According to CBS News, a Texas-based company is installing ammunition vending machines across the United States.
American Round has changed the way ammunition is distributed in the United States with the introduction of its ammunition vending machines. Installed in retail locations in Oklahoma, Alabama and Texas, the machines make ammunition available 24/7, a setup the company claims allows it to avoid the constraints of traditional retail stores and increase convenience for consumers. according to To CBS News.
“Our automated ammunition dispensers are available 24/7, allowing you to buy ammunition on your own schedule without being tied to store hours or long lines,” the company said in a statement, reported CBS News. “Our machines are as easy to use as an ATM.”
Ammunition vending machines in some U.S. grocery stores sell bullets '24 hours a day'
https://t.co/kjimEBPp6c—CBS News (@CBSNews) July 11, 2024
American Rounds emphasized that the machines are built with advanced security features, including artificial intelligence that scans cards and uses facial recognition to verify the identity and age of the buyer, the media reported. Compliance with federal regulations is mandatory, requiring buyers to be 21 or older for all transactions. The process involves scanning a driver's license to verify age and checking with a facial recognition scan. (Related article: Defense official says European ammunition production surpasses US; experts say that's nonsense.)
DONETSK OLYMPUS, UKRAINE – DECEMBER 1: A magazine filled with ammunition for an M16 rifle sits on a table in a Ukrainian military position in Donetsk Olympus, Ukraine, December 1, 2023. (Photo by Yuri Stefanyak/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
The outlet added that states like Oklahoma, Alabama and Texas don't require a permit, license or registration to buy a gun, so the strategic placement of these vending machines is in accordance with local laws. Critics like Nick Saplina of Everytown for Gun Safety argue that placing ammunition vending machines in general retail stores could lead to the proliferation of firearms in everyday environments.
“In a country where guns and ammunition abound, and where guns are the leading cause of child death, we do not need to further normalize the sale and advertising of these products,” Saplina said, according to CBS News.
