Colorado is trying to pass the dumbest law I've seen in a while, and in this line of work, that's saying something.
The measure in question is a restriction on gun barrels. Residents of the state will have to go through a licensed gun dealer to buy a barrel, who will then do a background check, and the whole rigamarole you deal with when buying a gun. That dealer will then have to hold onto the records for five years.
The next vote on it was supposed to happen on Monday, but it's been delayed.
Colorado’s Democratic-controlled General Assembly is poised to send several gun control bills to Gov. Jared Polis roughly two months into the legislative session.
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Democrats argue the bills are aimed at reducing gun violence, while Republicans and gun rights groups say they chip away at Second Amendment rights.
SB 26-046 would also require firearm dealers to keep a sales record of barrels for at least five years. The bill was scheduled for third reading on Monday in the House, but was laid over until Tuesday. Once passed, it will head back to the Senate for a vote on the House’s amendments, then if approved go to the Democratic governor’s desk to be signed into law.
Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement last week that the legislation would help get unserialized ghost guns “out of our communities.”
“By having a record of gun barrel transactions, law enforcement will have a way to trace a gun found at a crime scene to the person who committed the crime,” he said. “We’re balancing public safety and responsible gun ownership to save Colorado lives.”
The Colorado State Shooting Association said it will explore legal options against the bill if signed into law.
An almost as stupid law up for vote at some point today, assuming it hasn't happened by the time you read this, is a law banning 3D printer files for gun parts or using a printer to make firearms or "components" for guns.
Here's the thing about this barrel restriction that I don't think people like Rep. Brown have thought about, or even know to think about: Gun barrels aren't serialized.
If someone gets a gun barrel from out-of-state, then brings it into Colorado and puts it into their gun, there's literally no way to figure out what they did unless they tell someone. Even if the gun is recovered, where that barrel originally came from can and will be a mystery, especially if it's a model that was made before the law went into effect.
Further, let's talk about the paperwork requirement. Dealers have to hold onto these records for five years, right? Why? Again, these are unserialized. They're not going to be able to walk in and ask who purchased a particular Glock replacement barrel or one for an M&P Shield and actually get an answer. There's literally no way for the dealers to look up who bought what particular barrel.
The only way anyone gets arrested for this is if they're selling barrels illegally and get caught, or admit to the police that the barrel was purchased and trafficked into the state. That's about it.
But that's not really what this is about. It's about controlling the actions of the law-abiding.
The people who push these measures are the same kinds of people who screamed about defunding the police and cashless bail. They're often the same people who want reduced prison sentences for violent offenders or, even better, no incarceration at all.
They'll tell you how you have to jump through hoops in order to get an aftermarket barrel for your favorite firearm, all in the name of public safety, but they don't seem remotely interested in actually cracking down on real crime.
Weird, ain't it?
Editor’s Note: The radical left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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