In wake of recent mass shootings, Walmart has announced that it will discontinue the sale of handgun ammunition and short-barrel rifle ammunition, such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber which can be used in large capacity clips on military-style weapons.

The company will also publicly request that customers refrain from openly carrying firearms in its stores.

The ammunition will not disappear from store shelves overnight, according to a letter released to Walmart Associates from the company’s CEO, Doug McMillon, Walmart will sell through their current inventory of the aforementioned ammunition before the discontinuation occurs.

James Packer, Manager of Selma Walmart on Highland Avenue, doesn’t see these new policies passed by the company causing any local uproar.

“I don’t see it as a big business disruption,” he said. “Especially not for this particular store.”

Based on its current inventory of handgun and short-barrel rifle ammunition and the amount the Selma store sells, Packer estimates the ammunition will remain on the shelves another 3-4 months, unless resellers or “hoarders” come in to purchase all that they can after learning about the company’s new policies.

According to Packer, Selma Walmart does not sell a lot of handgun ammunition.

“Our handgun ammo doesn’t sell as much as the rest of it,” he said. “The ammo that we sell the most of is for hunting. That is where our tradition lies and that’s where our bulk is. The number one shell we sell is 20 gauge or birdshot.”

Packer says that he’s heard more positive feedback from the community in the company’s new policy to discourage the open carry of firearms than from the decision to no longer sell handgun ammunition.

Packer sees the new policy as a way to show empathy for the families of those who were victims of the recent mass shootings, one of which occurred at a Walmart in El Paso Texas and another at a Walmart in Southaven, Mississippi.

“The insensitivity of our society today, we’re not very empathetic,” said Packer. “I think a little empathy at this point in time will be great.”

Packer says that signage informing customers of its new policy regarding open carry will likely be put up shortly.

“We will communicate that as clearly as we can,” said Packer.

Packer added that most people will already be aware of the company’s new policies before signage even goes up, due to social media.

Packer doesn’t foresee many being upset by the policy. He said that, usually, the only people openly carrying in the store he manages are law enforcement.

In the event someone does openly carry a firearm into Walmart, it will be suggested to them that they refrain from doing so by an employee.

Packer stated he wasn’t worried about any uproar stemming from this practice, because the individual would be asked from a place of respect.
“This is an extremely loyal community,” he said. “As long as we treat individuals in this community with respect, they treat you with respect back. Period.”