1934 Va. Acts 137-39, An Act to define the term “machine gun”; to declare the use and possession of a machine gun for certain purposes a crime and to prescribe the punishment therefor, ch. 96, §§ 1-7.

§ 1. Where used in this act; (a) “Machine gun” applies to and includes a weapon of any description by whatever name known, loaded or unloaded, from which more than seven shots or bullets may be rapidly, or automatically, or semi-automatically discharged from a magazine, by a single function of the firing device, and also applies to and includes weapons, loaded or unloaded, from which more than sixteen shots or bullets may be rapidly, automatically, semi-automatically or otherwise discharged without reloading. (b) “Crime of violence” applies to and includes any of the following crimes or an attempt to commit any of the same, namely, murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, rape, . . .§ 2. Possession or use of machine gun in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a crime of violence is hereby declared to be a crime punishable by death or by imprisonment in the State penitentiary for a term not less than twenty years. § 3. Unlawful possession or use of a machine gun for offensive or aggressive purpose is hereby declared to be a crime punishable by imprisonment in the State penitentiary for a term of not less than ten years. § 4. Possession or use of a machine gun shall be presumed to be for offensive or aggressive purpose; (a) When the machine gun is on premises not owned or rented, for bona fide permanent residence or business occupancy, by the person in whose possession the machine gun may be found; or (b) When in the possession of , or used by, an unnaturalized foreign born person, or a person who has been convicted of a crime of violence in any court of record, state or federal, of the United States of America, its territories or insular possessions; or (c) When the machine gun is of the kind described in section eight and has not been registered as in said section required; or (d) When empty or loaded pistol shells of thirty (thirty one-hundredths inch or seven and sixty-three one hundredths millimeter ) or larger caliber which have been or are susceptible to use in the machine gun are found in the immediate vicinity thereof. § 5. The presence of a machine gun in any room, boat, or vehicle shall be prima facie evidence of the possession or use of the machine gun by each person occupying the room, boat, or vehicle where the weapon is found. § 6. (excludes military police etc. ) § 7. Every manufacturer or dealer shall keep a register of all machine guns manufactured or handled by him. This register shall show the model and serial number, date of manufacture, sale, load, gift, delivery or receipt, of every machine gun, the name, address, and occupation of the person to whom the machine gun was sold, loaned, given or delivered, or from whom it was received; and the purpose for which it was acquired by the person to whom the machine gun was sold. . .