Sept 3 (Reuters) - Walmart Inc said on Tuesday it would discontinue sales of some ammunition in stores across the United States, in response to the mass shootings in Texas last month that killed several people.

The largest U.S. arms retailer also said it would discontinue handgun sales in Alaska, the only state where it sells these guns.

Walmart will stop selling short-barrel rifle ammunition such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber after clearing current stock. While this type of ammunition is commonly used in some hunting rifles, they are also used in large capacity clips on military-style weapons, the company said.

Sales of handgun ammunition will also be discontinued, it said.

RELATED: Take a look at the states with the toughest gun laws:



25 PHOTOS States with the toughest gun laws See Gallery States with the toughest gun laws 24. Indiana Grade: D- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo credit should read KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images) T-23. North Carolina Grade: D- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images) T-23. New Hampshire Grade: D Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo credit should read DOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images) T-21. Virginia Grade: D Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) T-21. Ohio Grade: D Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) 20. Nebraska Grade: D Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) 19. Wisconsin Grade: C- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo by John Gress/Corbis via Getty Images) 18. Nevada Grade: C- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) T-16. Michigan Grade: C Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) T-16. Iowa Grade: C Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo by Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images) 15. Oregon Grade: C Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson) 14. Colorado Grade: C Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via REUTERS/Rick Wilking/File Photo) 13. Pennsylvania Grade: C Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo credit should read DOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images) 12. Minnesota Grade: C+ Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via AOL) 11. Delaware Grade: B Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) 10. Washington Grade: B Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) 9. Rhode Island Grade: B+ Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo by Kenneth C. Zirkel via Getty Images) 8. Illinois Grade: B+ Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via REUTERS/Jim Young) 7. Hawaii Grade: A- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) T-5. New York Grade: A- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton) T-5. Maryland Grade: A- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo credit BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) 4. Massachusetts Grade: A- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) 3. New Jersey Grade: A- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo by Mark Makela for The Washington Post via Getty Images) 2. Connecticut Grade: A- Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo via Getty Images) 1. California Grade: A Source: gunlawscorecard.org (Photo credit MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

The retailer, which has been under pressure to change its policies on gun sales, said it took the action following the death of 31 people in mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, one of which took place in a Walmart store.

Just last month, Walmart asked employees at its U.S. stores to take down signs and playable demos of violent video games, but made no changes to its policy on selling firearms.

"As a company, we experienced two horrific events in one week, and we will never be the same," Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon said in a letter to Walmart's associates.

The retailer, however, said it would continue to cater to hunting and sport shooting enthusiasts, selling long barrel deer rifles and shotguns.

The company added that its latest actions would reduce its market share of ammunition from around 20% to a range of about 6% to 9%.

"We believe it will likely drift toward the lower end of that range, over time, given the combination of these changes," McMillon said. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

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