Nice shot

I've taken many well-deserved shots at Wal-Mart on this site, but it appears Wal-Mart shoppers will be taking fewer shots at everything now.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has decided to stop selling guns in about a third of its U.S. stores in what it calls a marketing decision based on lack of demand in some places, a company spokeswoman said Friday.

The world's largest retailer decided last month to remove firearms from about 1,000 stores in favor of stocking other sporting goods, in line with a "Store of the Community" strategy for boosting sales by paying closer attention to local differences in demand.

"This decision is based on diminished customer relevancy and demand in these markets," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jolanda Stewart.

Stewart declined to specify what stores were affected.

Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., has about 1,200 discount stores and 1,900 Supercenters, which include a full grocery section, in all 50 states. Wal-Mart says it sells rifles and shotguns. In Alaska, it also sells handguns.

Any decision that leads to fewer guns is praiseworthy, regardless of the reasons behind it. And Wal-Mart is quick to point out that it wasn't safety, conscience or high-mindedness that led to fewer guns being carted out of its stores.

"As with all merchandise decisions that we make, our decision to remove guns from Wal-Mart locations is simply based on the lack of customer purchase history of firearms in a given community," Stewart said.

Still, fewer guns is fewer guns. Kudos to Wal-Mart, even if its motives aren't as laudable as its action.