Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? You can bet you're probably not the first to wonder about how this all works. Hopefully we can save you some time with this collection of answers to questions we frequently encounter.
Of course, if there's something we didn't cover, please contact us with any further questions you might have!
General Product Questions
In terms of how they function? Nothing.
Instead of being beholden to one brand, we leverage our access to hundreds of quality AR brands and OEM manufacturers to provide not only a great product, but the best value possible at each price point.
And unlike those off-she-shelf guns where you get what they give you, with JTAC you get the opportunity to swap or upgrade almost every individual component in your build, so you get an AR-15 that's truly configured to your needs and tastes.
In the eyes of the ATF we are technically considered a manufacturer. But to be clear, at JTAC USA we don't fabricate individual components for the AR-pattern firearms we sell. It would be more accurate to call ourselves assemblers.
The JTAC brand stands for great service, expertise and value. We leverage our knowledge and experience to create pre-configured builds by combining components from top-tier, proven US manufacturers and OEMs to maximize quality and performance while keeping things comparably affordable.
We offer the ability to customize those models by choosing to swap or upgrade individual components to your specific needs or preferences. Your AR is then built-to-order and shipped.
For some products, that would be true. But for ARs it really doesn't matter for a couple of reasons.
- Nearly every component is built to industry-wide standards referred to as Mil-Spec. Mil-spec means every part is machined to specific measurements and tolerances, making them all interchangeable regardless of which manufacturer made it or some specific design flourishes. This is why you often hear people say ARs are like Legos® for adults.
- You may have the impression that the components that go into an off-the-shelf model are all made by one company, that's almost never really the case. Most brands specialize one or two specific parts in-house, then outsource the rest in bulk from OEM manufacturers who simply apply that brand's logo to the parts they've fabricated for them.
So the reality is, we're not doing things any differently than most of the guns you see on the shelf from other manufacturers. The only difference here is that we're upfront about which specific brands and manufacturers make up your AR-15
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. They're the manufacturers behind the brand names. OEMs specialize in making one or two particular parts in large quantities, meaning they can make large quantities of particular parts quickly and inexpensively.
It's not widely shared, but most firearms manufacturers don't actually make a lot of what goes into their firearms.
Because it takes a lot of different manufacturing equipment to make all the different parts that go into a firearm, it's much more efficient for big brands to just stick to manufacturing a few parts in-house, then source the rest from OEMs. You see this most often with barrels or internal parts. Those brands will pay a little extra to have their logo added onto the product to give the end buyer the impression that it was made in-house, but it wasn't.
You'd probably be very surprised if you knew how little some of the "elite" AR-15 manufacturers actually make themselves. That doesn't mean they're not high-quality, but they're basically just assemblers, like JTAC.
So just like the big names, we can keep some costs down by making wholesale purchases of some of these same high-quality components directly from their OEM source. Skipping the middleman (and the added logo cost) saves money without compromising quality. Those savings we pass along to you with lower prices.
What it boils down to is that while some of the internal parts in our guns may not have a cool logo on them, they perform to the exact the same high standards demanded by our military and law enforcement agencies, and other expensive off-the-shelf gun brands.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. Full stop.
As part of our Zero Compromise philosophy, every component on every model we sell comes only from highly reputable and recognizable US brands and OEM manufacturers that specialize in AR part fabrication.
It's really very simple...we're not interested in racing to the bottom of the AR market on price, so we're never faced with the choice of sacrificing quality to keep prices low. You may pay a little more than that sub-$500 off-the-shelf model built to be as cheap as possible, but with JTAC USA you get a lot more.
To us, it doesn't matter whether someone is buying one of our overbuilt, high-end performance AR-15s, or just a good quality value model, it's important that every one of customers be confident in every product that leaves our facility.
YES, each firearm sold is fully assembled and operational unless you specifically opt to have it shipped to you unassembled.
Definitely! In fact, we offer a "double warranty".
First, every component maintains the warranty provided by the original manufacturer. We only use reputable manufacturers' parts in our builds and in most cases all parts include a lifetime warranty.
And for additional peace of mind, JTAC Weaponry USA also offers a 90-day satisfaction guarantee with all it's builds. Don't be fooled by competitors seemingly offering their own lifetime warranty. Read the small print and you'll see that it only applies to the small handful of parts they make in-house. Everything else you are left to deal with yourself from the minute you take possession. Talk about passing the buck!
We take the approach that since we're the ones you gave your money to, we're the ones who should fix any early problems. So if you have any issues with your firearm over the first 90 days, you'll deal directly with us and we'll take care of things. On a case-by-case basis we may request that you ship a certain part, or even the entire firearm back to us for repair or replacement.
For more information, please see the Warranty and Returns FAQs further down the page.
***No returns of merchandise will be accepted without prior authorization.***
To some, the sense of pride and accomplishment in assembling their own firearm is very satisfying, but the best benefit of building yourself is the technical knowledge gained. There’s no better way to understand the ins and outs of how your firearm functions than by assembling it piece-by-piece.
Also, if cerakoting is planned, it makes sense to not assemble it in the first place as disassembly is required to apply the coating.
Whatever the reason, we're happy to ship your purchase unassembled. You can select this option on the configuration screen before adding your purchase to the cart for checkout.
Please keep in mind that in the eyes of the ATF, this is still considered a firearm. Your purchase will still need to be shipped to a local FFL Dealer to be transferred to you.
No worries. Products going to Colorado will instead include a Colorado-legal 15-round magazine. Rifles going to Hawaii will ship with a 10-round magazine.
From a practical standpoint, very little. .223 Wylde can shoot both 5.56 NATO ammo as well as .223 Remington, just the same as a 5.56 NATO-chambered AR-15.
The key takeaway is that a .223 Wylde barrel is the same in that way. However, a .223 Wylde barreled AR-15 shoots the .223 Remington stuff just a bit better (and shoots 5.56 NATO just as well) than a 5.56 NATO barrel.
Obviously there are many contributing factors to what makes an "accurate" barrel, but all other things being equal, a .223 Wylde barrel would generally be considered superior to a 5.56 NATO barrel.
For a more in-depth comparison, you can read our article: 5.56 vs .223 Wylde.
The reality is, most average shooters would never notice the difference, but for competitive or highly skilled shooters, even the slightest edge can matter.
Safety rule of thumb:
- 5.56 NATO stamped barrel: Shoots both 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington ammo safely.
- .223 Wylde stamped barrel: Shoots both 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington ammo safely.
- .223 Remington stamped barrel: ONLY shoots .223 Remington ammo safely.
Product Customization Questions
If you've ever purchased a new car, the JTAC model might seem pretty familiar.
Pre-Configured/Ready To Ship
These are models you see listed on our website in their default configuration. We've used our years of knowledge and experience to create a variety of pre-configured AR-pattern firearms optimized to find the perfect balance between price vs performance to meet the needs of most shooters. These models generally offer superior specs compared to similar brand name models at a lower price.
Because they require little or no customization, we often keep several completed models in stock in stock and ready to ship immediately, so you get your firearm quickly.
Customizable/Made-to-Order
This is where JTAC really shines. Unlike most other sellers, we put the power in your hands to build your AR-15 the way you want. You pick which base model you want to start from and choose from available components before adding it to the cart and purchasing. The parts are assembled just the way you requested before being shipped out.
Obviously the custom build process is a bit more involved, so it will take longer to get your firearm shipped. We don't charge extra for this service, however we do offer a slight discount on ready-to-ship models.
Um, yeah, that's the whole point! With off-the-shelf ARs you're stuck with what they give you, but with JTAC USA you don't have to compromise.
Burger King isn't the only place you can have it your way. In each tier we offer pre-configured models that provide great performance and quality for the price. But we're also happy to put the power in your hands, letting you select from an ever-growing list of components to configure a build to your exact needs and preferences.
Love everything on our Defender Series but the Mil-Spec trigger? No problem...how about a BCM or LaRue Tactical? Love that ready to ship RECCE build but wish it had a quad rail instead? Just build from scratch and select the handguard you'd prefer.
We could go on, but the point is you can fine tune your AR's build-out just the way you want - spend a little or spend a lot. And since your AR-15 is made to order, you only pay the difference in price to upgrade, instead of having to pay full price for a new part after the fact.
And keep in mind, just because it's not displayed as an option, that doesn't mean we can't get it. Simply contact us via email prior to purchase letting us know what you're after and we'll be happy to confirm specific availability, or offer-up some similar alternatives.
We don't charge more for made-to-order builds, we just charge comparatively less for ready-to-ship. The reason for this is simple: from a business standpoint, ready-to-ship purchases are just easier for us in almost every way, so we offer a slight discount on the price of ready-to-ship model prices.
If it's something from a brand we already offer, or have access to through our distributors, then yeah, we can certainly see if we can accommodate. You may have to wait until the next supply order, but if it's available, we can probably figure something out.
Just send us an email and let us know what you're after.
BTW, we constantly assess our product offerings, so if there's a part or brand you really think we should offer, send us an email or shoot us a social media post. If enough people agree, we'll certainly give things a hard look.
While we are happy to deal with law enforcement and other government agencies when it comes to NFA items, all firearms JTAC Weaponry USA offers through its website are either considered non-NFA rifles or pistols according to the BATFE's legal definitions, and are transferred into your possession in accordance with your local laws the same way as any other rifle or handgun would be. For more details, read our article "AR-15 Pistol vs SBR: What's the Difference?".
Why is this? Even if your goal is to own a NFA weapon, in almost any circumstance it's much easier to take possession of your AR as a pistol first, and then start the NFA application at that point. The main advantage to this is that you get to take your firearm home right away. During the long NFA application process, the pistol still is yours to shoot and train with instead of having it locked up for months waiting for a tax stamp.
Once your application is approved and your tax stamp arrives, you can easily reconfigure your pistol into a SBR by removing the brace and installing a stock of your choice (sold separately). Depending on the model, this can often be done without any specialized tools or training.
Don't get rid of the brace though! Having the brace on-hand also gives you the option to reinstall it at any time, converting your SBR back into a pistol. This will potentially make life easier if you ever want to transport your firearm from your home state to another (always check local laws first!), as NFA weapons require BATFE pre-approval to do this.
Unfortunately, no, we do not offer coating options at this time (though this may change).
However, if you wish to have your firearm custom coated by a third party of your choice before being shipped to you, please see the FAQ regarding this in the "Ordering, Sipping and Pickup Questions" section on our FAQ page.
We truly do mean it when we say just add ammo. We get the included backup sights tuned with the help of a laser boresight to ensure your firearm is capable of reasonable accuracy out of the box. This should allow your gun to be "on paper" for your first trip to the range, though you'll need some fine tuning to get things really zeroed-in.
At this time JTAC does not sell parts individually.
We get it. The more parts, the more options, the more custom you can get with your build.
First, we're obviously at the mercy of supply chain factors beyond our control. If it seems like we don't have a lot of choices, it just might be because there isn't a lot available from distributors at the moment.
Certainly there some categories of components, like handguards or barrels, that we will continue to add more choices to over time.
But for many other parts, our main focus is to make sure, there aren't any gaps in our selection. For instance, given the types of builds we offer now, we can basically cover the whole BCG market as far as quality, price and features go with four or five solid choices. We know absolutely that at least one will work for every shooter out there. So in a case like that, we likely won't add any further. Of course, as we add more types of builds for different purposes, or if the product or market changes, our selections may grow or change.
And hey, if you feel there's a gap in our selection, or there's a part or manufacturer out there that you really love and think we should be offering, send us an email or hit us up on social media, and we'll be happy to take a look.
Ordering, Shipping and Pickup Questions
Yes. Thousands of firearms are purchased over the internet every day in this country, though due to state or local laws restricting AR-type semi-automatic firearms, we do not ship to California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and District of Columbia.
We do not ship AR pistols to Hawaii, but firearms legally defined as rifles can be shipped there.
Your firearm will be shipped to the FFL Dealer (generally your nearest local gun store) of your choice, who will then conduct the necessary steps to legally transfer possession of the firearm to you in accordance with local laws.
Important: Most FFL Dealers usually charge a fee for this service. That fee is paid directly to the FFL Dealer by the buyer at the time of transfer and is not included in the price of the firearm.
The fee amount is up to the dealer and can vary widely. Most charge a small amount, with the smart mindset that it brings a potential future customer into their shop. Unfortunately, some short sighted dealers charge an excessive amount in the hope that it will force people to buy only through them.
Please make yourself aware of your desired FFL Dealer's fee for this service is BEFORE placing your order. In a situation where a purchaser declines to take possession of their firearm by the FFL Dealer administering the transfer, that dealer will return of the firearm to JTAC.
Upon the product's return to JTAC USA in unused condition, we will issue a refund to the buyer, minus a 10% restocking fee and ALL actual shipping charges accrued throughout the sales process and return.
To keep things simple we offer a flat shipping rate of $15 per firearm (within the lower 48 states). Please contact us for shipping rates to Hawaii or Alaska.
A Federal Firearms License (also referred to as FFL) is required by anyone engaging in the sale or transfer of firearms in the United States. The FFL entitles the dealer to receive and transfer firearms in accord with the laws set forth by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). As all retail firearms transfers must take place face-to-face and are subject to a background check, your firearm must first be transferred to a licensed dealer local to you where the appropriate transfer paperwork can be processed.
In plain English, this just means that, by law, all retail firearm transfers must take place face-to-face in your own state and in accordance with your local laws. To ensure this, JTAC, like all internet-based firearm retailers, will ship your firearm to the licensed dealer of your choice local to you, and they finish the transfer process by running any necessary background checks before allowing you to take possession.
This is something most local gun stores do for people all the time. FFL Dealers will charge a slight fee for this transfer service, and the amount is at the discretion of the dealer. JTAC USA does NOT cover this fee. It is a separate transaction between the dealer and the transferee (purchaser). Usually this fee ranges from $10-$25 dollars, however occasionally some set the fee much higher.
Because of this, we HIGHLY recommend contacting your desired FFL before placing your order to confirm their fee structure to avoid any nasty surprises. Also, due to recent events it could be possible they are closed or not accepting transfers, in which case, the your purchase will be returned to JTAC USA as undeliverable.
Thank you for your business! You should be getting an email shortly.
During the checkout process, you would have provided the address of the local FFL Dealer you want us to ship your firearm to. Before we can do that, we need to confirm that their license is valid.
If you happen to already have an electronic copy of that FFL Dealer's license handy, there is a place to attach it during the checkout process. If you did that, all you need to do is wait. If you missed it, you can simply reply to the purchase confirmation email with it as an attachment.
However, most FFL Dealers will only supply a copy of their license to other dealers, so you'll need to reach out to your FFL Dealer of choice and request that they send a copy of their license to us. This is common, and your local shop is likely very familiar with the procedure. Some may even have a request form set up on their website.
One way or another, they will need you to provide them with the following:
- Your Name
- Your Order Number (it's in the email)
- Who you purchased from (Hint: JTAC)
- Our email address: ffltransfers@jtacusa.com
They'll then provide us with what we need based on that information. Once we have it, we ship your order ASAP. Your contact information is included with the shipment, and once your firearm arrives at your FFL Dealer, they will contact you to let you know its ready to come pick it up.
Please note, while there is no cost to an FFL Dealer for handling background checks, it is common (and understandable) for FFL Dealers charge a small fee for this service. Unfortunately we've seen some FFL Dealers charging downright outrageous fees, we can only assume in some misguided hope of deterring their customers from purchasing elsewhere.
Please do your research before deciding which FFL Dealer you would like your product shipped to. If you refuse to accept the transfer, your firearm will be returned to JTAC, and you will be charged the full shipping amount.
Once your order ships, we'll provide you with tracking information. Please understand that just because that tracking information shows your purchase has reached the FFL Dealer, that DOES NOT necessarily mean it is ready for pickup. There are paperwork and logging processes that need to be completed in order to comply with BATFE requirements before they can release the firearm to you. We know it's hard to wait, but it's polite to give them a day or two to get that done before reaching out to see if it's ready.
Unless you have a Federal Firearms License registered to your home address, then NO.
Each JTAC build is a fully functional firearm and like all firearms must be transferred into your possession in accordance with local laws. This is generally referred to as a FFL Transfer.
Your firearm will be shipped to the FFL dealer of your choice, who will administer the paperwork and complete any necessary background checks.
Unlike many sellers, we don't take your money then tell you it's going to be months until your gun is ready. If you opt for one of our Ready to Ship build models, we can usually have it out the door within 1-3 business days (not including holidays) after receiving payment and confirming your local dealer's FFL info.
If you opt to upgrade a specific part or parts, you AR-15 will need to be made-to-order, which obviously adds a little bit of time to the order. We try to have customized builds shipped within one week after receiving payment and confirming your local dealer's FFL info. If there's any reason we feel we won't be able to meet that goal, we try to advise accordingly.
Finally, if your build requires permanently attaching a muzzle device to a 14.5" barrel, that's going to extend the time a few days further.
No. The law states that a firearm can only be transferred into possession of the original purchaser.
Legally, yes. A person can purchase a firearm for the purpose of giving it to someone else as a gift. However, we recommend you first become very clear about the laws pertaining to when this is okay.
You may have no intention of breaking the law, but what you might see as buying a gift, someone in law enforcement might see as a straw purchase.
All things considered, if you want to gift a firearm to friend or family member, it's probably best for everyone involved to let them pick out, purchase and pick up the firearm themselves. You can reimburse them for the cost afterwards. Then you have peace of mind that nothing can come back on you legally speaking.
JTAC is owned and staffed by current and former service members, and we stand behind our Active Military, Military Veteran, Law Enforcement, Fire Fighter, and EMT customers by offering a 5% discount on in-stock and regularly-priced items as a small token of thanks for all they do.
To claim this discount you must have a customer account (create one here), then submit the Service Member Discount Request form (here). Once we receive your request, we will update your account so that all eligible purchases will automatically receive the discount at checkout.
Please note, that this discount can't be combined with other promotions or offers unless expressly noted.
We don't drop ship. The products that you see on our site are assembled by JTAC USA at our own facility, using inventory we have acquired directly and stored on-site.
We do our best to maintain on-hand inventory of all components offered through our website at all times, though sometimes supply chain issues can affect fulfillment time or availability.
Due to state or local laws restricting AR-type semi-automatic firearms, we do not ship to California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and District of Columbia.
We do not ship AR pistols to Hawaii, but firearms legally defined as rifles can be shipped there.
Restrictions are normally noted on each product page.
Products going to Colorado will instead include a Colorado-legal 15-round magazine. Rifles going to Hawaii will ship with a 10-round magazine.
Other states may have specific restrictions on certain components, magazine capacities, age of purchasers, etc. As much as we try, it is nearly impossible to keep updated on the intricacies of every state's gun laws. We do our best to limit the chances that someone unwittingly purchases a product that they won't be able to take possession of, but ultimately it is up to the buyer to know their local laws and abide by them.
Should a purchaser be found ineligible to take possession of their purchased firearm or kit by their local FFL FOR ANY REASON, a refund will issued upon its return to JTAC, minus the cost of all shipping charges.
We can ship it to a cerakoter of your choice, as long as that business has a registered FFL (most cerakoters or gunsmiths have a FFL license). Our role in this process starts and ends with us shipping your purchase to your designated service provider. It is up to the buyer to manage this process with their coating provider in terms of letting them know that your firearm is being shipped to them, making color choices and paying for their services.
Just keep in mind that if the service provider isn't local to you, they will still need to ship the finished firearm to a FFL dealer local to you in order for you to take final possession.
Our flat rate shipping policy only allows for a one-time shipment to one destination, so that second leg of the shipping would likely be at your expense if it's not included by the cerakoter.
Lastly, if you have custom work done on your purchase, and then for some reason can't take possession of it, we reserve the right to charge a restocking fee on any firearm that's returned to us after having custom work done on it. This fee will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and is at our discretion.
Warranty and Return Questions
Definitely. In fact, JTAC USA products actually carry a "double" warranty, so you get double the piece of mind!
We want to provide a seamless and worry-free experience for our customers, so JTAC Weaponry USA offers a 90-DAY satisfaction guarantee with all it's builds. As part of our 90-day guarantee, JTAC will replace or repair ANY defective part or product, regardless of its original manufacturer, upon inspection by our gunsmithing staff.
Don't be fooled by competitors claiming to offer their own lifetime warranty. Read the fine print; that only applies to the short list of components they fabricate in-house. Their policy for the rest of the parts is basically, "Sorry, take it up with the manufacturer", the instant you get your hands on your firearm.
On the other hand, if you have any issues with your JTAC firearm over the first 90 days, you'll deal directly with us and we'll remedy the problem. Our philosophy is simple: You paid us, so if your product doesn't function as it should out-of-the-box, we should be the ones to fix the problem.
Be aware: Defects or damage from abnormal use, improper storage, attempted modification or repair, abuse, alteration, or improper installation of parts added post-purchase by anyone other than JTAC may void the 90-day guarantee, and likely any product manufacturer warranty eligibility as well.
Beyond that 90 day period, every component still maintains the warranty provided by the original manufacturer. In many cases, this is a LIFETIME WARRANTY.
Discontinued or out of stock items may be replaced with items of similar quality and features at the discretion of JTAC USA, or under the terms of the original warranty provider.
There are many reasons a purchaser may not be allowed to take possession of a firearm. This could be due to an existing criminal record, other legal implications, local restrictions on certain features or components, etc.
It is up to the buyer to understand and be aware of any laws or regulations that may keep them from taking possession of their purchase.
In a situation where a purchaser is not allowed to (or declines to) take possession of their firearm by the FFL Dealer administering the transfer, that dealer will then return of the firearm to JTAC.
Upon the product's return to JTAC USA in unused condition, we will issue a refund to the buyer, minus a 10% restocking fee and ALL actual shipping charges accrued throughout the sales process and return. On a case-by-case basis, JTAC USA also reserves the right to assess a discretionary fee on any return that has had custom work done to it after leaving our facility.
Like most retailers, we do not accept returns, or provide refunds on a firearm or kit product once it is transferred into the possession of the buyer.
Please take your time to inspect all firearms thoroughly at the FFL dealer BEFORE proceeding with the transfer. Once a new firearm is transferred to you from the FFL, the sale is considered final.
However, no one spending hundreds or even thousands on a product should need to worry about getting a lemon, so we do provide a 90-day satisfaction guarantee in addition to the manufacturer's warranty.
All our firearms are inspected before leaving our facility, but if your firearm is not functioning as it should, please reach out to us. On a case-by-case basis we may request that you ship a certain part, or even the entire firearm back to us for repair or replacement.
No returns of merchandise will be accepted without prior authorization.
***No returns of merchandise will be accepted without prior authorization.***
All firearms are examined and tested before being shipped to our customers. However, if your firearm is not functioning properly, please reach out to us. JTAC USA offers a 90-day satisfaction guarantee on all its products in addition to the original manufacturer warranty on each component. In most cases this is a lifetime warranty.
After an email or phone conversation to learn more about the issue, we'll advise you on the best course of action. This may include you returning a component or the entire firearm to us (at our expense) for repair or replacement.
You will then be provided a printable return authorization form and shipping label, along with shipping instructions via email.
After the 90-days of ownership, you would deal directly with the manufacturer of the defective part in order to receive warranty service.
Almost every component on our builds comes with a warranty from the manufacturer. If the JTAC 90-day guarantee period has passed, you can reach out the part manufacturer to have them provide service. This may or may not include you having to ship the component to the manufacturer at your expense.
That manufacturer will generally replace or repair defective products in accordance with their warranty policy, which can usually be found on the manufacturer's website.