Online retailer says Californians stocking up on ammo ahead of Prop 63

California gun owners are making a mad dash for ammo, retailers report, ahead of Proposition 63’s looming deadline.

Online ammunition retailer AmmoMan.com said sales have skyrocketed in the weeks leading up to January, with Californians snatching up 50 percent more ammunition than gun owners in other states.

“Californians are ordering more than customers in other states right now which suggests that they are stocking up,” Eric Schepps of AmmoMan.com told Guns.com in an email. “What is even more glaring is the number of folks coming to our site right now and buying as opposed to just shopping or reading content. The number of actual ammo buyers versus just shoppers is about double the normal rate for California visitors right now.”

Prop 63, backed by California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s as the “Safety for All” voter proposition, requires background checks prior to all ammunition sales in addition to a moratorium on direct internet sales. The measure states vendors must secure an annual permit in addition to placing requirements on dealers that state ammo be displayed in a manner that is not accessible to the public — such as in a locked cabinet.

The legislation has caused backlash among the gun community with one small ammunition maker already out of business and other gun rights groups promising legal action over the initiative.

While 2A organizations go to bat for California gun owners, it seems Californians are wasting no time freely stocking up on ammo from vendors while they still can.

Schepps said though AmmoMan’s business has seen a definite increase in sales volume, the company was well prepared for the influx even instituting new shipping operations to handle the flow.

“We expected to see an uptick to California but to what degree is always sort of a guessing game. Right now we’re continuing to see it ramp up and personally, this is busier than what I expected,” Schepps said. “We’ve staffed up and actually just launched some big changes that includes a second operation that allows us to reach the majority of the West Coast faster. So, now we deliver in two days or less to 97-percent of the country.”

The usual suspects, 9mm and .223 Remington, have claimed the top spots with 12 gauge and .45 ACP rounding out the most sought after calibers in AmmoMan’s online arsenal. Californians have just a few more days to stock up before Prop. 63 officially takes effect on Jan. 1.

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