Can an 19 year old still own a handgun in Colorado ?

[SideShow Bob]

For those of you in the know, FFL holder or really good understanding of the Colorado gun laws since 2013, Can an 19 year old legally own a handgun?
An acquaintance at work wants to buy and then gift his daughter a handgun for self defense because she is living in an area that he calls sketchy.
Is it legal for her own & process a handgun since all the state law changes of 2013 ?

[FoxtArt]

For those of you in the know, FFL holder or really good understanding of the Colorado gun laws since 2013, Can an 19 year old legally own a handgun?
An acquaintance at work wants to buy and then gift his daughter a handgun for self defense because she is living in an area that he calls sketchy.
Is it legal for her own & process a handgun since all the state law changes of 2013 ?

IMHO yes, as long as it was truly gifted to her by her father. And I've dug into that heavily before.

What makes it more questionable is the locality changes now being introduced, where they are trying to specify possession to be 21. So it is true today, but may be f'ed in a few weeks depending on where she lives and travels.

[eddiememphis]

Looking at various statutes, FoxArt is likely correct.

Juveniles can possess a firearm with permission of a parent. I realize 19 is not a juvenile in many cases.

She can't buy one but can own one.

She can't get a carry permit but can open carry.

If your buddy is that concerned he can either consult a lawyer or get the girl to a safer part of town.

[def90]

Have to be 21 to purchase a handgun as well as to obtain a carry permit, can be gifted a handgun from a family member though. She would be able to have it in her home but open carry would be the only option to carry it in public.

Boulder and a couple other municipalities are looking to pass their own laws making it illegal to even posses under 21.

[WETWRKS]

Check into the current concealed firearm laws. At last I had looked into it...without a permit one was allowed to have a concealed firearm in their home, place of business, and car. This should still apply regardless of age.

Standard disclaimer about not being a lawyer and such...but worth looking into.

[brutal]

Check into the current concealed firearm laws. At last I had looked into it...without a permit one was allowed to have a concealed firearm in their home, place of business, and car. This should still apply regardless of age.

Standard disclaimer about not being a lawyer and such...but worth looking into.

Concealed carry is allowed on/in your private property.

[FoxtArt]

Tiny distinction, but I'd phrase it "not illegal to carry concealed on your property". Much of what we can do is not because it is allowed (a law says we can) but simply because there isn't a specific law that says we can't.

That distinction can occasionally matter.

[thedave1164]

I am the father of 5 girls and only one is what I would consider mature enough to possess a handgun for self defense at 19, my oldest is 26 and she is just now maturing enough.

I purchased some LE grade pepper spray and the trainers, taught them how to use it properly.

If he pursues getting her a handgun, I hope he gets her training as well.

Just my opinion

[BPTactical]

I am the father of 5 girls and only one is what I would consider mature enough to possess a handgun for self defense at 19, my oldest is 26 and she is just now maturing enough.

I purchased some LE grade pepper spray and the trainers, taught them how to use it properly.

If he pursues getting her a handgun, I hope he gets her training as well.

Just my opinion


My thoughts exactly. Not only the question of is she mature enough but the more critical question is would she have the deliberation to use it?
When I used to work a retail shop we would frequently get a gal who would want a firearm for protection from an ex, some creeper in the hood etc.
If it was their first firearm I would casually sneak a question into our dialogue: “You think you could pull the trigger on somebody if need be?”
More often than not I would get hesitation “Uhm well ah, I guess…..”
That hesitation told me everything I needed to know.
At that time I would try and shift them a bit, maybe a less than lethal such as a taser, bear spray or a dog.

Hesitation in a critical situation will get you killed.

Perhaps your coworkers money and efforts will be better served moving his daughter to a less sketchy part of town.

[ray1970]

My thoughts exactly. Not only the question of is she mature enough but the more critical question is would she have the deliberation to use it?


If there is anything I?ve learned about women over the years it?s that they are definitely as capable of violence as men. They may seem all soft and pretty but they can be brutal if they want or have to be.

[SideShow Bob]

Bert & several other members make a good argument about maturity and ability to pull the trigger if need be, these are questions that I cannot answer.
I do know that there are more bullets in a revolver than the times the father has gone out shooting, and still has three partial boxes of ammo, one for each caliber of firearm he owns 22lr. 45ACP and 32ACP., maybe less than half of that time the daughter has been along. Other than boyfriends taking her out plinking, I would assume that is her firearms experience.
And as far as moving, where she lives is in the less wealthy parts of mountain towns along the I-70 corridor and is always hard pressed for accommodations due to employment opportunities.

[funkymonkey1111]

Bert & several other members make a good argument about maturity and ability to pull the trigger if need be,.

No, they don't.

No gun store commando is going to ask a mealy, fatassed, middle aged dude if they have the requiste "maturity" to make use of a firearm. Further, I don't recall some old guy's analysis of "maturity" as a prerequisite for anyone owning a firearm--unless your name is Beto or Hillary

[Circuits]

Persons 18-20 cannot purchase a handgun from an FFL, or in a transaction which requires them to undergo a UBC involving an FFL.

This limits acquisition options for underage adults to building them from a kit, getting them as a gift from a close family member, or purchasing them in private sales involving a C&R firearm. The 2013 UBC bill exempts both antique and C&R firearms from the UBC provisions, whether or not either party in the transaction has a C&R FFL.

[MrPrena]

If i recall when I was applying for CCW for the first time, temporary ccw was good for under 21. NOW I CANNOT find that data/source online. Maybe they may have changed that long ago?

[BPTactical]

No, they don't.

No gun store commando is going to ask a mealy, fatassed, middle aged dude if they have the requiste "maturity" to make use of a firearm. Further, I don't recall some old guy's analysis of "maturity" as a prerequisite for anyone owning a firearm--unless your name is Beto or Hillary



Ooooo, the Perfect Customer!
The Perfect Customer knows everything about every firearm in the store, proceeds to spend an hour in the store fiddle fucking with every handgun in the case, tying up a sales clerk while he slimes up everything he puts his dick beaters on.
The Perfect Customer that lets the slide slam closed on an empty 1911, gets pissed off when the clerk won’t let him field strip every pistol on the counter and the first thing he does is dry fire everything he can get said dick beaters on, frequently without checking the chamber.
The Perfect Customer that will interrupt a dialogue between a clerk and a customer that is unsure what they want proclaiming a Glock is the greatest pistol made and is the perfect choice for everybody without knowing that the prospective customer has never handled a firearm before.
The Perfect Customer who will tell a 18yo kid looking at his 1st AR who is on a 18yo’s budget that unless it is a KAC, LaRue, Hodge, Noveske or HK it is not a good rifle.
The Perfect Customer that will piss and moan about the high prices the LGS charges and will spend all the time performing the aforementioned activities denoted above in the store only to go buy his next purchase on Gallery of Guns and then get pissed off because the LGS either won’t facilitate the transfer or will charge $50.00 to do it.
The Perfect Customer that proclaims their expertise on everybodies Second Amendment Rights.
The Perfect Customer who has no comprehension of the tremendous legal and moral minefield the proprietor of the LGS has to negotiate every day, every transaction.
The Perfect Customer who has no idea that a responsible proprietor and staff read and profile the patrons constantly because they are well aware that there are people out there in society who are Prohibited Persons, are perceived as Incompetent and any other plethora of reasons that would be reason to deny a transfer of a firearm.
The Perfect Customer who is so ignorant and self centered to not realize that an error on the above can have catastrophic consequences for the customer, proprietor, staff and the establishment.
The Perfect Customer doesn’t stop to realize that the proprietor and staff strive to make sure they help guide the customer to the right choice for THAT customer, especially when the prospective customer is new to the product, inexperienced or unsure.
















Yup, shops just love The Perfect Customer…

….when they walk out the door.

[Sawin]

Funkymonkey, what you seem to be ignoring is the point that just because someone can have something, does not mean they should. There is a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes with owning a firearm, and even more if one is intentionally purchased for defensive purposes. Ignoring circumstances, training or simple capabilities (ala Maturity) is nothing short of irresponsible. Good parents generally are not that…

[Bailey Guns]

Circuits gave the correct legal answer to the OP's question.

[DDT951]

If there is anything I?ve learned about women over the years it?s that they are definitely as capable of violence as men. They may seem all soft and pretty but they can be brutal if they want or have to be.

There is nothing more dangerous in the universe than a scorned woman?

[Martinjmpr]

Circuits gave the correct legal answer to the OP's question.

^^^^^ This right here.

Under Colorado state law, there is no prohibition for a legal adult (18+) to own or possess a handgun.

The fact that someone 18-20 cannot legally purchase a handgun from a federally licensed dealer is not relevant to CO state law regarding possession.

Besides the C&R exception already mentioned, there are other circumstances where a person under the age of 21 might legally be in possession of a handgun. Just a few examples off the top of my head:

* Person under 21 previously resided in another state that allows private transfers (let's say Wyoming.) They legally purchased the gun from a private seller there and then move to Colorado.
* Person under 21 inherited the gun from a family member who passed away
* Person under 21 received the firearm as a bonafide gift from an immediate family member

And here's one I wasn't aware of until I read the law: Person under 21 has a family member in the military who is deploying overseas within the next 30 days. CO law allows that person to legally transfer their firearms to a family member without doing a BGC. CRS 18-12-112 (6) (i)