ARES Defense: New SBRs and NFA Fee Reimbursement

ARES Defense Systems, which manufactures mission-configurable firearms, parts and accessories, has introduced factory SBRs (Short Barrel Rifles) to the U.S. commercial market. Additionally, the company has announced a “Payback-200 Program,” whereby it will reimburse customers for the first $200 transfer tax that applies to its SBRs under the National Firearms Act (NFA). The NFA specifies a transfer tax of $200 for each firearm transfer between individuals that falls under its purview, such as machine guns, suppressors, short-barrel rifles (SBRs), short-barrel shotguns (SBSs), and destructive devices.




"With the increasing popularity of SBRs and the transfer times simultaneously becoming shorter, we feel that it's a great time to enter this space and offer our factory SBRs to the civilian consumer,” said Geoffrey Herring, President and CEO of ARES Defense. “Part of my function is to not only ensure that we're responsive to our customer's needs, but that we try to remove sales barriers that may impede our customers from otherwise enjoying our products."

Herring said the company demonstrated this commitment when it tirelessly worked with the NYPD to overturn an initial determination that prevented customers from legally owning ARES Defense products in highly gun-restrictive New York City, which now permits registration of ARES SCRs (Sport Configurable Rifle).

“We have no illusion that the $200 NFA tax is likely to ever be repealed, but we're offering a solution for our customers who would like to own our factory SBR's,” he said. “Our solution is for us to reimburse them for the $200 NFA Transfer Tax in the form of a full value cash rebate under our ARES Payback-200 program. It sounds unconventional and that's because it is."

Here's how it works: A serialized ARES Payback-200 certificate that matches the ARES Factory SBR is supplied with each rifle. The rifle transfers tax exempt to an FFL/SOT Dealer or Manufacturer, who then transfers the rifle to the Individual on an ATF Form 4 with $200 tax payment. Upon approval of the transfer, the individual supplies ARES Defense with a legible copy of his or her approved ATF Form 4 with Tax Stamp and matching serial number of the original ARES Payback-200 Certificate. Upon receipt, ARES will reimburse that Individual with their choice of $200 cash or a $200 product rebate. Once the serialized ARES Payback-200 Certificate is claimed, any future transfers of that specific rifle must be paid by the next transferee in the manner that is currently done throughout the industry. For more, visit aresdefense.com

For more on ARES Defense firearms, please enjoy the following articles:

ARES Defense Mission Configurable Rifle MCR 
ARES Defense SCR: Legal In All 50 States
ARES Defense Shrike 556 Advanced Weapons Systems