Yes, you can pass down your unwanted firearms to your immediate family. Immediate family is defined as spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, first cousins, aunts, and uncles (in-laws do not apply). Immediate family members do not need background checks done to transfer firearms between one another. The firearm should not be transferred to any family member who is prohibited from purchasing and/or possessing a firearm. If you are selling to a non-immediate family member, a background check must be done by an FFL (Federal Firearm Licensee). (CRS 18-12-112)

When thinking about who you want to give your firearms to, it would be wise to make sure the below laws are followed. 18-12-111. Unlawful purchase of firearms (1) Any person who knowingly purchases or otherwise obtains a firearm on behalf of or for transfer to a person who the transferor knows or reasonably should know is ineligible to possess a firearm pursuant to federal or state law commits a class 4 felony.

People may not purchase or possess firearms if they:

• Have been convicted of domestic violence
• Are fugitives
• Are drug addicts
• *Two or more DUIs or DWAIs in a ten year period, chronically use alcohol
• Are subjects of a restraining order for harassing, stalking, or threatening their child or intimate partner
• Have been adjudicated as mentally unfit
• Are undocumented aliens
• Have been dishonorably discharged from the armed forces
• Have renounced U.S. citizenship
• Under the laws of any U.S. state or federal law, you have been convicted of or are under indictment for:
  • a felony,
  • any crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year,
  • an attempt to commit a felony,
  • an act that would constitute a felony if committed in Colorado, or
  • a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
• Note that would-be gun owners must pass a CO Bureau of Investigations (CBI) universal background check by a licensed firearms dealer in order to purchase a firearm. A licensed gun dealer is necessary even in private sales. But there is no mandatory waiting period when buying a gun.
• Also note that you must be at least 18 years old to buy a rifle or shotgun and at least 21 years old to buy a handgun in Colorado..

*Colorado deems you “chronically and habitually use alcoholic beverages to the extent that the applicant’s normal faculties are impaired” if you have two or more DUIs or DWAIs in a ten year period and you will not be able to obtain a permit to carry or own weapons.

*Please check Colorado Bureau of Investigation, https://cbi.colorado.gov, for updated and complete Colorado firearm laws

Growing up in the 80’s my father and brothers were avid hunters. I don’t think we owned one gun safe because I remember seeing guns stored in the closet, shoe boxes, drawers, under beds, etc. Thankfully, they taught me how to use and respect firearms. I knew as a young child the damage they could do and not to touch them. Therefore, It squashed my curiosity. However, not all gun owners teach their children/grandchildren about gun safety. Safely storing firearms is not only a law (whether you agree with it or not) but a good second line of defense.

The bill requires firearms be responsibly and securely stored when they are not in use to prevent access by unsupervised juveniles and other unauthorized users. The bill creates the offense of unlawful storage of a firearm if a person stores a firearm in a manner that the person knows, or should know:

• That a juvenile can gain access to the firearm without the permission of the juvenile’s parent or guardian; or
• A resident of the premises is ineligible to possess a firearm under state or federal law.

Unlawful storage of a firearm is a class 2 misdemeanor.

The bill requires licensed gun dealers to provide with each firearm, at the time of a firearm sale or transfer, a locking device capable of securing the firearm. Transferring a firearm without a locking device is an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine.

The bill requires the state court administrator to annually report to the general assembly about the number of charges related to unsafe firearms storage and the disposition of those charges.

The bill requires the office of suicide prevention within the department of public health and environment (department) to include on its website, and in materials provided to firearms-related businesses and health care providers, information about the offense of unlawful storage of a firearm, penalties for providing a handgun to a juvenile or allowing a juvenile to possess a firearm, and the requirement that gun dealers provide a locking device with each firearm transferred. Subject to available money, the department is required to develop and implement a firearms safe storage education campaign to educate the public about the safe storage of firearms, state requirements related to firearms safety and storage, and information about voluntary temporary firearms storage programs .

We’ve recently seen basic locking handgun cases starting at $20. They make them with a key, card, access code, and combinations of all these. If you have multiple firearms larger safes are available from $500-$3,000+. You can buy used on Craigslist, Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace. Or purchase a new safe at Bass Pro, Cabela’s, or your local gun shop.

*Please check Colorado Bureau of Investigation, https://cbi.colorado.gov, for updated and complete Colorado firearm laws

An estimated 40%-60% of dementia patients have guns in their households. Only 1/3 of doctors who ask patients about driving safety also ask about guns in the home. Someone with the disease can experience hallucinations, delusions, agitation, or aggression. If a person is delusional and believes someone is breaking into his or her home, for example, they may feel family members are intruders and confront them with a gun.

Ways to keep your loved ones safe:

1. Discuss a “firearm retirement date” early in the diagnosis and get their signature.
2. Remove guns from the house. A responsible neighbor or family member can store them.
3. At the least, guns should be stored separately from ammunition in a secured and locked case.
4. Do not allow someone with Alzheimer’s to have unsupervised access to guns.
5. Colorado Gun Services can come to you, pay on the spot, and safely and legally remove firearms.

September 26, 2022

The truth about firearms and Mental Health

October is mental health awareness month. There’s little evidence that people with mental health issues are more likely to assault or kill someone with a gun. In fact, people with mental illnesses are more likely to be the victims of this violence. Suicide accounts for thousands more firearm deaths every year than homicides, according to data from the centers for disease control and prevention.

According to the Mental Health America website, depression is the leading cause of disability globally and many people live with mental illness around the world. The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent: 95-97% of homicidal gun violence is not carried out by individuals with a mental illness. However, suicide is often correlated with depression and is the number ten cause of death in adults nationwide (number three cause of death for youth in America). Firearm deaths associated with mental illness are nearly always suicides. A suicide attempt with a firearm results in death nearly 85% of the time, but more common means of attempting suicide—drug overdose and cutting—result in death less than 3% of the time. If mental illness were eliminated, gun violence in America would go down by just 4%.

Firearms are clearly something to think about when discussing mental health. The safety of loved ones and self are paramount. Possession of a firearm by the mentally ill is regulated by both state and federal laws to try and prevent suicide and firearms getting into the wrong hands at the wrong time.

However, we all need to be aware and do our own part in keeping ourselves, family, and neighbors safe. Make sure your firearms are responsibly and securely stored. If you’re passing down your firearms to a family member, make sure they are qualified to own firearms and in good mental health. These are just some things to think about while being a responsible gun owner.

If you are uncomfortable having them in your home find a responsible neighbor or family member who can store them for you until you feel safe. With the goal being to address the person and try to figure out how to get them the help they need. Or you can contact Colorado Gun Services to remove them safely and legally.

There are many reasons someone might want to get rid of their firearm. Whether they want a “gun-free home for their grandkids”, inherited a gun and “don’t want it or use it”, medical professional or law enforcement officer determines that an individual is mentally un-fit, or you just need to make room for a different gun, etc.

1. You can drive your guns to a gun store (make sure they are unloaded and safely transported).
2. Drive them to a pawn shop. Wait for the firearm to be sold and collect your share of profit.
3. Surrender the gun to local law enforcement (make sure you are the legal owner). They will not pay you for the firearm.
4. Contact Colorado Gun Services*. We can discreetly come to your home, so you do not have to worry about unloading or transporting firearms. We will audit what you have and make a fair offer. If you choose to sell your gun(s), we pay on the spot and provide documentation of your release of ownership. It’s that easy!

*Colorado Gun Services is licensed to buy and sell firearms under our Federal Firearms License (FFL). We have been approved and certified by local law enforcement. This means that we safely, quickly, and legally remove your unwanted firearms from your home.