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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86389</law_id><section_number>18.2-299</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-915.5</reference><reference>16.1-260</reference><reference>18.2-311.2</reference><reference>19.2-83.1</reference><reference>22.1-277.07</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Crimes Involving Health and Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">"Sawed-Off" Shotgun and "Sawed-Off" Rifle Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>When used in this article:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sawed-off shotgun</span>&#x201D; means any weapon, loaded or unloaded, originally designed as a shoulder weapon, utilizing a self-contained cartridge from which a number of ball shot pellets or projectiles may be fired simultaneously from a smooth or rifled bore by a single function of the firing device and which has a barrel length of less than 18 inches for smooth bore weapons and 16 inches for rifled weapons. Weapons of less than .225 caliber shall not be included.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sawed-off rifle</span>&#x201D; means a rifle of any caliber, loaded or unloaded, which expels a projectile by action of an explosion of a combustible <span class="dictionary">material</span> and is designed as a shoulder weapon with a barrel or barrels length of less than 16 inches or which has been modified to an overall length of less than 26 inches.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Crime of violence</span>&#x201D; applies to and includes any of the following <span class="dictionary">crimes</span> or an attempt to commit any of the same, namely, <span class="dictionary">murder</span>, <span class="dictionary">manslaughter</span>, kidnapping, <span class="dictionary">rape</span>, <span class="dictionary">mayhem</span>, <span class="dictionary">assault</span> with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to maim, disable, disfigure or kill, <span class="dictionary">robbery</span>, <span class="dictionary">burglary</span>, housebreaking, breaking and entering and <span class="dictionary">larceny</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Person</span>&#x201D; applies to and includes firm, partnership, association or corporation.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-268.1; 1968, c. 661; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1992, c. 580; 2004, c. 930.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
