PART II. REGISTRATION

§1781. Definitions

            For the purpose of this Part, the following terms have the meanings ascribed to them in this Section:

            (1) "Dealer" means any person not a manufacturer or importer engaged in this state in the business of selling any firearm. The term includes wholesalers, pawnbrokers, and other persons dealing in used firearms.

            (2) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety.

            (3) "Firearm" means a shotgun having a barrel of less than eighteen inches in length; a rifle having a barrel of less than sixteen inches in length; any weapon made from either a rifle or a shotgun if the weapon has been modified to have an overall length of less than twenty-six inches; any other firearm, pistol, revolver, or shotgun from which the serial number or mark of identification has been obliterated, from which a shot is discharged by an explosive, if that weapon is capable of being concealed on the person; or a machine gun, grenade launcher, bazooka, rocket launcher, excluding black powder weapons, or gas grenade; and includes a muffler or silencer for any firearm, whether or not the firearm is included within this definition. Pistols and revolvers and those rifles and shotguns which have not previously been defined in this Paragraph as firearms from which serial numbers or marks of identification have not been obliterated are specifically exempt from this definition.

            (4) "Importer" means any person who imports or brings into the state any firearm.

            (5) "Machine gun" means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot automatically more than one shot without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, and any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun. The term shall not include items that are not required to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

            (6) "Manufacturer" means any person who is engaged in this state in the manufacture, assembling, alteration, or repair of any firearm.

            (7) "Muffler" or "silencer" includes any device for silencing or diminishing the report of any portable weapon such as a rifle, carbine, pistol, revolver, machine gun, submachine gun, shotgun, fowling piece, or other device from which a shot, bullet, or projectile may be discharged by an explosive and is not limited to mufflers and silencers for firearms as defined in this Section.

            (8) "Transfer" includes the sale, assignment, pledge, lease, loan, gift, or other disposition of any firearm.

            Amended by Acts 1964, No. 51, §1; Acts 1975, No. 381, §1; Acts 1977, No. 532, §1; Acts 1988, No. 424, §1; Acts 2023, No. 120, §1.