A north Texas company has begun installing completely automated vending machines that sell ammunition in grocery stores.
According to NBC 5, American Rounds, a Richardson, Texas-based company, pioneered this concept, installing machines in grocery stores in small cities across the U.S., but now they installed the first machine in Texas.
“It’s exploding. We have over 200 stores waiting for machines,” said Grant Magers, CEO of American Rounds.
Buying ammunition from these machines involves a multi-step process. After selecting the ammunition on the touchscreen, an ID scanner verifies the buyer’s age using the same technology as TSA. Facial recognition software then confirms the buyer’s identity. Once the purchase is complete, the ammunition is dispensed.
Magers argued that this process is more secure than buying ammunition online, because some retailers online don’t ask for verification.
Some critics have argued the dangers of increasing accessibility to ammunition, given the serious problem that the state has with gun violence.
According to the Associated Press, there have been 15 mass shootings involving firearms so far in 2024.
Others have argued that such machines shouldn’t be placed in stores where kids with their families can easily go.
“Innovations that make ammunition sales more secure via facial recognition, age verification, and the tracking of serial sales are promising safety measures that belong in gun stores, not in the place where you buy your kids milk,” said a senior vice president Everytown for Gun Safety.
Despite the controversy, the machines have found a niche in rural communities where ammunition retailers are scarce.
