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Louisiana Revised Statutes & Codes

La. Rev. Stat. § 40:1781 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026
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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, eff. August 1, 2023.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15 cases, 1981–2014 · leading case: Heller v. Dist. of Columbia, 670 F.3d 1244 (D.C. Cir. 2011).
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Heller v. Dist. of Columbia, 670 F.3d 1244 (D.C. Cir. 2011). · cites it 2× “Law § 4-303(b) (registration of grandfathered pistols that are otherwise banned); N.”
State v. Armstead, 432 So. 2d 837 (La. 1983). · cites it 2× “R.S. 40:1781, 1785, 1791. He was sentenced to consecutive terms of two and three years.”
State v. Hamlin, 497 So. 2d 1369 (La. 1986). · cites it 2× “R.S. 40:1781(3) defines a "firearm" as follows: "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 said weapon has been modified to…”
State v. Martin, 483 So. 2d 1223 (La. Ct. App. 1986). “Further, there was uncontested testimony that the weapon was not registered in accordance with R.S. 40:1781 et seq. Constructive possession of the sawed-off shotgun by the defendant was proven by the prosecution.”
State v. Brown, 398 So. 2d 1381 (La. 1981). “Possession of a shotgun with a barrel less than 18" in length or one with an overall length of less than 26" which has not been properly registered is prohibited by LSA-R.S. 40:1781 et seq. LSA-R.S. 15:448 defines res gestae as follows: "To constitute res gestae the…”
People v. Brown, 227 Cal. App. 4th 451 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). “(La. Rev. Stat. §§ 40:1781(3) [defining “firearm”], 40:1785 [“No person shall receive, possess, carry, conceal, buy, sell, or transport any firearm which has not been registered or transferred in accordance with Title 18 or Title 26 of the United States Code as applicable.”
State v. Buggs, 567 So. 2d 744 (La. Ct. App. 1990). “LSA-R.S. 40:1781(3) sets forth a definition of a "firearm": (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 shotgun if said weapon has been…”
State v. Moton, 73 So. 3d 503 (La. Ct. App. 2011). “40:1751 and R.S. 40:1781, respectively, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than twenty years nor more than thirty years, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.”
State v. Johnson, 514 So. 2d 684 (La. Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 3× “Defendant argues that LSA-R.S. 40:1781 provides the relevant definition of “firearm” and urges that this definition applies to LSA-R.”
State v. Ruffins, 940 So. 2d 45 (La. Ct. App. 2006). “40:1751 and R.S. 40:1781, respectively, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than twenty years nor more than thirty years, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.”
State v. Bell, 504 So. 2d 851 (La. 1987). · cites it 2× “” For purposes of this statute, R.S. 40:1781(3) defines a “firearm” as follows: “ ‘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…”
Chrishon v. Marshall, 994 So. 2d 585 (La. Ct. App. 2008). “R.S. 40:1781(3) [5] , as it was stipulated to at trial that the object at issue was a pistol with a valid serial number.”
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La. Rev. Stat. § 40:1781(3): 6 cases
State v. Hamlin, 497 So. 2d 1369 (La. 1986). “R.S. 40:1781(3) defines a "firearm" as follows: "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 said weapon has been modified to…”
People v. Brown, 227 Cal. App. 4th 451 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). “(La. Rev. Stat. §§ 40:1781(3) [defining “firearm”], 40:1785 [“No person shall receive, possess, carry, conceal, buy, sell, or transport any firearm which has not been registered or transferred in accordance with Title 18 or Title 26 of the United States Code as applicable.”
State v. Buggs, 567 So. 2d 744 (La. Ct. App. 1990). “LSA-R.S. 40:1781(3) sets forth a definition of a "firearm": (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 shotgun if said weapon has been…”
State v. Johnson, 514 So. 2d 684 (La. Ct. App. 1987). “Defendant argues that LSA-R.S. 40:1781 provides the relevant definition of “firearm” and urges that this definition applies to LSA-R.”
State v. Bell, 504 So. 2d 851 (La. 1987). “” For purposes of this statute, R.S. 40:1781(3) defines a “firearm” as follows: “ ‘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…”
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