Has convenience finally become too much with ammo vending machines?

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Vending machines aren’t the newest technology we’ve come up with. But they’re still one of those technologies we can’t quite shake off, a mysterious allure that continues to inspire new variations on the idea of ​​a device that replaces consumables with money without any human interaction. The latest example is perhaps the most stunning yet: automated retail vending machines that dispense ammunition. Yes, they’re a reality now.

Over the decades, the eternal drive for consumer convenience has given us countless vending machine experiments, gimmicks, and oddities. We’ve seen vending machines dispense power, caviarBike parts, $1000 diamond necklaces, Necktiesbooks, Artisan Pizza, violin stringsand free food for the homeless. (The United States has not yet reached levels Vending Machine Culture in Japan) But this last example, which actually happened, Receive Praise to Attract the attention of the presscertainly raises the question of whether Everything It should be made suitable for purchase.

The automated ammunition vending machines, made and distributed by a Dallas-based startup called American Rounds, follow this approach, with a few new twists. The machines claim to verify a customer’s identity to ensure the individual is over 21, and use facial recognition technology to ensure it matches the person buying the ammo. Ammo is selected through a touchscreen interface, and the ammunition is dispensed instantly. (This includes major brands of rifle, handgun and shotgun ammunition, with the selection adjusted for hunting seasons.)

American Rounds’ first ammunition kiosk was installed last November at a Fresh Value grocery store in Pell City, Alabama, a town of less than 15,000 people about 35 miles east of Birmingham. Since then, at least a half-dozen more have been installed at retail locations in Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma. Following a recent press round, CEO Grant Magers told us: Fast company, His company has received “hundreds” of store orders, and consumer interest “from California to Florida.”

If all this sounds like Onion“I thought it was a joke,” Tuscaloosa, Alabama, City Councilman Kip Tyner said during a recent council meeting, describing calls from constituents about ammunition sales at a local grocery store. “But it’s not.” (In an interview with The New York Times, Tyner said, “I thought it was a joke.”) Meeting videoOther council members seemed surprised by the idea of ​​getting “bread, milk and a shot” of ammunition, as one put it.

There’s nothing illegal about ammunition vending machines — which are said to be approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (known as the ATF) — as long as they comply with state and local laws and zoning regulations. (Ammunition purchases do not require a background check.)

But why do these companies exist? Especially at a time when there are some major retailers, Especially Walmart And Dick Sporting GoodsSome companies have restricted ammunition and gun sales in response to mass shootings. American Rounds’ website offers some exaggeration: “By embracing change and challenging the status quo, we aim to revolutionize the ammunition industry, making buying simpler, faster, and smarter for everyone.” Magers emphasizes the safety angle, suggesting that ammunition sold in retail settings—where ammunition might sit on a shelf “like a loaf of bread,” he says—can be safe. stolenOnline sellers can be scammed. “We are the safest option on the market,” he says.

However, the kiosks do not replace the existing ammunition system, but rather expand it. And they may bring their own challenges: One cybersecurity expert says: Tell Interested in trading These devices carry at least some of the risk of being hacked. Magers emphasizes the security point, claiming that these devices do not store, share, or sell identity information.

It’s hard to say whether these machines will catch on, but according to Magers, American Rounds was founded in response to interest from grocery chains, often in rural areas, that were looking to give their customers something they wanted—standard “free market competition,” as he puts it. He adds that automated retail vending machines (he doesn’t use the term “vending machine”) already exist for all sorts of adult products, including beer And Hemp“We’re going to see more and more automated retail,” he predicts. So the ammunition dispenser may seem odd now, but its real long-term goal is to make such choices feel as natural as buying bread and milk.

But that doesn’t mean any of these items need to be made easier to buy and use—or that consumers more broadly will embrace their becoming a widespread presence. The kiosk that was discussed at the Tuscaloosa City Council meeting was removed, but not because of legal issues or political scrutiny. It was because sales at that location were disappointing. Clearly, not everyone wants bread, milk, and beer.