Walmart to stop selling assault rifles

Walmart will stop selling assault rifles within the next few weeks. The store claims that falling consumer demand — not politics — prompted the decision.

It is being widely reported that the store — the world’s largest retail chain — will stop stocking AR-15s and other sporting rifles. Instead, as the stores phase out summer stock for fall merchandise, they will replace assault rifles with shotguns and similar weapons. The store has also pointed out that they currently only carry assault rifles in less than a third of their stores.

Walmart previously faced considerable pressure to remove assault rifles from its stock. Gun safety groups, including Moms Demand Actions, called for the store to remove the rifles in the wake of mass shootings across the U.S.

Additionally, an Episcopal church with shares in the store sued to require Walmart to let its shareholders vote on a proposal for the tighter oversight of firearms. In April, the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed a ruling in favor of the church. The church has now declared it will consider dropping that suit.

Walmart plans to sell its remaining inventory of assault rifles, in some cases providing a steep discount on the merchandise.