Local stores see increase in ammunition purchases after proposed federal ban

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – The federal government is considering banning some types of ammunition and that’s causing prices to soar.

WINK News checked and stores in Southwest Florida are seeing a rush of people wanting to stock up.

“All of a sudden we found that rifles were just flying off the shelves.” Pippa Steinhart at Naples Gun Emporium said they’ve seen an 80 percent increase in sales over the past two weeks.

“A lot of people say ‘I’m buying while I can.'”

That’s because the federal government wants to ban green tip penetrators. They’re used in the modern sporting rifle, which is the most common rifle sold.

The gun store said the ammo is considered the most accurate and reliable.

“Before the proposed ban, the rounds were selling for about 40 cents a round and then over night it doubled to 80 cents a round. And there are some online sites that are even selling them for $1 a round,” said Steinhart.

“If it is the most popular there is a reason for it, to take that right away from us is totally unfair,” said Mike Bode.

The federal government said it’s a matter of safety for law enforcement claiming the ammunition can pierce a bulletproof vest.

But Steinhart questions that, “when research, and we know this is not the ammunition used in violent crimes, this is no more lethal than another caliber.”

“I’m not happy about it at all,” said Bode. He is a veteran who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

“It’s like saying you can have a car but you can’t have tires because they’re made by a specific brand.”

Bode tells WINK News the proposed ban is unconstitutional, “because if I was at home without the ability to protect myself, because I didn’t have ammunition, that would be against my legal rights.”