Grocery Stores Now Selling Ammo Out of Vending Machines

Several grocery stores across the U.S. are now offering vending machines stocked with ammunition. According to Newsweek, the vending machines, made by American Rounds, allows customers over the age of 21 to buy ammo much like they’d withdraw money from an ATM.

"Our automated ammo dispensers are accessible 24/7, ensuring that you can buy ammunition on your own schedule, free from the constraints of store hours and long lines," American Rounds says on its website.

The machines have "built-in AI technology, card-scanning capability and facial-recognition software."

According to American Rounds, the software verifies the buyer’s identity.

The CEO of American Rounds, Grants Magers, told Newsweek the company has installed or is in the process of installing eight machines across four states.

A Fresh Value grocery store in Pell City, Alabama, featured the first machine. Four machines can be found in Super C Mart locations in Oklahoma, and one in a Lowe's Markets in Canyon Lake, Texas.

Magers said another Lowes Markets in Canyon Lake and a LaGrees Food Stores in Buena Vista, Colorado will each soon feature one of the machines.

"We have over 200 store requests for AARM [Automated Ammo Retail Machine] units covering approximately nine states currently and that number is growing daily," he said.

Magers says American Rounds supports "law-abiding, responsible gun ownership."

"Currently ammunition is sold off the shelf or online. These environments lead to inadvertent sales to underaged purchasers and or, in the case of retail stores, a high theft rate," he said.

"What we loved about this concept is the AARM units use state-of-the-art ID scanners combined with facial recognition before a transaction can be made."

According to Magers, there will be no limitations on the amount of ammo customers can purchase, except when the machines run out of stock and that the machines would be restocked every two to four weeks.

After its legality was recently questioned in a city council meeting, a machine in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was removed, but Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley confirmed that the machines are legal and approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

In an emailed statement to Newsweek, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said, "A federal license is not required to sell ammunition. However, commercial sales of ammunition must comply with state laws as well as any applicable federal laws."

Magers told Newsweek: "American Rounds made the business decision to relocate the Fresh Value Automated Ammo Retail Machine located in Tuscaloosa to another store location. This was strictly a business decision based on sales at that specific store."