.
The effect was immediate. Weld and Larimer counties saw a flood of applications in the weeks before the law kicked in. Weld County reported an application spike of more than 324% in June compared to the year before. Captain Matt Turner of the Weld County Sheriff’s Office described scenes never witnessed before:
“On June 30, when I came to work, there was a line of people waiting to get into this building. That has never happened before… We actually had to turn people away that day, which has never had to be done.”
Residents weren’t panicking about training—they were panicking about losing access. “What it told me was people were worried. What it told me was people knew tomorrow, ‘I won’t have access to this the same way I did today,’” Turner said.
Instructors in Short Supply
The new mandates didn’t just flood sheriff’s offices. They also exposed a shortage of instructors across Colorado. Kirk Evans, attorney and president of U.S. LawShield, explained, “There are only about 190 verified renewal course instructors in 63 counties. Several counties do not have a verified instructor.”
That shortage is now colliding with demand. Colorado has around 650,000 permit holders, which means roughly 132,500 people need renewal training each year.
Evans put it bluntly: “This means that 190 instructors need to teach almost 700 people per year, on average, but many times that in highly populated counties.”
And it’s not just numbers. Many of the state’s verified instructors don’t even have range privileges, making it impossible for them to run the live-fire drills now required. In some areas, applicants have no instructors at all, forcing them to retake courses in other counties—often at a cost of $150 to $200.
“This is causing a great burden on the citizens of Colorado,” Evans said. “It is extremely unfair to place an added burden on gun owners, and then turn that added burden into a complex maze and collection of traps for folks who are simply trying to follow the law.”
Higher Costs, Heavier Burdens
Before July, a quick $50 hotel-conference class was enough for many to meet permit requirements. Now, with mandatory longer classes, range time, and new insurance requirements, the average course price has doubled or tripled.
Mike Benavidez of the Makhaira Group, one of Northern Colorado’s leading firearms trainers, said his company has long required live-fire and extended instruction—but he opposes the state forcing it. “I 100% support more training. What I don’t like is being told I have to do it,” he explained.
Even those who support stronger education admit the new rules may be unrealistic. Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams has called the bill nothing more than a deliberate barrier for the law-abiding.
Turner echoed that concern: “Only because we don’t favor anything that makes it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to have access to their Second Amendment rights. It delays access, it creates more fees. For some people, that may make it unattainable.”
Confusion & Lawsuits Ahead
The changes have already sparked confusion, lawsuits, and talk of even more restrictions on the horizon. A concealed carry instructor interviewed by Denver7 noted that he’s preparing a lawsuit, pointing out contradictions in the law—like requiring the state to track instructors even though other laws prohibit such a database.
Gun rights groups say these new rules are part of a broader effort by Colorado lawmakers to chip away at the right to bear arms. Earlier this month, the Mountain States Legal Foundation sued Gov. Polis over another law they say bans entire categories of common firearms and accessories.
Just Hurting Those Who Follow the Law
To ordinary citizens, the situation is simple: they just want to protect themselves and their families. Instead, they’re being met with higher costs, longer waits, inconsistent county rules, and an instructor shortage.
As Evans summed up, “In our experience, people who apply for CHPs and renewals are people who want to do the right thing and comply with the law. We shouldn’t make it difficult for these gun owners to do that.”
For Colorado gun owners, the fight is far from over. The rush on applications proves one thing: when politicians try to choke off access to self-defense, citizens will do whatever it takes to hold on to their rights before the door slams shut.
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