Democrats in Colorado are pushing yet another assault on gun rights with a proposed bill that would impose strict new regulations on ammunition purchases. This latest move is part of a pattern of incremental restrictions that Second Amendment advocates warn is designed to make gun ownership increasingly difficult for law-abiding citizens.
At a Glance
- Colorado House Bill 1133 would raise minimum age for ammunition purchases from 18 to 21
- The bill requires ammo to be stored behind counters or in enclosed display cases
- Ammunition vending machines would be banned completely
- Business owners warn the regulations will drive up costs for consumers
- The bill includes some exemptions but is still facing strong opposition from gun rights advocates
Democrats Target Ammunition Access Under Guise of Safety
Colorado Democrats are advancing House Bill 1133, which would significantly restrict ammunition access across the state. The controversial legislation, scheduled to take effect in 2026 if passed, would raise the minimum age to purchase ammunition from 18 to 21 years old – effectively stripping constitutional rights from legal adults.
The bill doesn’t stop there. It would ban ammunition vending machines entirely, require written notice for package deliveries containing ammunition, and force retailers to keep ammunition locked away in enclosed display cases or behind counters.
Small Business Owners Sound Alarm on Economic Impact
Colorado gun store owners are raising serious concerns about how these regulations would harm their businesses and customers. The requirements would create significant financial burdens for shops already operating on thin margins in a competitive industry.
“They’re trying to make it harder and harder for people like us to operate, and they’re driving prices up, making it unaffordable for the average consumer,” Teddy Collins said.
Collins also pointed out the practical impossibility of enforcing these regulations effectively. “There’s no way to tell if a package contains ammunition without physically inspecting it. I think there are a lot of loopholes,” Collins said.
Bill Proponents Claim Exemptions Address Concerns
Democratic Majority Leader Monica Duran, who supports the bill, claims the legislation makes “sense” despite pushback from Second Amendment advocates. The bill does include limited exemptions for military members, veterans, individuals with hunter safety certificates, those with protection orders, and ammunition used at shooting ranges.
“They feel it’s a violation or infringes on Second Amendment rights, and for me, as a gun owner myself and having a concealed carry permit, I look at things that make sense,” Duran said.
Critics see this bill as part of a larger strategy by Democrats to chip away at Second Amendment rights (because it is) through a series of smaller regulatory burdens that eventually make gun ownership prohibitively expensive and complicated. The focus on ammunition represents a new front in the ongoing battle over gun rights in America.
While proponents insist these regulations will enhance public safety, they provide little evidence that restricting ammunition sales in this manner would actually reduce crime. Instead, law-abiding gun owners face increasing costs and inconvenience while criminals, who typically don’t obtain ammunition through legal channels anyway, remain unaffected.
