[stranger and pilgrim]

The reason they ask about whether ammo is for a handgun or rifle is that you can buy rifle ammo at 18, but you have to be 21 to buy handgun ammo.

A long time ago, I was a clerk in the sporting goods department of a large store. We had to log every ammo sale. That was federal law at the time.

[TommyDale]

"The reason they ask about whether ammo is for a handgun or rifle is that you can buy rifle ammo at 18, but you have to be 21 to buy handgun ammo."

Yeah, asking a middle aged guy with grey hair is definitely a way of telling if he is underage or not. They probably know that they would catch even more flak from customers if they start asking for IDs from older people.