What Are the Magazine Capacity Limits in Colorado?
Woody's answers are based on published federal and state law. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific situation.
Colorado prohibits magazines holding more than 15 rounds. This applies to all firearms including rifles and pistols, with limited exceptions for law enforcement and military.
What This Means for You
Colorado's magazine capacity law significantly impacts builders planning modern sporting rifles or high-capacity pistol builds. The 15-round limit affects component selection and forces builders to source compliant magazines. Understanding grandfathering provisions and possession versus transfer restrictions is crucial for legal compliance.
The Detail
Colorado enacted magazine capacity restrictions that limit civilian possession of magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. This law applies broadly to all firearm types including rifles, pistols, and shotguns, though it includes specific exemptions for law enforcement officers and active military personnel.
The law includes a grandfathering provision for magazines that were lawfully possessed before the effective date of the legislation. However, the burden of proof for lawful possession prior to the ban date falls on the owner. The law also distinguishes between possession and transfer, with different restrictions applying to each activity.
Enforcement and interpretation of the magazine capacity law has varied across different jurisdictions within Colorado. Some counties and municipalities have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries and stated they will not actively enforce the magazine restrictions, while others maintain strict compliance expectations.
For builders, this means carefully sourcing magazines that comply with the 15-round limit or ensuring any higher-capacity magazines were lawfully possessed before the ban took effect. The law's language regarding "designed to accept" versus "readily converted to accept" more than 15 rounds can create gray areas in compliance interpretation that you should research thoroughly through official state resources.
Build Impact
Magazine capacity limits directly affect your choice of platform and feeding system design. You'll need to source 15-round or smaller magazines for any build, which may limit certain rifle platforms or require modified magazine wells for compliance.