Gun laws in Menghe
Gun laws in Menghe regulate the buying, selling, and ownership of firearms at a central government level. Contrary to some accounts, private ownership of firearms is in fact legal in Menghe, but it is subject to very strict regulations and limitations. In particular, handguns and semi-automatic firearms are tightly restricted, and even shotguns and manual-action rifles require that the applicant go through an extensive registration process. As a result, there are only 1.4 registered, privately owned guns per 100 residents in Menghe.
Classification
Firearms in Menghe are classified into X broad categories for the purpose of legislation. Weapons in different categories are subject to different levels of regulation. Note that this categorization uses the order of consonants in the Menghean Sinmun alphabet; thus Category D is third, and Category B is sixth.
- Category G: Also referred to as military-grade weapons. A firearm is placed in Category G if it is belt-fed, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, has a caliber of 20 millimeters or greater, is disguised as another object, contains an integral suppressor, or is chambered in one of the following calibers: .50 BMG, 12.7×108mm, 14.5×114mm. Any firearm which meets even one of these standards is classified as military-grade. The category also includes handguns with a barrel length of less than 8 centimeters, or with a typical magazine capacity of more than 15 rounds. Certain accessories, such as attachable suppressors, armor-piercing or explosive ammunition, magazines containing more than 30 rounds, and night-vision sights exceeding certain standards, are also classified in Category G.
- Category N: A firearm is placed in Category N if it is capable of semi-automatic fire. This includes handguns with a magazine capacity of 15 rounds or less, semi-automatic rifles or military rifles with the automatic and burst settings removed, and semi-automatic shotguns of 10-gauge or less. It also includes all weapons with more than two barrels, and all manual-action weapons with a capacity of more than 11 rounds or a barrel length below 50 centimeters. Detachable non-handgun magazines containing 5 to 30 rounds are also regulated under Category N standards.
- Category D: Category D includes all long guns with a manual action and non-detachable magazine, but excludes shotguns (see below), and includes all rifle-caliber ammunition and detachable magazines.
- Category R: Category R includes all manual-action shotguns not classified in Categories G or N, and shotgun shells.
- Category M: Added in 2011, Category M encompasses a range of "intermediate-lethality projectile weapons," including manual-action rifles in .22 rimfire or similar cartridges with a magazine capacity of 6 rounds or fewer, crossbows, guns specialized in firing blank rounds, muzzle-loading weapons using black powder, projectile tasers, and airsoft guns with a muzzle velocity above 90 meters per second.
- Category B: This residual category includes a range of non-lethal but potentially dangerous projectile weapons, such as pepper spray, airsoft guns with a muzzle velocity below 90 meters per second, and paintball weapons.
Ownership regulations
Menghean residents are strictly forbidden from owning Category G weapons, unless they are employees of a government agency authorized to handle military-grade weapons as part of their individual job description (e.g., the Menghean Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces). Military and police personnel, however, are subject to strict regulations on firearms storage and off-duty firearms handling, measures intended to prevent accidents and theft.
Weapons with semi- and non-lethal status are subject to much lighter regulations. In order to purchase a Category B weapon, an individual must be over 19 years of age (in standard years); in order to purchase a Category M weapon, they must be over 19 years of age and pass a special training course specific to the weapon in question.
A different set of rules exists for "collectively-owned firearms," weapons which are stored at a building operated by a state-affiliated sport-shooting or collection association. As long as an individual is a member of the organization and has a valid firearms license, they can visit the association's building and inspect or operate any weapons on its premises, including Category G weapons at state-run National Firearms Research Association centers. Visitors, however, must be accompanied by an armed supervisor at all times, and are forbidden from removing collectively-owned weapons from the premises; armed guards affiliated with the Internal Security Forces are posted outside all buildings containing collectively-owned firearms.
Licensing process
Menghean law distinguishes between a firearm license, which is specific to the individual owner, and a firearm permit, which is specific to the individual firearm. An individual wishing to purchase a firearm above category M for the first time must first go through the following sequence of steps:
- Join a state-approved hunting, sport-shooting, or collection association, or document "exceptional danger requiring a need for self-defense."
- Obtain a doctor's note certifying that you are mentally fit and do not have a history of drug abuse.
- Take a standardized firearm safety class and pass a written exam and dummy-weapon handling exam. No live weapons are handled during this process.
- Obtain a note from a state-approved firearms retailer describing the specific weapon you intend to purchase and its regulatory category. Members of a collector's association can request that a rare weapon be placed on hold during the review period.
- Present two references from employers, friends, or community leaders. If married, you must also present a third reference from your spouse.
- Submit to a police interview to assess your temperament and stability.
- Pass a police review of your criminal history, employment record, history of firearms use, and involvement with criminal organizations or anti-regime movements.
- Demonstrate to police that you have a government-approved safe for storing the firearm and any ammunition.
- Fill out a standardized firearms purchase application form, including your reason for purchasing the weapon and whether the purchase is permanent or temporary. This form is specific to the firearm you intend to purchase.
- Wait 30 days for the application, and the composite information in steps 4-8, to be processed. The first time it is approved, you receive a firearms license with it.
- Arrive at the state-approved firearms retailer accompanied by a police officer and with a copy of the note in step 4. There, you may purchase the approved weapon, and the police officer issues a firearm permit listing the category, model, and serial number of the purchased weapon. All state-approved firearms retailers must include a machine for printing permit cards on-site.
Once an individual has already obtained a license for one firearm, they can skip steps 1-3 for subsequent purchases, but must still complete steps 4 onward. Steps 5 through 8 can be completed in one visit to the police station; step 9 can be completed in the same day. There are also further restrictions within this list: for example, membership in a hunting association only authorizes ownership of Category R and D weapons, and the "self-defense" clause is mainly reserved for VIPs at risk of assassination and witnesses or informants at risk of retaliation.
After approval, firearm owners must conduct safety refresher exams every five years in order to maintain a valid license. Police also conduct unannounced home inspections of licensed firearm users to ensure that weapons and ammunition are stored safely and to identify any subsequent purchases which were not properly approved - or any firearms which are unaccounted for. Individuals who fail an exam or inspection, are diagnosed with mental illness or drug addiction, or are convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors will have their licenses and permits revoked and their firearms confiscated.
A modified version of this process exists for firearms which were gifted between family members, and firearms which were purchased in another country and brought over the Menghean border. Only state-approved firearms retailers, most of which are state-owned, are authorized to sell and distribute firearms; selling, lending, or gifting a weapon without authorization is subject to strict penalties.
Firearm ownership
According to official state data, there were 7.35 million registered, privately-owned firearms in Menghe, or 1.4 per 100 residents. Of these, 78% were Category R and D weapons, and 12% were Category N. This figure excludes collectively-owned weapons and weapons issued to employees of government agencies.
Smuggling and illegal circulation
Under Menghean law, any individual in possession of a firearm without proper registration is subject to harsh legal penalties. The sentence varies based on the category of the confiscated weapon and the number of unlicensed firearms; possessing a single Category M weapon without a training certificate is punishable by a ₩10,000 fine and confiscation, while possessing multiple Category G weapons with probable intent to sell them illegally can be punishable by death.
The risk of firearms smuggling is highest on the border with Maverica, which has more relaxed gun ownership laws, and Innominada, which remains in a state of instability following the Menghean invasion. In 2008, the Menghean government accused its Maverican counterpart of funding and supporting gun smugglers across the Menghe-Maverican border, an allegation which Maverica firmly denies. The Border Patrol Forces conduct regular patrols of the Maverican frontier and require strict inspections of any goods and travelers crossing the border. Security along the vast borders with Dzhungestan and Polvokia is less stringent, but has also been stepped up in recent years.
The Ministry of Internal Security considers the identification and confiscation of illicit firearms a high priority for state security, and coordinates with the IIA to identify illicit firearms distribution networks.
In 2013, following an IIA tipoff, the TDJB conducted a raid on a warehouse in the Siyadag Semi-Autonomous Region. There, they uncovered roughly a dozen crude improvised automatic weapons and a small assembly line for producing them. Nine people were sentenced to death for their connections to the illicit operation, and security forces stepped up their activities in the years that followed.