Ammunition has joined the long list of products available in vending machines, at least in Pennsylvania.
FoxNews and the Huffington Post reported in early March that one manufacturer, Master Ammo Co. of Rochester, PA, has already installed two ammo vending machines in the Beaver Valley Rifle and Pistol Club, and is considering converting additional vending machines to offer the same convenience to other gun clubs.
Master Ammo is owned by Sam Piccinini, a 25-year police department veteran. The company manufacturers and wholesales a variety of rifle, pistol and shotgun ammunition.
The vending machines sell nearly every caliber of ammo from .22 to .45, and are reportedly doing a brisk business. So much so that other clubs have expressed an interest in similar vending machines.
“I have clubs lining up at my door wanting them,” Piccinini told FoxNews.com. “I have five clubs chomping at the bit, wanting these machines.”
Piccinini told FoxNews that he got the idea two years ago, when bullet shortages around the nation left members of the Beaver Valley Rifle & Pistol Club unable to buy the “non-jacketed” rounds preferred at most shooting ranges.
First, he asked local attorney Eugene Martucci if such a machine would be legal. Told such a device could be operated lawfully, Piccinini bought a vending machine and had some modifications made to it, allowing it to accept larger bills and credit cards and to hoist and dispense bags of .45-caliber Automatic Colt Pistol cartridges. He figures he spent about $4,000 on the first vending machine. He now has two of them at the club and a third ready to be deployed.
Piccinini’s machines sell both handgun and rifle ammunition. He likens his machines to cigarette vending machines in social clubs, noting that a prominent sticker on them states, “You must be 21 years of age to purchase ammunition for use in handguns from this machine.” Since the club does not admit minors without adult guardians, and since anyone entering must pass through a security gate and swipe an ID card to enter, Piccinini does not believe there is a risk of illicit sales.
“It’s not like someone walking off the street can get in and buy ammunition,” Piccinini said.
The club makes no money off of sales from the machines or for renting space for the machines, which Piccinini hopes will become a growing part of his company.
“The club doesn’t receive any profits and the machines are strictly there for the convenience of its members,” said Piccinini.
FoxNews concluded the report on the novel ammunition sales approach by noting that Piccinini, who is running for Beaver County sheriff, a post he has twice sought unsuccessfully, believes criticism he has received for his brainchild will ultimately backfire and win him the votes of Second Amendment advocates in the March 19 Republican primary.
“Some people have been critical, but I think even more people support me and support the right to bear arms,” he said.
