Posted on 07/11/2024 12:44:57 PM PDT by Red Badger
Supermarkets in multiple states are now selling firearm ammunition right out of a dispenser.
VIDEO AT LINK....................
Americans love guns. Not only do roughly 40 percent of Americans say they live in a household with guns, but the U.S. beats out every other country on Earth when it comes to the ratio of guns to people (the 2nd most gun-dense country is Yemen, and it’s not even close). Indeed, the U.S. is actually the only country in the world that has more firearms than people. Congratulations, everybody. Given all that, it’s really not surprising that, in some states, you can now walk into a grocery store and buy ammunition from a vending machine as if you were buying a candy bar or a Red Bull.
Well, sorta. Not quite. The vending machine company behind this new trend, American Rounds, says it uses artificial intelligence and facial recognition technologies to verify that buyers are of legal age to buy bullets. So it’s a slightly more rigorous process than buying a Twix.
“As a company our team are supporters of law abiding responsible gun ownership. We believe in the second amendment and that by providing a safe and secure method to sell ammunition is needed in the market,” said American Rounds CEO Grant Magers in an email, when reached for comment by Gizmodo.
Magers, who calls his machines Automated Ammo Retail Machine, or AARMs, said that his company is currently active in eight locations, including in multiple stores in Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. However, he added that the company was currently seeing immense growth, and had “over 200 store requests for AARM units covering approximately 9 states currently,” a number he said is “growing daily.”
There are shockingly few regulations around ammunition purchases in the U.S., but some of the few that exist are age-based. Federal law says you have to be at least 18 years old to buy ammunition for long guns, like rifles and shotguns, and if you want to buy bullets for handguns, you have to be at least 21. As such, American Rounds has created an identity verification mechanism for its bullet vending machines that can supposedly verify how old the person buying the ammunition is.
“Our smart retail automated ammo dispensers have built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software,” the company’s website states. “Each piece of software works together to verify the person using the machine matches the identification scanned.”
Magers told Gizmodo that his company’s model was actually safer than the existing ammunition sales model. “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 said in an email.
Magers said that this model “ensures that the individual is of legal age and that they are who they represent themselves to be. The machines themselves weigh up to 2000lbs and are well secured from theft. We only place them inside stores and not outside (i.e., Redbox).” Magers added that the company has plans to “expand our product offering at the machines” but couldn’t divulge the plans as they are still developing.
On July 5, a local news outlet in Alabama reported that a store in Tuscaloosa had removed one of the machines after “the legality of the machine was questioned” at a city council meeting. The city’s legal department admitted the machines were legal if they met proper zoning requirements. The store has said that it “removed the machine on July 3rd because of a lack of sales,” the outlet reported.
Update, July 11, 2:17 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from the American Rounds CEO.
Makes sense for Chicago.
Pure data collection.
I’m sure every bit goes straight to the BATFE.
Then why not guns in a vending machine?......................
I want to see these in my area. I’m usually a little intimidated buying ammo.
I hit a dirty look from some girly cashier, one time. Other than that, no problems.
How many rounds do these machines spit out per second? And how do you aim them?
A dream come true! I was at the range this morning, 50 rounds of .44 mag, 50 rounds of .22. i still have the touch.
If that happened to me, I’d bust out laughing at her/it.
Bullet vending machines? Primers and posder as well?
Where can I get cartridges?
I have mixed feelings; always suspicious of anyone that is not buying a case of 1,000 rounds.
Costs mucho dinero..............
Bought lots of ammo at Walmarts in Texas: would have had more hassle buying booze.
Well, at least it’s not cigarettes....................
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One bullet will do the work of many packs of cigarettes
Buy online. Buy in quantity if you want to save money.
Even if you boutique buy, a quality place like Midway will probably save you money over a gimmicky vending machine. And no "facial scan" that the machines supposedly do as part of their security theater.
Let’s see suppressors too. You can buy them in hardware stores in England.
These jerks do not know the difference between a bullet and a cartridge.
Costs more to buy 1,000 rounds a box at a time...
I remember pre-1968 when you could get a gun anywhere as most stores had a counter of them. Guns were more available then as you could get a gun at a gas station, pawn shop, hardware store, clothing store, record shop, book store, liquor store, feed store, grocery store. They were everywhere! Cash and carry. No background check, no waiting period, no paperwork. No ID, Just look old enough.
Or you could drop a check in the mail and one would be shipped to your door.
And crime was very low. It was after JFK was murdered by a COMMIE and Bobby Kennedy murdered by a PALESTINIAN IMMIGRANT that the Dems declared war on the private ownership of firearms. That war on your rights is still going on.
I’ve seen news stories on this in Alabama. Last time I bought loaded ammo I just asked for what I wanted and paid cash at the counter...no ID needed. The machines make you scan your driver’s license. All I buy these days is powder, brass and primers...mail order (can’t find what I shoot in local gun shops). Make my own bullets. I shoot benchrest so it’s pretty specialized stuff.
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