​​​​​​​Ammunition Vending Machines Appear in Grocery Stores

Vending machines stocked with ammunition have been installed in several grocery stores across the United States.

The machines are made by American Rounds and allow customers over the age of 21 to buy ammunition with the same ease as using an ATM, the company says.

"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 company says that their vending machines have "built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software."

The software can verify the buyer's identity and determine whether the machine matches the identification scanned, according to American Rounds.

The CEO of American Rounds, Grant 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.

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 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.

Magers told Newsweek that American Rounds supported "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."

Magers told Oklahoma TV station KOCO-TV that there will be no limitations on the amount of ammunition customers can purchase, except when the machines run out of stock.

He said he estimated that the machines would be restocked every two to four weeks.

A machine in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was removed on Wednesday after its legality was questioned in a city council meeting.

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.

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).

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."

About the Tuscaloosa machine, 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."

The machines are likely to stoke controversy at a time when gun control continues to be a divisive topic around the country.

While some on social media celebrated the introduction of such machines, others expressed concern about increasing the ease of accessing ammunition.

Shannon Watts, a gun control advocate, shared an article about the machines on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote: "THIS IS REAL."

Update 7/7/24, 12:23 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Magers.

Update 7/8/24, 11:37 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the ATF.

Update 7/9/24, 11:23 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with photo of an American Rounds vending machine.