Short Answer: Because we price our firearms according to a fixed formula.

The list price for all of our products (whether standard models or custom models; whether a $1,000 gun or a $2,500 gun) are priced as follows:

Lowers: (Sum of Component MSRPs + Build Fee) * (1 + FAET Rate)

Uppers: Sum of Component MSRPs + Build Fee

For example, if you build a carbine lower with $503.56 in parts, we calculate the price as:

($503.56 + $100) * 1.11 FAET = $669.96

If the calculation amounts to $669.96, that’s what we charge. If the price of a component in this build goes up by $5, the price of your build goes up by $5.55 ($5.00 * 1.11 FAET).

Formulaic pricing is part of our promise of transparency to our customers.

Short Answer: 1) Federal Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax, 2) because it is required by federal law, and 3) yes, they do.

1. This excise tax is Uncle Sam’s cut in the manufacture of firearms. Any firearm that is manufactured by a licensed firearms manufacturer in this country is subject to this tax. For pistols, this tax is 10% of the price of the firearm. For rifles and shotguns, the tax is 11%. The tax is applied to the total price of the firearm (before state sales tax), including packaging, any installed accessories, and any co-packaged accessories that are intended to be installed.
2. Any licensed manufacturer of firearms must remit this tax to the IRS if they manufacture 50 or more firearms per calendar year. The only two ways to avoid this are:
   • Build the gun yourself for personal use only (assuming you have the knowledge and tools; visit our Build section if you are interested in this route). Note that if you are not a Type 07 FFL and you sell a firearm that you manufacture without using it for personal use, you will go to jail if you get caught.
   • Be a government agency (in which case, firearms manufacturers are able to waive the excise tax).
3. Yes, they (probably) do, at least if they manufacture a minimum of 50 firearms per calendar year and want to stay in business and out of jail. They just don’t tell you about it. It is usually built into the price of the firearm (along with a bunch of other stuff like packaging, shipping, overhead, employer expenses, marketing expenses, brand value, perceived value, market demand value, target profit margin, etc.). The difference between us and most others is that, in the spirit of transparency, we tell you about it.

Itemization of FAET is part of our promise of transparency to our customers.

Short Answer: No.

We do not have a brick and mortar store. Unless you are an FFN of the FFL, the only way to pick up from us is at a local NC gun show.

We will ship firearms and lower receivers to any active FFL in any state that we are willing to ship to.

We will ship non-firearm components (upper receivers and build kits) to any U.S. address.

Short Answer: If it is not listed for sale as an individual component, then no.

We have no desire to be an online retailer of individual components.

We are in the business of selling guns (whether assembled or in pieces).

In order to best serve that goal, we have to reserve our inventory for assemblies and kits.

As such, if it is not listed for sale as an individual product on our website, it is not for sale as an individual product.

Short Answer: Probably.

Please consult our Shipping and Returns Policy.

Short Answer: No, we don’t offer free shipping.

Please review our Shipping and Returns Policy.

Here’s why: In order to adhere to our mission and to pass the affordability test, our pricing is fully transparent and does not factor “add on” costs into the price of every firearm. As such, we don’t inflate our prices to cover packaging and shipping costs (doing so would put more green in our pockets for firearms that are NOT shipped, and that isn’t fair to our local customers).

We do offer flat rate shipping on everything. Note that shipping is calculated based on what you order and how many you are ordering.

• Assembled Firearms: $30 per firearm.
• Assembled Lowers: $25 base plus $5 per lower.
• Assembled Uppers: $15 per upper.
• Build Kits: $15 per build kit.
• Components: $5 base plus $2 per piece.

Note that we lose money on each shipment…please don’t bust our balls. You come out ahead.

Short Answer: It depends.

If you hold an FFL and your home is registered to your license, absolutely. We will ship to you as we would to any other FFL. Note that NFA Title II items (“Class 3”) may only be shipped to FFLs with Class 2 or 3 SOT designation.

If you don’t have an FFL, absolutely not. We want to stay in business and we’re not fans of shiny, linked bracelets.

Short Answer: No.

We do not currently offer gunsmithing services beyond the manufacture of Para Bellum Arms firearms.

Please read our Shipping and Returns Policy for additional information.

Short Answer: It depends.

All shipments of firearms must be preauthorized. We will reject any attempted unauthorized firearm deliveries.

We do not allow just anyone to transfer firearms through us. Please have the intended recipient contact us to discuss transfers of firearms BEFORE YOU SHIP ANYTHING TO US.

Short Answer: It depends.

For members of the FFN of the FFL program, we offer on site pickup the next time you visit us for a beer or BBQ.

For everyone else, we offer free pickup at gun shows listed on our Events page, or shipping to the FFL of your choice per our Shipping and Returns Policy. To ship a firearm, make the appropriate selection at checkout. Once we verify your selected FFL’s information and license, we will ship your firearm to them and you may coordinate pickup directly with them.

Short Answer: No.

We don’t need to and we don’t want to.

We don’t seek to compete in the firearms component manufacturing industry for a few reasons:

• First, the barriers to entry are steep; the cost of setting up the infrastructure and securing a supply chain is expensive.
• Second, competition is fierce; the aftermarket firearms component market is flooded with old guard and newcomers.
• Third, there isn’t a need; there are a lot of amazing component manufacturers out there already, and we work very closely with a select few.
• And finally (most importantly), it doesn’t serve our vision and mission; our goal is to put high-end (but affordable) firearms (including fully-customized firearms) in the hands of as many consumers as possible. Integrating backwards is an unnecessary distraction from our mission.

All of that said, we do have some components manufactured for us.

Short Answer: Yes.

We offer full customization of our standard models through our “C” series firearms (e.g. Scorpio-15 > Scorpio-15C).

We offer an incredible number of options. If you can’t find what you want, please contact us. We will help you evaluate suitability of any component options (including custom barrels) that we haven’t considered/selected.

Short Answer: The Friends, Family, and Neighbors (FFN) of the FFL program is for our closest acquaintances.

If you are our close personal friend, family, or neighbor (who also happens to be a friend; not every neighbor is our friend), you may join the program. Basically, if we would otherwise invite you into our home for dinner, you can join. This program allows you to schedule pick up of any firearm, as well as offers discounts on our products and services. If you meet the criteria for FFN, contact us.

Short Answer: A good time.

Please visit our NFA Title II page for more information.