Academy Sports Registering Ammo Purchases?
Dr. John Woods 02.11.17
Sometimes it is difficult to separate rumors from facts, but a rumor started circulating in the Jackson, MS, area that Academy Sports stores had sent out a new policy requiring the registration of certain ammo sales. There are several news report stories to be found in a Google search to this effect.
The supposed “policy” states that Academy management hosted a conference call to store managers with a new policy on ammo sales. The policy reportedly states “Any sale of 10 boxes of assault rifle caliber ammunition (not defined) will require the buyer to furnish personal information that Academy will keep in a database. The reports have indicated that these databases could be supplied to the Feds upon request. Who knows?
To test out this supposed policy I visited a local Academy store with the intent see if such a policy was in effect. I bought the ammo and during the sale I asked the clerk what was up with the policy requiring ammo registration. He nearly looked at me cross-eyed and said he never heard of any such policy. He called over the gun department manager who also said there was no such policy he knew anything about.
I did continue by asking if they still sold AR-15 rifles and was told “Yes.” I asked why they were not on display. He said the company policy on that was not to display those types of rifles, but they were in stock in the storage area. I asked how a consumer would know what was in stock. He said the buyer would have to inquire about a specific model to be told if it was in stock. At that, we both laughed. The sales counter man told me he thought it was a hypocritical policy. On that we both agreed.
Surveying the store’s ammo stocks, I found plenty of so-called assault rifle caliber ammunition on the shelves. That included many boxes of 1000 rounds of 5.56 ammo as well as other quantities of 5.56, 7.62×39, and .308 Winchester. There is no shortage of ammo for sale at that Academy store.
So, at least at this Mississippi Academy store location there is no registration of ammo taking place. I do wonder if it is centralized to other states like Texas where Academy is based. Academy sales peaked over $4 billion last year.
