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Repository of Historical Gun Laws

Jurisdiction: Virginia

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1657, Va. Acts 437, Acts of March 13th 1657-8, Against Shooting On Other Men’s Lands, Act XIII

| | 1657

If any planter or person shall hunt or shoot upon or within the limits or precincts of his neighbor or others’ dividends without leave first obtained for his so doing and having been warned by the owner of the land, to forbear hunting and shooting as...

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1657, Va. Acts 434, Acts of March 13th 1657-8, Act III, The Sabbath to Be Kept Holy

| | 1657

That the Lord’s day be kept holy, and that no journeys be made except in case of emergent necessity on that day, that no goods be laden in boats nor shooting in guns . . . the party delinquent to pay one hundred pounds of tobacco or laid in the stock...

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1655 Va. Acts 401, Acts of March 10, 1655, Act XII

| | 1655

What persons or persons soever shall, after publication hereof, shoot any guns at drinking (marriages and funerals only excepted) that such person or persons so offending shall forfeit 100 lb. of tobacco to be levied by distress in case of refusal and ...

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1651 Va. Acts 365, Articles At The Surrender Of The Country, art. 13

| | 1651

Articles Agreed On And Concluded At James City In Virginia For The Surrendering And Settling Of That Plantation Under The Obedience And Government Of The Commonwealth Of England . . . Art. 13: That all ammunition, powder and arms, other than for privat...

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1642 Va. Acts 263, Acts of March 2nd 1642, Act XLI

| | 1642

It is enacted and confirmed that masters of every family shall bring with them to church on Sundays one fixed and serviceable gun with sufficient powder and shot upon penalty of ten pound of tobacco for every master of a family so offending to be dispo...

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1642 Va. Acts 248, Acts of March 2nd, 1642, Act XI

| | 1642

Whereas the rights and interests of the inhabitants are very much infringed by hunting and shooting of diverse men upon their neighbors lands and dividends contrary to the privileges granted to them by their patents, whereby many injuries do daily happ...

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1642 Va. Acts 261, Acts of March 2nd, 1642, Act XXXV

| | 1642

Be it further enacted and confirmed, for the better observation of the Sabbath and for the restraint of diverse abuses committed in the colony by unlawful shooting on the Sabbath day as aforesaid, unless it shall be for the safety of his or their plant...

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1642 Va. Acts 255, Acts of March 2nd, 1642, Act XXIII

| | 1642

Be it also enacted and confirmed, that what person or persons soever shall sell or barter with any Indian or Indians for piece, powder and shot and being thereof lawfully convicted, shall forfeit his whole estate . . . and if any person shall barter or...

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1639 Va. Acts 228, Act of January 6th, 1639, Act XXI

| | 1639

Not to shoot or hunt on other men’s land that is seated and bounds marked under penalty of 40s. but may pursue deer and shoot on their own land.

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1639 Va. Acts 224, Acts of January 6th, 1639, Act XVII

| | 1639

An act in 1637, which makes it a felony to barter with the Indians repealed, and enacted that for trading with them for arms and ammunition shall be felony, and for other commodities imprisonment at discretion of the Governor and Council.

Avail...

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1639 Va. Acts 226, Acts of January 6th, 1639, Act X

| | 1639

All persons except negroes to be provided with arms and ammunition or be fined at pleasure of the Governor and Council.

Available at https://archive.org...

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1633 Va. Acts 219, Acts Made by the Grand Assembly, Holden At James City, August 21st, 1633, An Act That No Arms or Ammunition Be Sold To The Indians, Act X

| | 1633

It is ordered and appointed, That if any person or persons shall sell or barter any guns, powder, shot, or any arms or ammunition unto any Indian or Indians within this territory, the said person or persons shall forfeit to public uses all the goods an...

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1632 Va. Acts 198, Acts of September 4th, 1632, Act XLV

| | 1632

All men that are fitting to bear arms, shall bring their pieces to the church upon pain for every offence, if the default be in the master, to pay 2lb of tobacco, to be disposed by the church-wardens, who shall levy it by distress, and the servants sha...

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1632 Va. Acts 198, Acts of September 4th, 1632, Act XLI

| | 1632

No commander of any plantation, shall either himself or suffer others to spend powder unnecessarily, that is to say in drinking or entertainment. (edited for clarity).

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1631 Va. Acts 173, Acts Of February 24th, 1631, Acts XLVII, XLVIII, LI

| | 1631

Act XLVII: No man shall go or send abroade without a sufficient party well armed. Act XLVIII: No man shall go to work in the grounds without their arms, and a sentinel upon them. Act LI: All men that are fitting to bear arms, shall bring their pieces t...

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1631 Va. Acts 173, Acts Of February 24th, 1631, Act L

| | 1631

No commander of any plantation, shall either himself or suffer others to spend powder unnecessarily, that is to say, in drinking or entertainments. (edited for clarity).

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1631 Va. Acts 174, Acts Of February 24th, 1631, Act LVI

| | 1631

It is ordered and appointed, that the commanders of all the several plantations, do upon holy days exercise the men under his command, and that the commanders yearly do likewise upon the first day of December, take a muster of their men, together with ...

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1629 Va. Acts 151, Acts of March 24th, 1629, Act 5,

| | 1629

For the better furtherance and advancement of staple commodities, and more especially that of potashes and saltpeeter, it is thought fit that every master of a family within the several plantations of this colony shall use their best endeavors to prese...

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