It might come to mind when one thinks of vending machines, candy bars, or a bag of chips. However, a growing number of machines are selling something much different.
“We prefer to call them automated retail machines because that's really what they are,” said American Rounds CEO Grant Magers.The first machine was placed inside a store in Alabama in November 2023. They're now at eight locations in four states, and Magers says requests are growing daily. After choosing ammunition on the machine’s touch screen, checking out is a multi-step process. Then, facial recognition software validates whether the buyer is the same person pictured on the ID.A senior vice president for Everytown for Gun Safety said in a statement, “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.
A Pennsylvania police officer created a company about 12 years ago that places bullet-vending machines in private gun clubs and ranges as a convenience for patrons. Master Ammo owner Sam Piccinini said the machines do not have an age verification mechanism but are only placed in locations with an age requirement to enter.