Virginia legal term
Plastic firearm in Virginia Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session
In Virginia criminal law, “Plastic firearm” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Virginia criminal code.
What does “Plastic firearm” mean in Virginia criminal law?
"Plastic firearm" means any firearm, including machine guns and sawed-off shotguns as defined in this chapter, containing less than 3.7 ounces of electromagnetically detectable metal in the barrel, slide, cylinder, frame, or receiver that, when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports, government buildings, schools, correctional facilities, and other locations for security screening, does not generate an image that accurately depicts its shape. (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.5)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.