Shipping and Returns Policy

Last Updated: 04 Apr 2024

This Shipping and Returns Policy is part of our Terms of Service (“Terms”) and should be therefore read alongside our main Terms and Conditions.

Please carefully review our Shipping and Returns Policy when purchasing our products. This policy will apply to any order you place with us.

Shipping

Firearms and Regulated Components

We ship firearms and regulated components to all states except the following (due to overtly hostile and prohibitive gun laws):

Connecticut
District of Columbia (DC)
Illinois
Massachusetts

Regardless of where you live, it is YOUR responsibility to understand if a particular firearm design or feature is legal in your state or municipality. If you are not sure, please contact a local FFL dealer or your local law enforcement before placing an order for any firearm from any company.

If you live in one of the following states, please review your state’s laws regarding AR-15 style firearms:

California
Maryland
New Jersey
New York

Please note that you may not be permitted to possess a standard AR-style firearm in your state, without registering it as an “assault weapon” (if you are allowed at all). We are currently working on “compliant” versions of our receivers and build kits to support the superficial laws in some states.

Shipping Costs

At Para Bellum Arms, we do not inflate our prices to account for shipping costs. We are 100% transparent about what and why our products cost what they do. While padding the prices of our products to cover these incidental costs would increase our profitability, it is not fair to customers who have the option to pick up their order and elect to do so. As such, shipping is an extra cost applied at or after checkout. We calculate most shipping based on flat rates per item (see below), because it is simpler for everyone. That said, we lose money on the shipping of every order (the cost is often double what we charge; we would lose money shipping the cheapest item to our next door neighbor). We just ask you to share the cost.

All shipments are tracked. This ensures traceability of the shipment along the chain of custody.

All shipments over $200 require adult signature for delivery. Adult signature ensures accountability for the shipment.

We insure all shipments for the full value with a 3rd party insurer. This protects us and helps to get a replacement order out as soon as possible.

Flat rate shipping is calculated based on what you order and how many you are ordering:

Assembled Lowers: $20 base plus $5 per lower.
Assembled Uppers: $25 per upper.
Build Kits: $25 per build kit.
Components: $7 base plus $2 per piece.

We will ship any and all firearms and regulated components to Alaska. However, being that it is not in the contiguous United States, it is more expensive and takes longer. Please contact us for a shipping quote. We are open to any legal shipping option and will work with you to find the most affordable option.

We will NOT ship pistol lowers or barreled uppers with barrels less than 16″ overall length to Hawaii due to state laws. We will ship everything else. However, being that it lies beyond the contiguous United States, it is more expensive and takes longer. Please contact us for a shipping quote. We are open to any legal shipping option and will work with you to find the most affordable option.

Returns

Firearm Component Returns

Our returns policy for firearms and firearm components is very specific and very strict because there are some real scumbags out there. We are a small business and cannot afford to be screwed by professional thieves. To the vast majority of you, we apologize for the douchebags that ruin it for everyone else.

Please note that we do not accept returns of firearms or firearm components without explicit pre-authorization.

DO NOT SHIP FIREARMS OR REGULATED COMPONENTS TO US UNLESS YOU HAVE OUR PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION. WE WILL REJECT ANY UNAUTHORIZED SHIPMENTS OF FIREARMS OR REGULATED COMPONENTS.

For warranty claims, please review our warranty policy.

All non-warranty returns must be in new, unused, and uninstalled condition, in the factory-original packaging, with all original package contents and accessories, as applicable. Failure to meet all of these criteria will result in rejection of the return.

Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) must be requested within 30 calendar days of original shipment. RMA requests should be submitted to contact@pb-arms.com.

You are responsible for paying the shipping costs for returning an item to us. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of original shipping will be deducted from your refund.

If your return has a high value, please consider using a trackable shipping service, purchasing shipping insurance, or requiring signature confirmation. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item, because we don’t take custody until it is delivered to us. If we do not receive a returned item, we will not issue a refund and you will need to sort it out with the carrier.

We reserve the right to reject any return for any reason, so please be honest during the RMA process. If a return is rejected, we will not issue a refund. In this scenario, you will have the option to have the returned item shipped back to you, at your expense.

All authorized and accepted non-warranty returns are subject to a restocking fee equal to 20% of the purchase price. This includes all reasons for return of items, including but not limited to:

Features/designs are not legal to possess in your state (know before you buy)
Failed background checks (know before you buy)
Underage purchaser (know before you buy)
Change of heart

Receivers

Every receiver (upper and lower) is shipped with a serialized tamper-evident seal. By design, the receiver cannot be installed on a mating receiver with the seal(s) intact. The seal has a tensile strength rating of 25 pounds, so it doesn’t just fall off; it must be intentionally removed.

We will not accept any non-warranty lower receiver or upper receiver returns once the serialized tamper-evident tag is removed (this is a liability and legal issue).

Lower Receivers

We package lower receivers lovingly and with purpose. The lower receiver is sealed in a clear heat-sealed pouch, wrapped in craft paper, and enclosed in a sealed box. The receiver(s) are then packaged in a secondary shipping box.

We provide the information needed by the receiving FFL (to log the firearm into their A&D log) on the outside of each primary receiver box. There is no reason for the receiving FFL to open the box before you arrive for the transfer (and we ask them not to). However, your FFL may still elect to open the packaging to read the serial number from the receiver, itself. While this robs you of the pleasure of unwrapping your new toy, it doesn’t have substantive impact as long as the heat-sealed plastic pouch is not opened. We provide the receiving FFL explicit instructions NOT to open the heat-sealed pouch. However, it could still happen.

Please note that if the receiving FFL (or anyone else) opens the heat-sealed pouch, a 50% restocking fee will apply to any authorized return (with an intact serialized tamper-evident seal). This covers the cost to fully disassemble and inspect the individual components. If there is any evidence of tampering or modification of any installed components, a refund will not be issued (so please do not try).

As a reminder, we cannot accept a return of a lower receiver if the tamper-evident tag is removed from the magazine well. We also provide explicit instructions not to touch this seal to your FFL. Regardless of who removes the tag, a removed tag renders a receiver unreturnable.

In the event that an undeliverable firearm shipment is returned to us, you will have the option to re-ship the firearm to your choice of FFL (at your expense; prior and additional shipping charges will not be refunded or credited) or cancel the order (treated as an unshipped firearm; note that you will be responsible for any incurred shipping costs).

Upper Receivers

Upper receivers are also packaged very carefully and purposefully. The upper is sealed in a clear heat-sealed pouch, wrapped in bubble wrap, and suspended in custom end caps within a sealed box.

Once the heat-sealed pouch is opened, a 50% restocking fee will apply to any authorized return (with an intact serialized tamper-evident seal). This covers the cost to fully disassemble and inspect the individual components. If there is any evidence of tampering or modification of any installed components, a refund will not be issued (so please do not try).

As a reminder, we cannot accept a return of an upper receiver if the tamper-evident tag is removed from the takedown lug. A removed tag renders a receiver unreturnable.

Bolt Carrier Groups

PBA bolt carrier groups are packaged in a clear heat-sealed pouch within a sealed box. The packaged BCG is then shipped in secondary box.

Once the heat-sealed pouch is opened, a 50% restocking fee will apply to any authorized return. This covers the cost to fully disassemble and inspect the individual components. If there is any evidence of tampering or modification of any installed components, a refund will not be issued (so please do not try).

All Other Components

We do not accept partial returns of build kits or assemblies.

All components, including optics, accessories, and build kits, may be returned only if the returned item(s) are in unopened, unused, and uninstalled, are in the factory packaging, with all original packaging contents and accessories. Any item that is returned that does not meet all these conditions will be rejected and a refund will not be issued.

Order Cancellation and Change Requests

You may cancel or modify your order by contacting us at orders@pb-arms.com.

Orders may be cancelled until 24 hours prior to shipment. Note that shipping charges are not refundable once a shipping label has been created.

Once an order has shipped, you may not cancel or modify it.

Please review our firearm component return policy carefully.

Firearm Assemblies (Uppers and Lowers)

All receivers are built-to-order.

Once we begin picking the components for your order and assembling your firearm (often within 24 hours of order receipt), a $200 restocking fee will apply to a cancelled order.

Non-Stock Components

Once a non-stock item has been ordered (but before it is assembled into your firearm), order cancellation or change request affecting the non-stock item will result in a restocking fee between 25% and 50% of the cost of the component, depending on the component and supplier.

Once we assemble a non-stock component into your firearm, the component will be non-returnable, so we will not be able to offer any refund for the component.

If you cancel a customized component (e.g. custom barrel, custom engraved part) ordered through us after we have ordered it, we will make every effort to contact the manufacturer to prevent production. However, once the manufacturer begins production of your custom item, we will not be able to offer any refund.

We will be happy to ship any non-refundable, non-firearm products directly to you. You will be required to cover the cost of shipping.

Refunds

Once your qualified (per the Returns section) return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.

If your refund is approved, it will be processed within 30 calendar days, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment.

Para Bellum Arms Warranty

In short, if you face issues with your Para Bellum Arms product, please contact us. We proudly stand by our workmanship and our industry partners; we will help you remediate any issues that you face, whether our fault or someone else’s.

Para Bellum Assemblies

NOTE ABOUT FITMENT

We guarantee our receiver assemblies to fit with the paired Aero Precision receiver (i.e. Aero Precision upper with an Aero Precision lower). We do not guarantee that an Aero Precision receiver will fit any other brand of receiver. As crazy as it sounds, not every manufacturer produces products to Mil-Spec where it counts (we have experienced out-of-spec receivers from other brands) and some proprietary receiver/handguard designs don’t play nice with other brands. Fitment with non-Aero Precision receivers/handguards is not covered under the Para Bellum Arms warranty.

At Para Bellum Arms, we fully back our workmanship.

We are master armorers and assemble our firearms properly. We torque everything to manufacturer and military specifications. We lubricate everything that moves (or that you might want to move in the future). We stake castle nuts and use BCGs with staked gas keys. In short, if each component is working the way it should, your assembled firearm will work the way it should. And we make sure of that too…

We live fire test all receivers (upper and lower) before shipment. This testing is non-negotiable because it is the only way that we can be sure that firearm assemblies function properly, before they leave PBA. After the test fire, we do as little as possible to the assembly before shipment. We wipe everything down and, if applicable, re-lube the upper and run an lubed patch down the bore. The only thing you might need to do when your assembly arrives is run a dry patch down the bore to remove any residual CLP.

All of that said, if something doesn’t work, please reach out to us immediately by emailing us at contact@pb-arms.com. We warranty our builds from defects for 30 days from the date of shipment.

Please note that alteration or misuse of the assembly in any way will void the Para Bellum Arms warranty.

Even if you have an issue with one of our products after that warranty period, please reach out to us. We will help you diagnose, troubleshoot, and get the problem resolved. And that leads us to our next section…

Components in a Para Bellum Assembly

Para Bellum Arms assembles firearms from a combination of OEM products and aftermarket components manufactured by other companies. As such, we cannot warranty many of these items directly, as they are not ours to warranty.

We inspect all critical components for conformance to tolerance standards. Out-of-specification or otherwise defective components are returned to the supplier before being put to stock in our inventory. That said, some things can’t be seen/measured or could, in theory, slip through our QC.

In the event that you have an issue with a component in a PBA assembly, we will broker any warranty claims with our core partners. And if they try to screw you (i.e. they will not support a reasonable covered claim), we will take care of you (and have a heart-to-heart with that company). We have chosen our partners very carefully, so we don’t anticipate this issue.