Buying a gun online in Colorado and hunting rifles for Colorado game
Short answer: You can buy a hunting rifle online in Colorado, but it must ship to a licensed dealer, not to your door. You pass a background check there. Colorado adds a waiting period, and since August 1, 2026 it also has a training rule for semiautomatic rifles with detachable magazines. For big game, Colorado sets minimum rifle rules, so check the cartridge before you buy.
How an online gun purchase works
- Pick the rifle online and choose a licensed dealer (FFL) near you as the ship-to address.
- The dealer receives the rifle and runs the buyer through the national background check (NICS) with photo ID. Federal law requires this check before a dealer transfers a firearm to a non-licensee.
- Federal age rule for dealer sales: 18 for rifles and shotguns, 21 for handguns.
- Federal law generally bars a non-dealer from receiving a firearm bought outside their own state, which is why the dealer step exists.
Colorado rules, as of the official summary
| Topic | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| Background check | Colorado requires a background check on dealer and private sales. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the state contact point for these checks. The seller cannot hand over the gun until the check is approved. |
| Waiting period | Delivery waits for the longer of three days or the approval from the background check (C.R.S. 18-12-115), per the legislature's summary. |
| Age | The legislature's summary says Colorado law bars selling any firearm to a person under 21, but it also notes a court injunction that affects parts of that rule. Ask your dealer what applies today. |
| Magazines | Colorado law prohibits the sale, transfer or possession of "large-capacity" magazines, defined as holding more than 15 rounds. Ask your dealer about details. |
| Semiautomatic rifles | Starting August 1, 2026, buying a "specified semiautomatic firearm" is allowed only after completing a firearms safety course. See below. |
The semiautomatic course rule
A specified semiautomatic firearm is a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun with a detachable magazine, or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine. To buy one you apply through CPW's Firearms Safety System, get a sheriff's eligibility card, pass a course, and then the dealer checks your eligibility. CPW lists a 4-hour Basic course for people who already have a CPW-certified hunter education course, and a 12-hour Extended course (on at least two days) for others. The exam and the hands-on test each need 90% or more. The eligibility card and the course result are each good for five years. A hunter education card alone is not enough. CPW lists a $52 record fee, plus a county sheriff fee and any instructor fee. The law has some exemptions, and the state keeps a list of covered firearms that can change, so confirm with your dealer.
Hunting basics from Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Hunter education: anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 must complete an approved course before applying for or buying a Colorado hunting license. Valid certificates from other states are accepted. Hunters 50 and older, and military members, can test out under CPW's rules.
- Licenses: limited licenses come from a draw. Over-the-counter licenses are not capped, but only cover certain units, seasons and methods. CPW lists over-the-counter options for elk, white-tailed deer, pronghorn and bear.
- Big game: CPW lists bear, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose, pronghorn, mountain goat and mountain lion.
- Rules: CPW names the Big Game Brochure as its source for current regulations. Check the rules for your unit before you go.
Choosing a rifle for Colorado big game
CPW's Chapter W-2 (approved November 2025), rule #203, sets the legal rifle rules for the species in that chapter. Check the current brochure before the season.
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Centerfire rifle, deer and pronghorn | Center-fire, .24 caliber or larger, expanding bullets of at least 70 grains |
| Elk and moose | Expanding bullets of at least 85 grains, with at least 1,000 ft-lbs of rated energy at 100 yards |
| Semiautomatic rifles | No more than 6 rounds in magazine and chamber combined |
| Fully automatic rifles | Prohibited |
| Muzzleloaders | At least .40 caliber for most big game with conical bullets (.50 with round ball); at least .50 for elk and moose with conical bullets (.54 with round ball) |
In plain words: a bolt-action or lever-action rifle in a standard deer or elk cartridge is the simple path. It is also not a semiautomatic, so the semiautomatic course rule does not apply to it. If you want a semiautomatic, remember the 6-round limit in the field.
FAQ
Can I have a rifle shipped to my home in Colorado?
No. It should ship to a licensed dealer, who runs the background check and hands it over after the waiting period.
How long is the wait?
Colorado law sets the longer of three days or your background check approval, per the legislature's summary.
Do I need hunter education?
If you were born on or after January 1, 1949, yes, before you apply for or buy a Colorado hunting license. CPW lists test-out options for hunters 50 and older and for military members.
Official links
- CPW hunter education: https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/education-outreach
- CPW new to hunting: https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/new-hunting
- CPW big game: https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/big-game
- CPW semiautomatic firearm program: https://cpw.state.co.us/specified-semiautomatic-firearms
- CPW Chapter W-2 Big Game regulations: https://cpw.state.co.us/sites/default/files/dam/cfg41jkzvs/chw-2-as-approved-nov-2025.pdf
- Colorado legislature firearms summary: https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/Colorado%20Firearms%20Laws%20-%20Colorado%20Law%20Summary-accessible.pdf
This is general information, not legal advice. Check current rules with the state attorney general, CBI or your dealer.
General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.
