Walmart to End Handgun Sales in Alaska and End Sales of Short Barrel Guns and Cannons Across the Country

Walmart is expected to end sales of handguns in Alaska and will stop selling ammunition for short-barreled rifles and rifles in the country's stores, said Tuesday afternoon the president and chief executive of the super chain.

The store said it would focus on long barrel rifles and carbines, providing much of the necessary ammunition and hunting and sports clothing and accessories, Doug McMillon wrote in a memo.

"We have a long tradition as a responsible hunter and sportsman society, and we will continue to do so," said McMillon.

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The changes will reduce Walmart's ammunition market share by about 20% to a range of about 6-9%, according to the memo. About half of its nearly 5,000 US stores sell firearms.

The announcement comes just days after a large-scale shooting that killed seven people in Odessa, Texas. Two other major shootings took place last month in Dayton (Ohio) and El Paso (Texas), where an armed man killed 22 people inside a Walmart.

In response to the shootings, Walmart also requested that customers no longer openly carry firearms in its stores or in Sam's clubs in states where "open portage" was permitted, unless the forces of order do not authorize it. However, McMillon noted that the store would not change its policy and approach to hidden portering.

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"We encourage our nation's leaders to move forward, strengthen background checks and remove weapons from those who are determined to pose imminent danger," the statement said.

McMillon said he would write letters to the White House and congressional leaders calling for "action on these common sense measures."

Walmart reminded customers that it had changed its policy on the sale of firearms in the past, including ending the sale of military-style rifles such as the AR-15, by increasing the limit on the sale of firearms. Age for the purchase of firearms or ammunition at age 21 and demanding the go-ahead. "On background checks.

McMillon apologized to the well-intentioned clients who might be inconvenienced by the new policies, but added that he hoped that they understood the reasoning behind the decisions.

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"We will treat law-abiding clients with respect and we will take a very non-confrontational approach," McMillon wrote in his announcement. "Our priority is your safety."

Company officials also indicated that they would add signs to the stores to inform customers of the changes.

Associated Press contributed to this report.