Ace Hardware selling ammo

[ChattanoogaPhil]

A few weeks ago I noticed that our local Ace Hardware started selling ammo. Surprisingly wide selection of centerfire handgun and rifle ammo as well as rimfire. Nice.

 

[walkinghorse]

Our local Ace sells .22 and various shotgun shells plus a limited amount of center fire rifle. What you would expect in farm country. The one in the county seat, Washington, 15 miles away, sells both ammo and guns, shotgun, pistol and rifle, accessories, scopes, etc.

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

If I'm not mistaken, Ace isn't strictly a franchise per se, but rather a bunch of autonomous stores that can use the Ace name and sell Ace branded products.

We have a lot of "Do it best" hardware stores around here that are for all intents and purposes like an old time hardware store(some more than others) but there's no guaranteed store-to-store consistency on inventory or pricing.

It doesn't surprise me that there are a few around that sell ammo.

 

[DWalt]

I've seen ammo for sale in supermarkets in some of the more heavily deer populated areas of Texas, in addition to hardware stores. There is a True Value hardware store in Del Rio TX that has a sporting goods department and stocks about as many handguns, shotguns, rifles, ammo, and reloading supplies as you might find in a gun shop in a much larger city. Lots of fishing and archery stuff also.

 

[gregintenn]

My first firearm was ordered and purchased from our local Ace Hardware some 30+ years ago. They had a nice gun rack with a good selection.

Our current Ace does not sell firearms. They do have a nice display of Case knives, and I believe I saw some ammo in there recently.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Elder's operates about a dozen Ace stores in this area and a couple up toward Knoxville and in Georgia. They've never sold ammo in the two stores that I frequent. Doesn't seem likely it's to attract more business since the stores have been slammed the past few years with all the new construction since VW came to town.

Maybe it's to cater to some of the guys from Germany or something... I have no idea. I can say that guns are like crack to those European boys. It's like kids set free in a candy store. I seen a few guys at one of the indoor ranges buying everything in sight.

 

[ACP230]

ACE here has sold ammo as long as I've been going
there. That's close to 50 years now.

 

[DeathGrip]

I doubt my closest ACE will sell any. It's right in the middle of Wasserman-Shultz's neighborhood.

 

[chopshopcop]

About five years before I retired, we moved away from the city to a small farming community the next county over. I'm extremely fortunate that the ACE in my area sells all of the popular pistol calibers as well as .223, .308, 30.06 and a few others. They stock both factory new ammo and reloads from a small "mom and pop" facility located just down the road. Whatever they don't have on hand, they can order or the Walmart probably has it. I worked at the local Walmart for a while and know that they are very well stocked in various rifle and pistol calibers. A few years back there were a rash of smash and grab thefts of guns and ammo from the displays at other Walmart's in the Memphis area, so now they only put out a limited amount in the display cases at any time.

The owner of the local ACE also happens to be one of my former partners; owning the store is his retirement gig. The local pawn shop owner stocks the same ammo and calibers, he's also a reserve officer. Another officer next town over owns a gun shop as a second job, couple of firefighters out here are FFL's and gunsmiths, the owner of the town newspaper owns a range and is a certified instructor, he's the go-to guy to take the required classes for obtaining a state carry permit.

Most small business owners here carry, as well as most elected officials, and probably 2/3's of the population either carry regularly, hunt or both. The only real ammo shortages I've experienced (aside from .22 LR) seem to be around the different hunting seasons. As a retiree, I'm able to buy both ball and duty ammo from my former PD but it's a 90 mile round trip and I can only buy 2 boxes at a time from them, so I usually get that at LEOSA re-qual. Most of the time I use the local manufactured reloads to train with and get the rest either from one of the local businesses or buy online.

 

[Evil Dog]

Growing up in the late 50's our local Western Auto sold long arms. Long since gone.

 

[bamabiker]

We have an Ace about 5 minutes away that sells ammo and reloading supplies.

 

[model70hunter]

Growing up in the late 50's our local Western Auto sold long arms. Long since gone.

Merging with Sears killed Westrn Auto.

The one in my old home town sold guns, ammo, some fishing and a smattering of camping items.

Most of the ammo was Revelation brand, I believe it was made by Federal, as well as the guns. In storage I have some Revelation brand shot shell boxes.

If you wanted to pay more for WW, Remington or Peters the gas stations carried them.

So once the big box stores over extend and go under will we be seeing the good old days of buying at the hardware stores again?

When I was young it was common to walk into a hardware store and see ammo and a few guns in a rack. I sort of miss that.

 

[mtgianni]

Ace Hardware in Winemucca has a wall of reloading supplies and guns that would put several "Sporting Goods" shops to shame.

 

[Fishslayer]

In '09 (IIRC) I was visiting my mom in Salina, Kansas. Went to the local Ace & was pretty surprised to see not only guns & ammo but a very well stocked reloading section.

I thought "So THAT'S how they do it in the Free States."

 

[Munsterf18]

The Ace Hardware in Social Circle, GA, just done the road a couple of hours from you has a gun counter with guns and ammo. They also have a large and very good archery shop.

In addition to hardware, they sell a lot of power equipment, commercially and private. I think they learned that the guys coming in for chain saws and parts, etc. were also interested in hunting.

 

[blues7]

I'll have to check. Our little town's mayor runs the Ace Hardware store.
Be pretty cool if he sells ammo.

 

[fat tom]

Ace Hardware here is one of the largest gun dealers in the area. Full line of major handgun,shotgun and rifle manufacturers are represented. They even carry those EBR's (shudder,shake)! Huge inventory of archery and fishing supplies too. And yes,you can buy your hardware items there as well.
f.t.

 

[Ga Johnny]

there's a couple of hardware stores around here that stock ammo, I wouldn't go so far as to say the sell it because the price is about 3x the going rate

 

[hardcase60]

Once upon a time in a land far far away both Sears and Monkey Wards sold ammunition and firearms. Sears firearms were labeled J.C. Higgins and if IRCC were manufactured by High Standard and maybe Iver Johnson. Don't remember Monkey Ward house brand. hardcase60

 

[Jack Flash]

Long ago, when most Americans lived in rural areas / small towns, there were few dedicated sporting goods stores.

I have an old catalog of a company that sold wholesale to hardware stores. The line of products is amazing. Baseball gloves, shoes, etc., all sorts of fishing gear, and of course firearms and ammunition.

I can remember going into Sears and seeing racks of long guns. Even gas stations usually had a couple of used shotguns for sale. Different times.