Colorado gun laws, although having been tightened in light of the Aurora shooting, are still looser than a hefty chunk of the United States. That being said, not many of the people around me were aware of the actual laws, regulations, and requirements that went into gun ownership in our state – including me. So, with that being said, I bravely took a day out of my winter break to investigate this matter in person.

The first step I took was to march into Colorado Springs’ local Bass Pro Shop and ask if I could take a look at their 12 gauge shotguns. The burly employee behind the counter politely and enthusiastically said “Totally, man.” Seeing as Colorado has no permit requirement for open carry (carrying a firearm on one’s person in public), I was able to handle every shotgun and rifle that I cared to. However, if I planned on actually purchasing a firearm from the fine establishment, I would need to file a 4473 Form for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The form consists of 6 pages that ask for basic information of the individual, as well as a brief, yes-or-no questionnaire that provides insight into the individual’s past record with the law and mental institutions. I found some of the questions to be easily avoided, such as “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” After I crossed my T’s and dotted my I’s on the form, the store associate would provide my information to the FBI, who would then run my profile through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. While this test was underway I would have time to grab some jerky or check out the knives department, but not for too long as the test won’t likely take longer than ten minutes to come back to the store. My background check results would come back clean as I haven’t been deemed “mentally unfit” by the court and I haven’t been convicted of a felony, nor a misdemeanor where I was sentenced for more than 2 years. And with that final task out of the way, I could walk out of the store with some cold steel in tow thanks to Colorado having no waiting period for gun purchases.

All in all, it’s a fairly simple and easy process, if you have a clean record. One failed question in a background check could be all that it takes to prevent someone from buying a gun at any time in the future. However, 99% of all NICS tests come back clean. Gun-rights activists such as the NRA use this statistic as evidence towards their belief that the people who go out to buy a gun are decent and honest people looking to use their firearms safely. Gun-regulation activists such as Congresswoman Diane Feinstein attribute this statistic to the fact that the NICS background check doesn’t go into enough depth regarding the buyer’s psychological history. To be clear, neither side can be called wrong in their stance as the data holds no opinion on the matter, merely the facts.

On the other hand, if I wanted to keep a handgun hidden on my person, I would first have to be 21 to be of legal age to own a handgun, then I would have to go about obtaining a Concealed Handgun Permit. In order to do this, I would need to have passed an approved gun safety course within the last ten years, a valid form of state issued photo ID, $112.50 fee for registration, and a two-page application filled out completely besides a signature at the bottom. I would have to make an appointment with Sheriff Elder and sign the application in front of a notary after swearing an oath of having read, understood, and agreed to the conditions the application poises.

Now, what if I wanted to exploit the infamous “gun show loophole” that has been a point of interest for gun-regulation activists nationwide? I asked the same employee about the matter and he informed me that “the lack of oversight that people are talking about is the absence of background checks and often times the under-the-table sales that occur at the shows.” He added that “most people do buy their guns legally and with the proper, legal procedures at the shows.” But, if I were to make the poor decision of buying a gun without the necessary documentation like a bill of sale, I could get away with it at a gun show.

There are other ways to obtain a firearm illegally in the state. For example, there is no requirement to report a lost or stolen firearm to law enforcement in Colorado, so often times it’s said that guns are circulated into the “black market” of sales.

In his recent address to the nation, President Obama made it clear that he would be taking executive action regarding new, and stricter regulations on guns in 2016. He also asked of America’s gun industries to develop new safeguarding technologies regarding weapons that would be comparable to child-locks or tracking devices.

Colorado, since 2013, has enforced a 15-round limit on magazines in firearms. Denver has put a ban on assault weapons as well.