I think the Walmart thing is to sell certain guns only in certain places. And nowhere that I'm aware do they sell anymore the AR platform rifles, and in my area not even a Mini14, nor any .226cal, 5.56mm, or any caliber that is not specifically intended/recognized for hunting purposes. No handguns nor handgun ammo of any caliber (other than .22's) as far as I can tell. I've not seen any firearm including shot guns and/or .22's in our area for more than a couple years. And last time I checked, our local store would not even order a Mini14 for me, nor even discuss ordering an AR.
It would really be irritating if not for the fact it's such stupid reasoning and decisions made by such ignorant (of guns) people to not sell these items. I can't believe any 'bad guy' would run down to his local Walmart just to pick up an AR for tonight or this weekend's fireworks. But it was really convenient and usually a real cost savings for the local 'good guys' ......... who BTW are the only people who were really hurt/inconvenienced by these senseless decisions.
As an aside for BobM's post above, I bought one of my first guns at a local hardware store when I was about 10-12. Yeh, my dad was there but it was my money and my purchase. My very first gun I ordered through (IIRC) a Montgomery Ward catalog and had it delivered to my front door. I'm thinking both of these were .22 rifles.
My first shotgun I bought from the Ag teacher at my high school when I was a junior I think. He brought it to school the day we agreed and put it in the classroom closet along with ........ of all things a couple boxes of 12 ga bird shot. I went by his classroom at the end of the school day and looked it over right there in his classroom and decided to buy it, and the boxes of shells. Walked from his room right through the high school and out to my truck and placed my new shot gun in the rack in the rear window where it remained for the rest of that year and most of the next. It was only removed when I got a brand new one for Christmas the following year.
Miraculously, that gun, nor none of my .22's ever jumped out of the truck and shot anyone. Nor did anyone get all in a dither when they saw them hanging in the window of my truck. And 'shock' of all 'shocks', there were actually days when there was two guns hanging in that rack, and 'heaven forbid', ammo on the front seat.
Where the hell are people's heads at these days???