Vending machines for bullets? That is now a reality in some grocery stores in Alabama and Oklahoma and soon will be in more locations. As one happy customer notes, it’s as easy as buying crackers or a candy bar.
“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.
While some see this as a convenient and innovative way to purchase ammunition, others have raised concerns about the implications of having such easy access to ammo in public spaces typically associated with family shopping, especially at a time when gun ownership is skyrocketing, shootings are at an all-time high, and gun ownership is a divisive issue in the U.S.
The CEO of American Rounds, Grants Magers, told Newsweek that there are eight machines installed or in the process of being installed across four states. The first machine to be put in was at a Fresh Value grocery store in Pell City, Alabama. In a post on X, Terry Stanley, COO of Fresh Value, said he is “super excited” to offer “the first ammo kiosk.” Four have since been installed in Super C Mart locations in Oklahoma, and one in a Lowe’s Markets in Canyon Lake, Texas. Another one is due to be installed in a Lowes Markets in Canyon Lake soon, and still another is being placed in LaGrees Food Stores in Buena Vista, Colorado, Magers said.
“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 told Newsweek.
According to Magers, vending machines represent a step forward in promoting “law-abiding, responsible gun ownership,” though many people would dispute this. A customer in the store disagrees with Magers: “If you’re a responsible person you don’t mind walking up to the counter and saying, ‘hey I need some 380 ammo’ and if it takes you an extra second or two, so be it.”
Magers explains that “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.”
“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.” Magers told Oklahoma TV station KOCO-TV that there will be no limitations on the amount of ammunition customers can purchase.
While Magers confidently touts the advantages of the vending machines and the ease of access that they will bring to gun owners, others are either shocked or in disbelief.
Tuscaloosa City Council President Kip Tyner said that he initially thought the machines were a joke after he received calls about them.
“I got some calls about ammunition being sold in grocery stores, vending machines,” Tyner said in the meeting, according to ABC 33/40.
“I thought it was a lie. I thought it was a joke—but it’s not,” he said.
However, Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley confirmed on the Tuscaloosa Thread that the machines are legal and approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
