Approximately 32% of Americans own a gun, according to a 2023 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. Ammunition for guns can typically be purchased online or in stores.
VERIFY reader Darcy reached out to ask about posts they saw on Facebook that said bullet vending machines were being installed at grocery stores.
THE QUESTION
Are there bullet vending machines in U.S. grocery stores?
THE SOURCES
Grant Magers, American Rounds CEO
A representative at Fresh Value in Pell City, Alabama
THE ANSWER
Yes, there are bullet vending machines in some grocery stores in multiple states.
WHAT WE FOUND
American Rounds is a company that sells ammunition through automated dispensers. Multiple U.S. grocery stores have installed these machines stocked with different types of ammunition, according to American Rounds.
A video published on the American Rounds website shows the company installing a kiosk where customers can purchase ammunition.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 allows ammunition for shotguns and rifles to be sold to anyone over the age of 18, in person or online. Handgun ammunition can not be sold to anyone under the age of 21. There’s no federal regulation on where ammunition can or can’t be sold.
“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,” American Rounds CEO Grant Magers explained to VERIFY.
The dispensers from American Rounds have “built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software” with the goal of verifying “the buyer’s age and that the person using the machine matches the identification scanned,” the company says.
American Rounds has already installed the machines in eight locations across Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas, and one will be installed in Colorado in late July. “We have over 200 store requests for AARM units covering approximately nine states currently and that number is growing daily,” Magers said.
VERIFY contacted one of these stores, a Fresh Value located in Pell City, Alabama. An employee confirmed the location has one of the dispensers.
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