Bullets for sale in some US grocery stores with ammo vending machines | Hacker News Reader

Bullets for sale in some US grocery stores with ammo vending machines

apnews.com

That would be popular here. This is a place where people who open carry, and there are lots, get thanked for it by strangers. We're 150 miles from the border but there's a lot of alarm about the increased flow of migrant groups walking through. Several of my neighbors now have enough ammo for multi year sieges. One guy has enough assault weapons for an expeditionary force.

Here a 40 minute response time from a sheriff's deputy would be excellent, so people take responsibility for their own defense more seriously. Another neighbor is a progressive liberal with another house in a big blue city. She recently bought a shotgun and took a training class for it.

The closest market doesn't have an ammo vending machine, but it doesn't need one because it's also a gun store and the home of the busiest hunting guide in the county.

Every 4 years the migrant caravans start up again and get loads of news coverage. Thankfully they'll be done by mid November like they always are.

I will never understand why the people who are most concerned with illegal immigrants don’t go after the businesses exploiting them instead of chasing after desperate poor people. Literally not a peep about it and it could be solved at the Federal level. If they are not employable most of them won’t come!

Because politics and money. Let's say the Department of Justice went after a bunch of tomato growers. Word is going to get around among the tomato growers, the companies that buy from them, the companies that distribute them, that these certain politicians are not to receive any campaign contributions. They will hire a lobbyist and go after them. So the politicians do not pressure the department of justice, and the administration does not make it a priority for the department of justice, or any of the organs of government. That's putting aside the cultural, racial, and the American political divide.

So how do candidates get by with promising tougher border controls, if that would end up cutting off the supply of cheap workers that these other businesses rely on?

Perhaps they promise it and then don't do it?

Or make a lot of talk about a big physical, obvious and newsworthy solution like “the wall”.

If you solve a problem you can't campaign on it in the next election, especially if that solution causes a bunch of other problems.

As someone who knows very little about this, could you give an objective assessment of how much risk vs perceived risk migrants are to the physical or mental safety of people in your area? Don't need to go into specific locations to keep it simple.

I've been fortunate enough to have some experience with stealth immigrants as a long distance hiker. Their kindness was memorable on several occasions, beyond what I have grown used to in other strangers. I'm afraid I can't be very objective about it. There was a recent attack on a deputy and some damage from squatters. In a county with the population of an urban high school, that makes waves. But it seems short of an invasion to me.

Still, I don't care to be at the mercy of any strangers. I respect most of the people here and find their preparations more comforting than alarming.

The first time I spent time in a rural desert community, where it was clear no one was responding to your 911 call for at least an hour, was when I understood the desire for a shotgun. Or even a weapon of any kind.

I still wouldn't get one, it's against my Buddhist practice, but I understood the fear that comes up a lot better when you're in the middle of nowhere and everyone else around you has guns. And a not insignificant number are probably on meth.

I have recently been playing Cyberpunk 2077 in which ammo vending machines are legion. Up until today, I had thought that this phenomenon was just a poignant critique of a fictional dystopian future.

Can't wait for disposable guns to become litter like disposable vapes.

>https://cyberpunk.fandom.com/wiki/Budget_Arms_Slaught-O-Mati...

> You can buy this single-use pistol from most vending machines for a price not much higher than a can of NiCola. At first glance, you can clearly see why. It's made from the cheapest plastic, liable to not only melt if left out in the sun, but also prone to jamming, breaking, and snapping inexperienced wrists with its high recoil. Still, a gun's primary purpose is to kill, and that's what it does. But when you've fired the last round, don't bother reloading. Just toss it in the trash and buy a new one.

It seems like these are even more heavily regulated than buying bullets in WalMart. Have to have your picture taken with your photo ID and everything. You can't just walk up with a stack of 20s and get all of the ammo you need.

The military aged illegal immigrants have photo id. Let that sink in.

Would these people have any trouble buying bullets in a WalMart or any gun store?

Do they have a drivers license that is the kind US citizens have, or do they have another form if photo ID?

In Texas, there are many variations on ID cards and Drivers Licenses. The style and color say a lot.

Anyone can buy ammo without showing ID in most states, definitely can do that online in quantities larger than you could buy at the AARM - Automated Ammo Retail Machine. Also, the AARM only dispenses if ID is VALID and if facial recon matches. The AARM would not be the first option for someone that has questionable ID and/or is up to no good. The AARM is not your usual coke machine.

How about that? Cool to see one of the projects I've been involved in popping up here on HN.

You don't need an ID or a facial scan to buy ammo online. What's the CPR? I'm guessing it's higher than buying online. This is like buying ammo at a range. twice as expensive but convenient.

What brands of ammo are they selling? Do you have to log in to find out? Good stuff like Hornady, or some off-brand?

No need to login you can just scroll, ID is only required at checkout.

Not sure what is being loaded at the moment, but I know some had Federal, CCI, A&H, Blazer, Winchester, Remington among other less known brands.

But Red Box just turned off all their DVD kiosks, owing to their bankruptcy.

Surprisingly sad to see this go. It seems cool & low overhead & like an affordances that should be available. Even though I never use it.

there seems to be an interest in pushing this into place, no mention of lax sales resulting in the vending machines being discontinued due to lack of sales.

previously discussed: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40886906

It does mention it:

> For American Rounds, one machine had to be removed from a site in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, because of disappointing sales, Magers said.

Oh, hello Bioshock

This is both frightening and super duper neat.

Why is this frightening, may I ask ?

Capitalism is great at reducing friction, but reducing friction for something that is used for killing is not something that makes for a healthy society.

Interestingly enough, the AARM actually increases friction instead of reducing it. In most states, anyone can buy ammo without any oversight, and we're not even talking about online sales. The AARM requires matching ID with Facial recognition and appropriate age for purchase. This is a case of capitalism doing exactly the opposite of what you were saying.

> But advocates worry that selling bullets out of vending machines will lead to more shootings in the U.S.,

How can you believe this with a straight face?

Pretty easy: it certainly won't decrease shootings, and it only needs to contribute to one more shooting to be considered having lead to more shootings. It's not a stretch to believe that will happen on a long enough timeline.

Whether it will contribute to a meaningful increase in shootings is a more interesting question, and on that, I think we both agree that's unlikely.

I do wonder how long it will be before there's a headline about a robbery perpetrated by someone at one of these grocery stores shortly after having purchased more ammunition from the machine, though.

> it certainly won't *decrease* shootings

You don't think the very loud message of "Lots of people here are armed, not just you" has any chance of deterring someone?

Bold claim. Any evidence?

Only the newspapers, reporting on neighborhood shoot-outs.

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