Do the Colorado firearm laws permit me (a 15 year old) to possess a firearm for home and self defense?

[tripp]

INFO: I am 15 years old. I Have great grades (A's). I don't do drugs. My friends don't do drugs. My dad is a great father and we haven't argued in at least a year. If we argue it is over in 2 minutes and its about something silly. I have been researching this topic for a while and have come to no avail. I am a very upbeat person. I do all my chores. I am not a snotty spoiled boy.

I am wondering if my dad can purchase two pistols ( one for himself and me as well) and give it to me for home and self defense. I know that I cannot step one foot outside of our property with the gun. However I can take it in a private vehicle unloaded with the action open to the range. I know that some of you might think that us teens are untrustworthy or something, but I am an anomaly in that field. My dad and I live in a safe neighborhood except for a few incidents this year and last year. These incidents mainly involved robbers trying to get food or money from the house they were robbing and they were drunk and armed.

I merely want the firearm for protection and some plinking at the range. I have researched and practiced the rules of gun safety (with my airsoft and bb guns).
If any of you can give links to youth gun laws for the state of colorado it would be much appreciated.

BTW My dad and I will be taking a firearms course this sunday. I have saved up a fair sum of money for a smith and wesson M&P 9mm. Of course I have thought all of this through thoroughly and researched the firearm up and down.

Thanks

P.S. There are no young untrained children that could get ahold of it, unless they know the safe combination and where it is.

[jabin20]

The Colorado State Constitution reads: “The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, shall be called in question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons.”
Article II, Section 13.

That being said the Colorado State law reads: It is unlawful for any person under 18 to possess a handgun, and it is unlawful to provide or permit a juvenile to possess a handgun, with exceptions for attendance at a hunter’s safety course or firearms safety course, or engaging in lawful target shooting, or hunting or trapping with a valid license, or traveling with an unloaded handgun to or from any of these activities, or while on real property under the control of the juvenile’s parent, legal guardian or grandparent and who has the permission of the parent or legal guardian to possess a handgun, or while at the juvenile’s residence and with permission of parent or legal guardian possesses a handgun for self-defense.

[jerard]

In CO, it's illegal for anyone under 18 to possess a handgun. Keeping one in the house for defense is one thing, but don't leave the house with it unless dad is with you.

[aviya]

You asked a long question with a lot of turns. Can you use dad's gun to defend the house? YES

Firearms safety class? GREAT!

Can he buy you a pistol? TECHNICALLY NO

What gun laws are? YAHOO SEARCH

[zacchaeus21]

You should probably look up CO handgun laws. The Federal Youth Handgun Safety Act makes it illegal for a minor to own and possess a handgun in most cases. It allows minors to defend self, immediate family, and grandparents with a handgun. It allows a minor to transport an unloaded handgun directly to and from a shooting range. I don't know if CO has other laws pertaining to youth and handguns. I live in a different state. When my son was a minor, I purchased two handguns with the intention of giving them to him when he turned 18. They were stored in a safe in his bedroom. He carried written permission from me to use a handgun for legal purposes, He would carry one of them when he was trapping, hunting, checking fences and/or fields and shoot them in the back yard. When he turned 18, I gave both to him.

[karlitis]

Theoretically it will be owned by your dad, and yes, you could use it to defend yourself inside of your home.

However, I always recommend that handgun owners take a defensive pistol class, and I'm not sure that places allow 15 y/o's to register for them. This is not just a firearms class, it teaches mindset, skillset, toolset- in that order, and how to use each of them to your advantage.

It might be best for now to leave the home defense to your father until you are old enough to take a class like that. After all, if there was an intruder and both you and your father are armed, I can see a few problems that can get one, or both of you killed.

[cinnard]

ethically and morally, it sounds fine. But you know how laws can sometimes be...
I'm not sure about pistols, but you have to be 16 to have access to a shotgun or rifle.
I understand that paranoia about teenagers and guns and I feel that it is stereotypical. A couple of boys who always got in trouble go on a killing spree and all of a sudden "all teenagers shouldn't be trusted with guns because they are all pyscho with hormones and crazy and want to kill people." but you CANNOT have any weapon concealed unless you are 21.

[nemausus36]

ethically and morally, it sounds fine. But you know how laws can sometimes be...
I'm not sure about pistols, but you have to be 16 to have access to a shotgun or rifle.
I understand that paranoia about teenagers and guns and I feel that it is stereotypical. A couple of boys who always got in trouble go on a killing spree and all of a sudden "all teenagers shouldn't be trusted with guns because they are all pyscho with hormones and crazy and want to kill people." but you CANNOT have any weapon concealed unless you are 21.

Federal Law.... You have to be 21 years old to purchase a handgun in all 50 states...... Your dad can not purchase a pistol and give it to you.....