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i was buying some ammo at the local wal mart last night (yes, they actually had a few boxes) and the clerk asked me if it was for a handgun. my response was; it doesn't make any difference. he showed me his register screen and it required a yes/no response. he said the government wanted to know, i said they wanted to know too much.
i've bought ammo at this wal mart for years and never been asked this. maybe the problem was taking the ammo to a front register instead of paying at the sporting goods counter which i usually do.
and maybe i am just an irritable old man but this makes me mad.

Sounds like inventory tracking for logstics purposes.
Tell them to figure it out from the box
Or justa simple "yes."

The reason is that ammunition that is used in a handgun can only be sold to someone 21, but rifle ammunition can be sold to someone who is 18.

Hi,

My hypothesis is that the question comes up on the register, because if you are buying for pistol they think you have to be 21 (since you have to be that to buy a pistol), but will sell to 18 year olds for a rifle. It has not been an issue for me either for a long time, because the clerk usually just punches yes and when it asks if I am over 21 they don't even ask. It's sad, but I don't get mistaken for under 21 anymore.
Maybe someone here works at Wal-Mart and knows why they ask.

Now that is bizarre. I bought some 9mm at Wal-Mart in east Fort Worth and in Arlington a few weeks ago, and the clerks asked me nothing at either store, except for my credit card.

I thought they were standardized in all their stores. Ask it at one wally world and the same gets asked at ALL w.w.'s.

Anywho, no biggie on the question. I agree it's probably an inventory control thing.

I just tell them it's for my carbine, that has a tendency to confuse them, they usually then ask if that is a rifle or a pistol, and I even had one ask me what brand that was.

jimlongley wrote:I just tell them it's for my carbine, that has a tendency to confuse them, they usually then ask if that is a rifle or a pistol, and I even had one ask me what brand that was.

Hey! I resent that (not really), it was only after I googled "carbine" I realized what type of weapon it was. I get the same type of of effect in the IT industry when I ask "simple" questions and get odd answers.

I have gotten to the age where I realize I don't know everything and can't focus on many things at the same time. I am currently a handgun nut (haven't touched on rifles yet) with a little bit of cooking, sorting out my a/c issues and a 2 year old daughter who happens to constantly keep me challenged from the day she was born (and apparently they don't get easier with age.... )

It's not for inventory control, it's because of the different age restriction for handgun vs. rifle ammo. Read Keith B's response above.

The reason you don't normally get asked this for 9mm or .45ACP ammo is because that is normally assumed to be pistol ammo. I only have ever gotten this query at Wal Mart when buying .22LR.

Keith B wrote:The reason is that ammunition that is used in a handgun can only be sold to someone 21, but rifle ammunition can be sold to someone who is 18.

BINGO! Keith is right again. With my rugged Sam Elliot good looks, I have been asked but not frequently.

caldvn wrote:
and a 2 year old daughter who happens to constantly keep me challenged from the day she was born (and apparently they don't get easier with age.... )

Don't worry, you will now exist in this state until they leave the house. Then you'll just worry about them.

Yea I don't get asked for my ID agewise for years now

I like to tell them it's for a machine gun - really throws them off balance.

JCole wrote:I like to tell them it's for a machine gun - really throws them off balance.

OOH!!! I am going to have to try that - "Is this for a rifle or pistol, sir?" - "It's for my submachinegun."

I'll bet that gets more odd looks and questions than "carbine."

JCole wrote:I like to tell them it's for a machine gun - really throws them off balance.

i wonder if they have a button for that on the register ?

usa1 wrote:

JCole wrote:I like to tell them it's for a machine gun - really throws them off balance.

i wonder if they have a button for that on the register ?

Why yes they do. But with the run on ammo for the past 9 or 10 months, the sear broke and it only fires single action now.

Keith B wrote:The reason is that ammunition that is used in a handgun can only be sold to someone 21, but rifle ammunition can be sold to someone who is 18.

This is the correct answer. Federal law requires 21+ to purchase handgun ammo. You may or may not be asked for ID, just like with alcohol.