The state of California has a lot of gun owners. The state probably doesn’t like the fact that they have so many, but with such a large population, you’re going to have a large number of any grouping you want. It’s estimated that somewhere around 20 percent of the state’s almost 40 million people are gun owners.

And this is the same state that is about to roll out ammunition purchase regulations. Guess what kind of impact that’s having?

California ammunition providers are seeing a spike in sales ahead of a new state law that will clamp down on individuals trying to buy ammo.

Proposition 63, which Gov. Gavin Newsom made a cornerstone of his campaign, was approved by voters in 2016 is slated to go into effect July 1.

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The law will create more restrictions on ammo buyers by forcing them to buy face-to-face from licensed dealers, rather than the internet, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Advocates of the measure see it as a way to close loopholes on gun laws that focus on firearms rather than ammo. Proponents, however, believe Prop 63 unfairly punishes law-abiding gun owners.

The law’s tough restrictions have prompted gun owners to stock up on ammo. OC Guns store owner Scott Bodkin, who was cited by the Los Angeles Times, said his sales have doubled in recent weeks.

“People are gearing up for it,” he said of the new law. “They are buying a lot. They don’t like it. It’s just another typical California deterrent to make things tougher for gun owners.”

Of course, we’re assured this will combat gun-related violence in the state because these same measures have done so well in keeping guns themselves out of the hands of criminals.

Now, when someone steals a man’s guns, he’ll also steal his ammunition too. When gun stores are broken into an robbed, they won’t just take the guns.

They’ll slip across state lines to buy ammunition and smuggle it back into the state. They’ll start selling it on the Dark Web.

Criminals are going to get their grubby little paws on ammunition.

In the meantime, individuals who need to purchase ammunition for practice purposes will end up paying far more per round because they’re forced to purchase from licensed dealers rather than seeking out the best price on the internet. That means they’ll be able to practice less.

Private citizens with less opportunity to keep their skills sharp isn’t a good thing for the people of California. Shooting is a perishable skill. You don’t go to the range one day, learn the basics, and then keep that forever. It’s not like riding a bicycle. It requires regular practice.

Without that practice, things can go poorly. Rounds failing to hit their intended target can do all sorts of nasty things, nasty things to good people.

If you’re even remotely interested in paying lip service to the Second Amendment–and, believe it or not, most anti-gun politicians still do so–then you can’t try to restrict both firearms and ammunition, especially ammo sales, as all it manages to do is hurt the law-abiding citizen.

Pretty much exactly how California’s draconian gun laws have hurt those same law-abiding citizens.

There’s a lesson here. A lesson that California and every other anti-gun state should remember. You can restrict and regulate all you want, but we’ll buy more when we’re able and bypass those regulations, sometimes for years.