FBI Stats Expose Flaws in Colorado Assault Weapons Ban Bill: SB25-003
Colorado’s latest push to pass an “assault weapons” semi-automatic firearm ban is SB25-003. This bill in particular has sparked massive debate as bill sponsors are calling it a “magazine capacity limit enforcement” bill while it is, in fact, farther reaching than any “assault weapons” semi-automatic firearm prohibition legislation seen anywhere in the nation, ever.
The bill proposes a sweeping ban on the sale, purchase, transfer and manufacture of semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that can accept detachable magazines, sparing no one except law enforcement. It also targets gas-operated semi-automatic pistols. Other states that have passed similar laws, such as California and New Jersey, prohibit firearms based on their ability to accept detachable magazines and certain cosmetic features, such as a pistol grip. SB23-003 has no such language making it the most severe legislation of its kind to date.
If enacted, the Colorado Attorney General would have the power and authority to further define the often nuanced and contradictory language.
Supporters of the bill argue it will reduce violent crime and shootings, but a closer examination of FBI crime data suggests that this legislation will be nearly ineffective in achieving their alleged intended goal.
Read the bill here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_003_01.pdf
Email Colorado Senate Democrats and tell them why they should vote NO on SB25-003: The Most Severe Assault Weapons Ban in history!
A Look at the FBI Data
According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data, the majority of firearm-related murders in Colorado are committed with handguns, not the firearms targeted by SB25-003. In 2020, handguns were used in 141 out of 293 murders, while rifles were used in 8 and a shotgun was used in one case. In comparison, according to the same data, knives and other cutting instruments were used in 40 murders while hands, fist, or feet were used in 14. Similarly, in 2019, handguns accounted for 83 of the 209 related murders, whereas rifles and shotguns combined accounted for only 8, knives and cutting instruments were used in 32 murders while hands, feet and fists were used in 12.
This data highlights a critical disconnect between the legislation and the actual tools most commonly used in murders. Rifles and shotguns, which are often used by hunters and for rural self-defense, represent a minor fraction of the firearms used in homicides.
The two graphs below were created using the respective FBI-Uniform Crime Report data that is available to the public online. You can download both 2020 and 2019.
2020 FBI Crime Data – Murder Type – CO
2019 FBI Crime Data – Murder Type – CO
Will It Reduce Murder Rates?
The assertion that banning semi-automatic rifles and shotguns will significantly reduce murder rates in Colorado is not supported by the available data. The minimal use of these firearms in crime, as shown in the FBI statistics, suggests that the impact of this ban on overall murder rates would likely be negligible. Moreover, the data indicates a persistently higher use of knives and other weapons in murders, suggesting that criminal intent finds a way irrespective of the tools available.
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WATCH: Everything You Need To Know About SB25-003