State Legality Matrix / Forced Reset Triggers / Colorado

Are Forced Reset Triggers Legal in Colorado?

Statute-cited, last verified 2026-07-28

Banned

No. Rapid-fire devices, including FRTs, are dangerous weapons; possession is a class 5 felony. Effective 2025-04-10.

Controlling law: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-12-101(1)(g.7) & 18-12-102 (SB25-003, 2025)

Litigation Status and Details

In force since signing on April 10, 2025 (the act carries a safety clause, so it took effect on approval). SB25-003 defines rapid-fire device broadly (any part or kit increasing a semiautomatic's rate of fire above standard) and adds it to the dangerous-weapons list. The separate August 1, 2026 date applies only to the specified-semiautomatic purchase-gating regime in § 18-12-116(2), not the device ban. No grandfather clause.

Federal baseline

Under the 2025 DOJ settlement with Rare Breed Triggers, an FRT fires one round per trigger function and is not an NFA machine gun federally. The settlement covers rifles and grip-forward pistols; it does not extend to grip-fed handguns (Glock, S&W M&P, Canik), whose federal FRT status remains less settled. State bans operate independently of federal law through broader state machine-gun, trigger-activator, or rate-of-fire definitions.

Scope: Forced reset triggers (Rare Breed FRT-15, Dairyland Defender, and similar) and forced-reset selectors (AR Super Safety, ARC-Fire). One round per trigger function. Binary triggers are a separate class.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are forced reset triggers legal in Colorado?

No. Rapid-fire devices, including FRTs, are dangerous weapons; possession is a class 5 felony. Effective 2025-04-10. Controlling law: Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-12-101(1)(g.7) & 18-12-102 (SB25-003, 2025).

What law covers forced reset triggers in Colorado?

The controlling law is Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-12-101(1)(g.7) & 18-12-102 (SB25-003, 2025). Rapid-fire devices, including FRTs, are dangerous weapons; possession is a class 5 felony.

When did Colorado's forced reset trigger restriction take effect?

Colorado's rule took effect 2025-04-10. In force since signing on April 10, 2025 (the act carries a safety clause, so it took effect on approval). SB25-003 defines rapid-fire device broadly (any part or kit increasing a semiautomatic's rate of fire above standard) and adds it to the dangerous-weapons list. The separate August 1, 2026 date applies only to the specified-semiautomatic purchase-gating regime in § 18-12-116(2), not the device ban. No grandfather clause.

Are forced reset triggers legal under federal law?

Under the 2025 DOJ settlement with Rare Breed Triggers, an FRT fires one round per trigger function and is not an NFA machine gun federally. The settlement covers rifles and grip-forward pistols; it does not extend to grip-fed handguns (Glock, S&W M&P, Canik), whose federal FRT status remains less settled. State bans operate independently of federal law through broader state machine-gun, trigger-activator, or rate-of-fire definitions.

What Colorado Residents Can Still Buy

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