Colorado Magazine Ban Passes Committee, Pump Shotguns at Risk of Ban
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.05.13
The gun control bill being debated by Colorado Lawmakers passed the state Senate Committee Monday. Hundreds of gun rights advocates showed up at the Capitol in protest over the new proposal that could curb magazine size to 15 rounds. According to KDVR, notable people present at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing included Magpul CEO Richard Fitzpatrick, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners director Dudley Brown, survivors and relatives of previous mass shootings, and former astronaut Mark Kelly. Inside the capitol both sides of the debate clashed over 7 gun bills put before the committee. Regardless of the fierce opposition, all the bills passed.
Among the bills approved are:
- House Bill 1226: Campus concealed carry ban
- House Bill 1229: Universal background check
- Senate Bill 196: Assault weapons manufacturer liability
- House Bill 1224: High-capacity magazine ban
- House Bill 1228: Background check fees
- Senate Bill 197: Gun ristrictions for domestic violence offenders
- Senate Bill 195: In-person concealed-carry training classes
“We don’t come to the debate on gun violence as victims,” said Mark Kelly, husband to former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. “We offer our voices as Americans. We’re moderates. We’re both gun owners. And we take that right and the responsibilities that come with it very seriously.”
Magpul CEO Richard Fitzpatrick has a different opinion on the matter. The PMAG manufacturer had stated that the company would leave the state should House Bill 1224 be passed, even though lawmakers added an amendment allowing companies to produce high capacity magazine for sale in other states.
“Making products that are illegal here in Colorado is counter to our values,” Fitzpatrick said. A number of law enforcement also spoke at the hearing, and several sheriffs from rural areas also opposed the new bills being pushed through.
“It seems mostly like Denver metro area sheriffs who are supporting this,” said Weld County Sheriff John Cooke. “We know there are a lot of chiefs and line level police officers throughout the state who don’t support these bills.”
“Assault weapons” may not be the only firearms affected by HB 1224; some politicians are worried that the magazine ban could affect pump-action or semi-automatic shotguns. Although amendments have been added to HB 1224 to cap shotgun magazines at 8 shells, state Senator Greg Brophy (R-Way) says the shotgun could be in danger of being illegal to purchase.
“They’re coming after the standard shotgun,” Brophy told CBS4. “…Hundreds of thousands of pheasant hunters are probably going to be carrying around a gun they won’t be able to replace after July 1 this year.”
The senator said that it is possible that shotgun owners may not be able to purchase semi-automatic shotguns that are capable of being readily altered to accept more than 8 rounds.
