Payment Methods
What we accept, how your card details are handled, and why firearms orders get declined more often than most.
Short answer Accepted payment methods are shown at checkout before you commit. Card details are handled by the payment processor and are never stored on our servers. We will never ask for payment by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency.
What we accept
Accepted payment methods are shown at checkout before you commit to an order. We take payment in United States dollars only.
We will never ask you to pay by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or a money transfer app. If anyone contacts you claiming to be Hilltop Armory and asks you to pay that way, it is not us. Those methods are irreversible, which is exactly why fraudsters ask for them.
How your card details are handled
- The checkout runs over an encrypted HTTPS connection.
- Card details are captured by the payment processor and are not stored on our servers. We never see or keep your full card number.
- We do not store card data for future orders unless you explicitly save a payment method, in which case the processor holds it and we hold only a token.
- Payment is authorised when you order; your bank may show a pending authorisation before we capture it.
What happens to the rest of your data is set out in our privacy policy.
Why firearms orders get declined
Card declines are more common in this industry than in most retail, and it is usually not your credit. Two things drive it:
- Merchant category coding. Firearms and ammunition retailers carry a category some banks treat as elevated risk, and a few issuers decline it by policy.
- Address mismatch. The processor checks the billing address against the one your bank holds. Ammunition orders often ship to a different address, which raises the fraud score.
If a payment fails, check the billing address matches your statement exactly, then call the number on the back of your card and ask whether the transaction was blocked. Most are released immediately. Do not simply retry the payment repeatedly — repeated attempts stack authorisation holds and harden the block.
Tax, charges and authorisations
- Sales tax is calculated at checkout on the delivery address and shown before you pay.
- Hazardous materials handling, where it applies, is a separate line rather than a hidden markup.
- You see the complete total — goods, delivery, handling and tax — before you confirm.
- If we cancel an order for a compliance reason, the authorisation is released or refunded in full.
Why was my card declined?
Most often because your issuer flagged the merchant category, or the billing address did not match the one your bank holds. Check the address, then call your issuer. Avoid retrying repeatedly, as each attempt can leave a pending authorisation.
Do you store my card details?
No. Card data is handled by the payment processor over an encrypted connection and is not held on our servers. If you save a payment method, the processor stores it and we hold only a token.
Why is there a pending charge on a cancelled order?
An authorisation is placed when you order and released when we cancel. Banks usually clear a released authorisation within three to five business days.
Do you charge sales tax?
Yes, where required. It is calculated on the delivery address and shown at checkout before you pay.
About this page
This page describes our own payment handling. It names no card brand or processor that is not live at checkout.