Walmart wouldn't sell me ammo

walmart store 5070 at trop and fort apache today 2ish pm.

Went in and got a handful of items to buy, then to the ammo section and asked for someone to help me buy some 9mm. The guy said he couldn't sell if I had a gun on me. I let him know that I bought here all the time while carrying, and that I'd like to speak with a manager. A shift manager came up and said that they couldn't sell me ammo, it was store policy. I again explained I shop there all the time. They called in loss prevention and I asked if the shift manager could get a store manager, who they said was on his way. I thought the LP guy was a store manager because he wasn't wearing a name badge and assumed at first when I asked if I bought rifle ammo would they allow that? He said he didnt see why not, I didnt have a rifle on me so no problem. The shift manager guy started telling me that it was against the law to sell to armed customers. I asked if it policy or against the law, that I buy ammo all around town, and they started to debate among themselves. "Well he can't even have that without his CCW can he?" "No he just needs his blue card to carry that". I let them know I've shopped walmarts all around town, and other ammo stores and that I've never had this problem before, and that I am fully aware of state and fed laws and that I'm not breaking any. I didnt argue the whole ccw/blue card nonsense, since nobody asked me if i had mine I just let them talk it out. The LP guy said I could just put it in my car and come back without it, to which i replied I preferred not. The co-manager Victor showed up (without a name badge on) and reiterated that they wouldn't sell ammo to me, and that it was store pol. I asked him if it was new, he said its always been their pol. I told him I plan to contact walmart corp. (again). He said I could bring a letter written by corporate in and be allowed to shop armed that way. He then said something to one of this other managers "has anyone called the police yet?" And my ears perked up. I said calmly with a smile "hey am I accused of a crime? There's no need for the police". Then all 7 or 8 of them (employee's, managers, loss prevention etc) agreed no, no reason to call the police. Then one of them, I think the co-manager Victor said something like "well you shouldn't even have been allowed in the store like that". So I asked is it because I'm buying pistol ammo, or I can't shop here at all? He said can't buy anything at all. I thanked them all for their time, informed them I was leaving without spending any money, planned on letting the "gun community" know about (you guys).

Anyone know how to search for that walmart letter/thread. I know we've had these sort of posts before. I need to get a letter and just keep it with me apparently.


ps. Went to rainbow/spring mountain and bought the same exact items (except winchester ammo, they were out of federal). It was like deja vu in the aisles because the two stores are arranged the same...so the 2nd time around I got all my vitamins and candles and stuff much faster =). Then I went to american shooters and while I didnt buy ammo, asked if they were aware of a no sales to armed customers law/pol. they said of course not, and i bought some socks there and chatted with a guy who competes USPSA with me tuesday nights.

I live pretty close to the ft apache and trop store. I will swing by in the next day or so, and test the waters.

blugreenformula said:

I live pretty close to the ft apache and trop store. I will swing by in the next day or so, and test the waters.

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Hi Guys.

I'm responding to this because I want to be notified of any further posts on it. Thanks, Regards, Haz.

FWIW, I OC at the Wal-mart in Henderson (Lake Mead/Boulder Hwy) all the time - often picking up a couple of boxes of ammo - and have never had an issue with any employee. The last time I purchased ammo was about a week ago, so my money's on this being a case of uninformed employees rather than a change in policy.

Went shooting a few weeks ago and picked up about 2000 rounds from Walmart at Charleston & Decatur. And you all know I OC everywhere. When I go shooting in the desert I also wear bright clothing, so my Glock was readily noticeable, no question. No problems at all. I even had to walk around for a bit looking for a sales person to help me - it was early, about 5:30 or 6a - and everyone was friendly. No problems at the ammo counter or at the front when I checked out with other items.

Not even an Hour Ago, I was at Wal-Mart, Spring Mountain and Rainbow, My girlfriend was OCing with my .40 and me with my 1911 I was OCing my 1911, I purchased a box of 100 .40 S&W, a box of 100 .45 ACP and a box of 100 .223 REM and the only thing they asked was that I pay in electronics since the SG register was closed for the night.

The only thing that I thought was odd was a sign that claims that handgun ammo sales were restricted to customers over 21 and rifle ammo over 18 siting federal law but not quoting a statute for either restriction. my understanding was ammo sales of any type only required the customer to be 18 years of age or over. Am I mistaken?

I OC in the walmart on Ft. Apache and Trop all the time, **** one time I had an odd perchase of 4 boxes of 9mm, deoderant, a movie, and condoms, haha, no one even batted an eye. I thought it was funny as hell.

my understanding was ammo sales of any type only required the customer to be 18 years of age or over. Am I mistaken?

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Federal law restricts purchasers of ammo for handguns to be 21. When you buy .22 ammo the clerk (usually chain stores such as Wal-mart) will ask if it is for a rifle or pistol. Ammo such as .40 is assumed to be for handguns and requires the buyer to be 21. For rifle ammo (30-06 etc.) the purchaser has to be 18 by Federal law.

The question will pop up on the register for the clerk to enter the info so they don't have to know what to ask but are prompted. I bought a knife at Wal-Mart and the fellow running the register stopped, looked at me sort of funny and asked, "Now you are at least 16 aren't you"? We both broke out into laughter.

What if you tell them the 40 is for a keltec sub 2000 or an AR chambered in 40?

paintsnow said:

What if you tell them the 40 is for a keltec sub 2000 or an AR chambered in 40?

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Then it is rifle ammo. The clerk probably will have no idea what you are talking about when you tell them that and will argue. If you are just telling them that so you can buy it you are breaking the law by buying it for a handgun and you are under 21. The registere may be programmed not to allow .40 to be purchased by anyone under 21. There are a lot of different possibilities. Try it and see then report back here how much trouble you had. If I was the clerk and you came up with that story I would be tempted to call BS on it but in order to provide good customer relations I would probably allow you to get away with it.

Dangerfish said:

I OC in the walmart on Ft. Apache and Trop all the time, **** one time I had an odd perchase of 4 boxes of 9mm, deoderant, a movie, and condoms, haha, no one even batted an eye. I thought it was funny as hell.

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Just be careful now dangerfish...they didnt like me for some reason. Like my OP said, I bought there dozens of times no problem...this one time however I had like 6 or 7 managers come down to talk to me and they wouldn't. I'll work on getting that letter from Corp. and post it up here when I do.

PT111 said:

Then it is rifle ammo. The clerk probably will have no idea what you are talking about when you tell them that and will argue. If you are just telling them that so you can buy it you are breaking the law by buying it for a handgun and you are under 21. The registere may be programmed not to allow .40 to be purchased by anyone under 21. There are a lot of different possibilities. Try it and see then report back here how much trouble you had. If I was the clerk and you came up with that story I would be tempted to call BS on it but in order to provide good customer relations I would probably allow you to get away with it.

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Technically, it is only illegal for a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector to sell or deliver to sell handgun ammo (or handguns) to someone under 21. For a seller other than the type listed the buyer has to be over 18.

The purchaser himself doesn't appear to break the law.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2883584/HandgunLaw.pdf

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?72988-Corporate-Policies&highlight=walmart

Walmart
Policy is to follow the law of the state the store located.
Customer Service1-800-Wal-Mart
(1-800-925-6278) Questions regarding a Wal-Mart Store issue
702 SW 8th Street
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, Arkansas 72716-8611

Email contact link: http://walmartstores.com/contactus/feedback.aspx

Audio of Walmart Policy: Walmart_Firearm_Policy_Call.mp3

I E-mailed the wal-mart corporate office last night. I wanted the corporate office to know their actions were being watch by a large number of pro gun customers. I gave them a quick rundown of what happened from what I read on the post. I received a phone call from the assistant manager Mike from the store today. Said he reviewed the law and policy and he was apologizing for the actions of the employees, said come on in, and purchases your ammo wearing your sidearm anytime. The employees had a refresher course on how to sale ammo.

28kfps said:

The employees had a refresher course on how to sale ammo.

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I hope they got a refresher on courtesy to customers, too.

The best comeback (it probably won't work, but it would be fun to watch their circuits sizzle) is to ask how they know whether or not customers are armed when they buy ammo.

28kfps - was that mike from the trop/fort apache store you talked to? #5070? or a diff one?

Long time lurker, first time poster...

This issue also popped up at Rainbow & 215 (store no. 4356; Manager Lynne Leckie) in the middle of last month.
I was told by the SG guy that I couldn't purchase ammo while carrying and that it was a policy that the manager had sent down.
I was in a rush to meet some friends for a shoot, so I stashed the gun and picked up the ammo and didn't make a fuss about it.

Conversely, I did OC to the store on Decatur & 215 on the way to CSSP and the old guy working the SG counter gladly sold me a bunch of WWB. Although, a younger guy who was also at the SG desk tried to call his higher-ups to see if it was okay for customers to carry, to which you could almost see his disappointment when the person on the other end of the line told him that it wasn't an issue, leaving him with nothing to say to me about it.
Paid for my ammo, and went merrily on my way to cssp

I shop at that same Trop & Ft. Apache Walmart about twice a week, always OCing, and have done so for eight months. Never had any problems, even while buying ammo.

I have to go there later today to pick up some things; we'll see how it goes.

Lostlittlerobot said:

28kfps - was that mike from the trop/fort apache store you talked to? #5070? or a diff one?

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Yes, mike at 5070. He said he reviewed his information and he was sorry the customer had an unpleasant experience and did said come on in and buy your ammo with your legally carried sidearm anytime.

NavyLT said:

I would have probably replied that I did not understand what the problem was because the gun I was carrying was already completely full of ammo and I wouldn't be able to put any more in it even if they did sell it to me.

Unfortunately you can't fix stupid.

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actually i did say that my gun was already full...can't fit more (didnt say the stupid part lol). One of the non managers i heard in the back say scarcastically laughing "damn, his logic is flawless!"