Best Gun Stores in Colorado

Mcx-R Regulator 7.62x39mm Semi-Auto Rifle - Mcx-R Regulator 7.62x39mm 16'''' Bbl (1)10rd Mag Coyote

Mcx-R Regulator 5.56x45 Nato Semi-Auto Rifle - Mcx-R Regulator 5.56x45 Nato 16'''' Bbl (1)10rd Mag Coyote

Ruger LCP 380ACP Centerfire Pistol with OD Green Frame

$200$40050% OFF

RUGER LC CARBINE 10MM

$600$1,04943% OFF

Ruger Wrangler 22LR 3.75 6 Round Burnt Bronze Cerakote Finish and Birdshead Grip Revolver

FN 509C Tactical Compact 9mm Semi Automatic Pistol

$653$1,10541% OFF

Kimber 84M Open Range (Octane) 6.5cm Rifle 3000868

$999$1,68741% OFF

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield M2.0 9mm Compact Pistol Manual Thumb Safety

$300$50040% OFF

Beretta 92X PCO 9mm Pistol 4.9" 15rd Gray Nistan - J92XPCO21

$1,100$1,80039% OFF

1 / 10

Ammo Deals

Winchester AA 12 Gauge 1 1/8 oz 2.75in Shotgun Ammunition #8 25 Rounds

$17$15389% OFF

Remington Ammunition 23721 UMC .380 ACP 95 Gr Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) 250rd Mega Pack

$80$17253% OFF

Barnes 32013 Defense 20 GA 2.75 3 BUCK SHOT 5rds

$6$2273% OFF

Remington UMC Handgun.40 S&W 180 Grain Full Metal Jacket Centerfire Pistol Ammo 100 Rounds. 40 S&W 180 Grain Full Metal Jacket Centerfire Pistol Ammo 100 Rounds 23795.

$37$7148% OFF

Hornady Custom .25 ACP 35 grain eXtreme Terminal Performance Brass Cased Centerfire Pistol Ammo 25 Rounds

$12$3766% OFF

Barnes Defense Buckshot 12 Gauge 00 Buck 8 Pellets 2.75in Shotgun Buckshot Ammo 5 Rounds

$7$2166% OFF

Rimfire Deal

REMINGTON THUNDERBOLT 22LR 40GR HV RN AMMUNITION 525 rd BOX

$30$5545% OFF

DoubleTap Ammunition 380A80X Defense 380 ACP 80 gr Barnes TAC-XP Lead Free 20 Bx/ 50 Cs

$19$5264% OFF

Rifle Ammo Deal

REMINGTON 300 Blackout 150FMJ Rifle Ammunition 200rd BOX

$200$35944% OFF

Winchester USA Shotshell 12 Gauge 1 1/8 oz 2.75in 7.5 Shot Size Centerfire Shotgun Ammo 100 Rounds

$43$7643% OFF

1 / 10

How We Ranked the Best Gun Stores in Colorado

Colorado has over 1,100 federally licensed firearms dealers, with the heaviest concentration along the Front Range corridor from Fort Collins through Denver to Colorado Springs. El Paso County alone, home to Colorado Springs and multiple military installations, has over 100 dealers. The stores listed on this page have been verified through Google Business data, customer reviews, and federal FFL records. We focus on dealers that maintain physical storefronts, carry real inventory, and have enough customer feedback to give you an accurate picture of what to expect.

What Makes Colorado Different for Gun Buyers

Colorado requires a CBI background check on every firearm transfer, enforces a 15-round magazine limit under HB 13-1224, and imposes a three-day waiting period that took effect in October 2023.

Colorado sits in a unique position on the national gun law spectrum, more restrictive than its Mountain West neighbors (Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Arizona) but far less restrictive than California or the Northeast. The state does not have constitutional carry. Concealed carry requires a permit, issued on a shall-issue basis by county sheriffs to residents 21 and older after completing in-person training. Open carry is legal statewide for adults 18 and older, with one major exception: Denver bans open carry entirely, and since the state repealed its preemption law in 2021, other cities can now pass their own restrictions.

Every firearm transfer in Colorado, including private sales, must go through a licensed dealer and a CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation) background check. This universal background check requirement has been law since 2013. There is also a three-day waiting period that took effect in October 2023: once the background check process begins, you wait three days or until approval comes through, whichever takes longer.

Colorado limits magazine capacity to 15 rounds for magazines purchased after July 2013. Pre-existing magazines are grandfathered. The state has a red flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Orders) enacted in 2019. There is no assault weapons ban, no state firearms registry, and no permit required to purchase. For the complete details on Colorado’s gun laws, including the new semi-automatic restrictions taking effect in 2026, consult the Colorado Bureau of Investigation or your local dealer. Retailers continue to adjust to the 2024 Proposition KK excise tax on firearms and ammunition, layered on top of the existing federal tax, while legal challenges to laws passed under SB23-169 play out in court.

Top Gun Stores by Region

Denver Gun Stores

Most Denver-area gun stores operate in the suburbs rather than the city itself, partly because of Denver’s local restrictions (open carry ban, assault weapons ban) and partly because the suburban and exurban communities south and west of Denver are where the customer base lives. DCF Guns in Castle Rock is arguably the largest gun store and range operation in the state, with an 11-bay indoor range, a SIG SAUER Elite store, and full-service gunsmithing. They also have two Colorado Springs locations.

Bristlecone Shooting, Training, and Retail Center in Lakewood is Denver’s premier indoor shooting facility, 14 lanes at 25 yards (the longest indoor lanes in the metro for combined handgun and long gun use) plus a shoot house for scenario training and a simulation system. It is the kind of place where you can rent a dozen different pistols in an afternoon before deciding what to buy. Machine Gun Tours, also in Lakewood, caters to a more niche market with select-stock and NFA items alongside their full-auto shooting experiences.

Benchmark Armory in Arvada and Bighorn Firearms serve the north and west Denver suburbs, while the southern corridor along I-25 through Castle Rock and into Douglas County is where much of the growth has been.

Colorado Springs Gun Shops

Colorado Springs is the beating heart of Colorado’s gun culture, and the reason is simple: military. Fort Carson is home to the 4th Infantry Division, 10th Special Forces Group, and a total population of roughly 75,000 to 90,000 including active duty, families, and support personnel. Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, the Air Force Academy, and the NORAD complex inside Cheyenne Mountain are all here. El Paso County has the third-highest military veteran population of any congressional district in the entire United States, over 94,000 veterans and nearly 15,000 retirees. That translates directly into demand for firearms, tactical gear, and training.

DCF Guns operates two Springs locations: East (two indoor ranges, private event spaces) and West (100-yard range, two tactical training bays). Dragonmans on the south side is a Colorado Springs landmark, part gun store, part shooting range, part military museum, part dirt bike track, all run by Mel “Dragon Man” Bernstein. It is an experience as much as a shopping trip. Spartan Defense and SDS Guns round out the dedicated firearms retail market with gunsmithing, Cerakote, and training services.

The Cheyenne Mountain Shooting Complex, operated by Army MWR on 400 acres adjacent to Fort Carson, is one of the finest public shooting facilities in the country. Nine independent ranges with over 110 covered firing points, distances from 7 yards out to 600 yards, and open to the public. If you live in the Springs and have not shot there, you are missing out.

Fort Collins & Northern Colorado FFL Dealers

Rocky Mountain Shooters Supply in Fort Collins keeps over 1,000 guns in stock and offers more than 200 rental firearms, which makes their “try before you buy” program genuinely useful for first-time buyers or anyone considering a new carry pistol. They have an indoor range and on-site gunsmith. Weld County (Greeley and surrounding areas) is one of the most gun-friendly counties in Colorado and has declared itself a Second Amendment sanctuary.

Grand Junction & Western Slope Firearms Retailers

The Western Slope is a different world from the Front Range. The politics are more conservative, the culture is more rural, and gun ownership is simply part of life. Jerry’s Outdoor Sports has been serving the Grand Valley since 1985 with a solid selection of handguns, shotguns, and rifles from Browning, Winchester, Benelli, Glock, Sig Sauer, and others. Top Shot Guns specializes in firearms plus custom Kydex holsters and concealed carry classes. Colorado Gun Fighter serves the Four Corners region from Southwest Colorado.

Down in the Roaring Fork Valley, Basalt Firearms operates a Class III dealership in downtown Basalt, not far from Aspen, and has been serving the area since 2010. Proof that gun stores thrive even in resort communities when the owner knows the market.

Comparison of Top-Rated Colorado Gun Stores

The table below highlights some of the best-known firearms dealers across Colorado based on Google reviews, reputation, and our own verification. The Front Range dominates the retail landscape, but the Western Slope and Northern Colorado have strong independent shops that compete on service and expertise.

Store	City	Rating	Reviews	Type	Best For
DCF Guns	Castle Rock, Colorado Springs	4.7	2,500+	Range + retail + gunsmithing	Colorado’s largest gun store/range operation, SIG Elite store
Bristlecone Shooting	Lakewood (Denver)	4.7	1,800+	Range + retail + training	Premier Denver metro range, 14 lanes, shoot house
Dragonmans	Colorado Springs	4.5	1,200+	Range + retail + museum	Iconic Springs landmark, military museum, outdoor range
Rocky Mountain Shooters Supply	Fort Collins	4.6	900+	Range + retail + gunsmith	1,000+ guns in stock, 200+ rentals, try before you buy
Benchmark Armory	Arvada	4.2	611	Firearms retail	North Denver metro, solid selection, competitive pricing
Green Valley Arms	Akron	4.5	397	Firearms retail	Eastern Plains, strong community reputation
Jerry’s Outdoor Sports	Grand Junction	4.5	400+	Sporting goods + firearms	Western Slope institution since 1985, hunting specialists
Spartan Defense	Colorado Springs	4.8	300+	Gunsmithing + retail	Cerakote, laser engraving, custom work, training
SDS Guns	Colorado Springs	4.6	400+	Firearms retail	Family-owned since 2011, Springs’ premier gun shop
Hi Plains Sporting Goods	Akron	4.7	170	Sporting goods + firearms	Eastern Plains, hunting-focused, strong ratings

Hunting in Colorado: What the Stores Stock and Why

Colorado gun stores stock heavy-caliber bolt-action hunting rifles in .30-06, .308, .300 Winchester Magnum, and 6.5 Creedmoor because the state holds roughly 280,000 elk, the largest herd in North America per Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Colorado is one of the premier big game hunting states in the nation. Over 300,000 deer, elk, and pronghorn hunters head out each year under Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations, and the state’s diverse terrain, from 14,000-foot peaks to rolling eastern prairie, supports a remarkable range of species.

Elk hunting is Colorado’s crown jewel. The state holds the largest elk population in the world, estimated at 280,000 to 303,000 animals. Over-the-counter archery elk tags are available for many units, and the archery elk season draws hunters from across the country. Limited draw rifle tags for premium units can take a decade or more of accumulating preference points. Popular elk calibers include .30-06, .300 Winchester Magnum, .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .270 Winchester, walk into any Colorado gun store in August and those are the rifles you will see front and center. Expect to see bolt-action hunting rifles from Weatherby, Ruger American, Tikka, and Bergara alongside .223 AR-15 builds for predator calling and varmint work.

Mule deer tags are draw-only throughout the state, and Colorado is known for producing trophy-class bucks. Pronghorn antelope occupy the eastern plains and northwestern grasslands. Black bear, mountain lion, moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat are all available through the draw system, with sheep and goat being extremely limited once-in-a-lifetime tags.

The preference point system is central to how Colorado hunting works. Unsuccessful draw applicants accumulate points that improve their odds in future years. Serious Colorado hunters plan years, sometimes decades, in advance for premium tags. This creates deep, multi-generational engagement with firearms and the outdoors that directly supports the gun store market.

Long-Range Shooting and Public Land Access

Colorado is one of the best states in the country for long-range shooting, thanks to vast BLM and National Forest land where recreational shooting is permitted. The Pawnee National Grassland in northern Colorado is a magnet for precision rifle shooters, with the Pawnee Sportsmen’s Center offering ranges out to 1,000 yards and hosting monthly PRS (Precision Rifle Series) matches with targets to 1,500 yards and “1-Mile Fun Shoot” events. The open grassland terrain allows shooting at distances over 2,000 yards for those with the equipment and skill.

The Cheyenne Mountain Shooting Complex south of Colorado Springs provides rifle shooting out to 600 yards on a professionally managed facility. Baker Draw on the Pawnee Grassland and designated areas in the Pike-San Isabel National Forests round out the public land shooting options. If long-range precision work is your thing, Colorado has some of the best opportunities in the nation.

The Urban-Rural Divide

Colorado may be the most politically divided state in the country when it comes to firearms. The Front Range urban corridor, Denver, Boulder, and increasingly Fort Collins, has driven a wave of gun legislation over the past decade: universal background checks, the 15-round magazine limit, the red flag law, the three-day waiting period, and new semi-automatic restrictions coming in 2026. The backlash has been intense. In 2013, voters recalled two state senators over the gun laws, the first successful legislative recalls in Colorado history. Thirty-seven of the state’s 64 counties have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries. Multiple rural sheriffs have publicly said they will not enforce laws they consider unconstitutional.

That divide shows up inside gun stores too. Front Range buyers lean toward home defense shotguns and compact 9mm handguns from Glock, SIG Sauer, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger, while rural customers on the Western Slope and Eastern Plains prioritize hunting rifles, long-range precision setups, and truck guns. Indoor ranges like BluCore Shooting Center in Lakewood and Centennial Gun Club in Centennial pair retail floors with membership ranges, which makes them convenient for Denver-metro buyers who want to test before they buy.

For gun buyers, the practical impact is that the rules vary somewhat depending on where you are. Denver has its own assault weapons ban and open carry prohibition. Other Front Range cities have passed or are considering local restrictions. But your concealed carry permit is valid statewide regardless of local ordinances, and the gun stores outside Denver operate in a market that remains solidly pro-Second Amendment.

Gun Shows in Colorado

The Tanner Gun Show in Denver is Colorado’s largest, running since 1964 with 18 events per year, 500 to 800 vendor tables, and CBI background checks required on every licensed dealer sale regardless of venue.

The Tanner Gun Show is Colorado’s largest and longest-running gun show, operating since 1964 with roughly 18 shows per year across Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Loveland, and Greeley. The Denver show is four times larger than any other in the state, with 500 to 800 tables of firearms, ammunition, and accessories. Admission runs $15 (good for both days), with military discounts available. Smaller shows rotate through Castle Rock and regional venues. Remember that all gun show sales through FFL dealers require the same CBI background check as any other transfer in Colorado.

Online vs. In-Store: Getting the Best Price

Online retailers typically beat Colorado gun store prices by to 0 on popular handgun models, but the state’s three-day waiting period and to FFL transfer fees mean the savings only pencil out on firearms over 0.

Colorado’s three-day waiting period applies whether you buy in-store or receive an online transfer, so there is no time advantage to buying locally. Online retailers often beat local prices on popular models, and transfer fees at most Colorado FFLs run $25 to $50. Use our Gun Price Check tool to compare current pricing across dozens of online retailers. Factor in the transfer fee and shipping, and online purchasing usually makes financial sense for firearms over $400.

Find the Best Price in Seconds

Search once, compare 100+ trusted retailers instantly.

Compare Prices Before You Buy

Whether you are shopping for an elk rifle, a concealed carry pistol, or your first AR-15, checking prices first is the smartest move you can make. Use our Gun Price Check tool to search current pricing from dozens of trusted online retailers. Thirty seconds of comparison shopping could save you a hundred dollars or more.

Find the Best Price in Seconds

Search once, compare 100+ trusted retailers instantly.

Deals of the Day

Today's best discounts · Updated 3x daily

Gun Deals

Mcx-R Regulator 7.62x39mm Semi-Auto Rifle - Mcx-R Regulator 7.62x39mm 16'''' Bbl (1)10rd Mag Coyote

Mcx-R Regulator 5.56x45 Nato Semi-Auto Rifle - Mcx-R Regulator 5.56x45 Nato 16'''' Bbl (1)10rd Mag Coyote

Ruger LCP 380ACP Centerfire Pistol with OD Green Frame

$200$40050% OFF

RUGER LC CARBINE 10MM

$600$1,04943% OFF

Ruger Wrangler 22LR 3.75 6 Round Burnt Bronze Cerakote Finish and Birdshead Grip Revolver

FN 509C Tactical Compact 9mm Semi Automatic Pistol

$653$1,10541% OFF

Kimber 84M Open Range (Octane) 6.5cm Rifle 3000868

$999$1,68741% OFF

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield M2.0 9mm Compact Pistol Manual Thumb Safety

$300$50040% OFF

Beretta 92X PCO 9mm Pistol 4.9" 15rd Gray Nistan - J92XPCO21

$1,100$1,80039% OFF

1 / 10

Ammo Deals

Winchester AA 12 Gauge 1 1/8 oz 2.75in Shotgun Ammunition #8 25 Rounds

$17$15389% OFF

Remington Ammunition 23721 UMC .380 ACP 95 Gr Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) 250rd Mega Pack

$80$17253% OFF

Barnes 32013 Defense 20 GA 2.75 3 BUCK SHOT 5rds

$6$2273% OFF

Remington UMC Handgun.40 S&W 180 Grain Full Metal Jacket Centerfire Pistol Ammo 100 Rounds. 40 S&W 180 Grain Full Metal Jacket Centerfire Pistol Ammo 100 Rounds 23795.

$37$7148% OFF

Hornady Custom .25 ACP 35 grain eXtreme Terminal Performance Brass Cased Centerfire Pistol Ammo 25 Rounds

$12$3766% OFF

Barnes Defense Buckshot 12 Gauge 00 Buck 8 Pellets 2.75in Shotgun Buckshot Ammo 5 Rounds

$7$2166% OFF

Rimfire Deal

REMINGTON THUNDERBOLT 22LR 40GR HV RN AMMUNITION 525 rd BOX

$30$5545% OFF

DoubleTap Ammunition 380A80X Defense 380 ACP 80 gr Barnes TAC-XP Lead Free 20 Bx/ 50 Cs

$19$5264% OFF

Rifle Ammo Deal

REMINGTON 300 Blackout 150FMJ Rifle Ammunition 200rd BOX

$200$35944% OFF