Understanding the Impact of Anti-Gun Legislation on Firearms Training in Colorado

Across the country, gun owners and firearms instructors are facing increased challenges as states move to implement restrictive legislation that puts lawful training and firearm ownership under fire. Colorado is the latest state to step into this ring, with a new law that could dramatically reshape the way firearms education and concealed carry training are delivered.

Make no mistake—this is yet another instance where politicians have overreached, ignoring reality and jeopardizing the safety of law-abiding citizens under the guise of “public safety.” The new Colorado gun law may impact firearms training requirements in ways that are concerning not just from an educational standpoint but also a constitutional one.

What’s Really in the New Colorado Legislation?

The Colorado legislature recently passed a sweeping gun control law that includes modifications to concealed carry training requirements. This law, sold as a “common-sense safety measure,” mandates stricter classroom instruction hours and attempts to regulate the qualifications of firearm instructors.

Specifically, the law requires:

• Live-fire training for every permit applicant – even if they have decades of experience handling firearms.
• Consolidation and control over who gets to become a certified instructor, with decisions potentially falling into the hands of bureaucrats who have zero hands-on experience with firearms.
• Possible disqualification or decertification of current instructors who don’t meet newly invented criteria, regardless of their track record or reputation.

At its core, the new Colorado gun law may impact firearms training requirements by narrowing access and over-regulating something that was already effective and safe. Fortress Firearms Training views this as a blow to the integrity of firearms education and the 2nd Amendment rights of Coloradoans.

Why the New Law Misses the Mark

The law operates under the mistaken premise that current firearms training is inadequate, when in fact, Colorado has long had a strong, responsible firearms training ecosystem. Instructors like those at Fortress Firearms Training are seasoned professionals, often with backgrounds in law enforcement, military service, or decades of civilian instruction experience.

The idea that the government now needs to step in and define what makes someone “qualified” to teach firearms is not only insulting—it’s unnecessary. Many of the new requirements are excessive and potentially counterproductive:

• Extra time mandates risk making training cost-prohibitive and inaccessible to lower-income citizens.
• Depriving rural residents of local instruction availability, since newly regulated standards may drive out smaller or independent instructors.
• Creating delays and backlogs by reducing the number of legal and qualified instructors available to conduct training.

Let’s be clear: the new Colorado gun law may impact firearms training requirements not to improve safety, but to gradually chip away at citizens’ ability to exercise their rights.

Consequences for Law-Abiding Gun Owners and Instructors

For the average gun owner, this law doesn’t enhance safety. Instead, it erects needless hurdles. Want to renew your concealed carry permit? Prepare for more red tape and costs. Want to upgrade training or take group instruction? You may find your local range can no longer offer these services due to compliance issues.

And for instructors—many of whom own small businesses—this law could be devastating. It forces professionals to navigate a confusing mess of legal jargon, subjectivity, and arbitrary standards. Instructors could be disqualified not for safety violations, but simply for not falling within a preferred bureaucratic mold.

Meanwhile, criminals—who by definition do not follow the law—face no additional roadblocks. They won’t be lining up for live-fire classes or submitting background checks. It’s the law-abiding citizens who will suffer the consequences while violent criminals remain unfazed.

Firearms Training Should Empower, Not Restrict

At Fortress Firearms Training, we believe in empowering individuals through knowledge, not restraining them with legislation that pretends to offer protection. Firearms education should be thorough, responsible, and conducted by experienced professionals—not micromanaged by state legislators who often lack basic firearms knowledge.

The truth is, quality firearms training isn’t broken. What’s broken is the political agenda seeking to phase out civilian gun ownership one regulation at a time. Fortress Firearms Training stands firm in support of the 2nd Amendment and the belief that responsible gun ownership is strengthened through accessible, realistic, and practical training.

Key Reasons to Oppose the New Law

• It undermines experienced instructors who have successfully trained thousands of responsible gun owners.
• It imposes financial and logistical burdens on low-income and rural residents, effectively making self-defense a privilege for the wealthy and well-connected.
• It fails to address criminal activity and instead targets the very citizens who follow the rules.

The new Colorado gun law may impact firearms training requirements in dangerous ways—by discouraging participation, reducing skilled instructor availability, and making legal firearm ownership more difficult for those who need it most.

How You Can Respond

Gun owners in Colorado and across the country need to stay vigilant and organized. Here’s what you can do:

• Support local firearms instructors and training centers, like Fortress Firearms Training, who uphold high standards regardless of state overreach.
• Educate others about the realities of the new law and how it affects their rights and access to essential training.
• Contact your state representatives and demand the repeal or revision of laws that infringe on your rights and stifle education.

We cannot allow ideological politicians to dictate who is “qualified” to teach our constitutional rights. Firearms are not just tools—they are symbols of freedom, responsibility, and personal security.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to dress up bad legislation with promises of “safety” and “common sense,” but the reality is often the opposite. The new Colorado gun law may impact firearms training requirements in a way that damages public safety and chips away at personal freedom.

At Fortress Firearms Training, we will continue to fight for the principles enshrined in the 2nd Amendment and advocate for training that is not only safe and responsible but accessible to everyone. We urge every American gun owner to stand united in defense of our rights, our safety, and our ability to train and educate without interference from an overreaching government.