Gun-maker airlifts 20,000 extended magazines into Colorado ahead of ban

Gun-maker Magpul airlifted thousands of extended assault rifle magazines into a Colorado gun show on Saturday, giving away 1,500 and putting the rest up for sale just 24 hours before a new law takes effect that makes the magazines illegal across the state.

The event, "A Farewell to Arms," attracted over 3,000 gun enthusiasts who received free extended magazines with their purchases, according to CBS Denver. An additional 18,500 magazines were designated to be sold at discount, with the proceeds going to benefit a pro-gun group calling itself "Free Colorado."

The clips were airlifted in on a helicopter and rode along with the event's keynote speaker, Republican political commentator Dana Loesch. Video shows the chopper landing in Glendale's Infinity Park to cheers as a man's voice booms over the public announcement system: "This is freedom!"

The group behind the event, Free Colorado, claims to be a non-profit organization and was cited as such by area media, but a search of the Secretary of State's registered charitable organizations reveals no records for a group of that name. There was no contact information furnished on the group's website.

A slate of new laws taking effect across the state on Monday will ban the production and sales of magazines that hold more than 15 bullets and mandate background checks for all purchases, including private and online sales.

Colorado lawmakers began working on the slate of gun control regulations after 12 were killed and 58 were injured by a gunman in an Aurora theater last July -- the second major mass shooting in the state's recent history. The alleged shooter, James Holmes, reportedly used an assortment of firearms including a semi-automatic assault weapon with a 100-round drum magazine.

Holmes is set to go on trial in February. Prosecutors have rejected an offer to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison instead of the death penalty. A judge ruled last Thursday that Holmes, who has pleaded insanity and now looks very different than in his widely-publicized mugshot, will be restrained during his trial by a harness that's attached to the floor.

Gun enthusiasts throughout the state are already gearing up for a series of recall elections aimed at knocking the gun control legislation's key proponents out of office. Activists said earlier this month that they have gathered more than twice the number of signatures needed to initiate a recall election against Colorado Senate President John Morse (D).

This video was published to YouTube on Saturday, June 29, 2013.

This video is from CBS Denver, aired Sunday, June 30, 2013.