A Byrna shoots a round projectile, .68 caliber on the SD, EP and LE and .61 on the CL, propelled by CO2 to an effective range of about 60 feet. There are four projectile types, and what the launcher does to a person depends entirely on which one you loaded. This guide explains each round, what it does on impact, and how to think about choosing.
The four rounds
Kinetic
A hard polymer ball. On impact it delivers a sharp, painful blow, comparable to a hard paintball hit or worse, enough to bruise, to break skin at close range, and to make most people stop and reconsider. It is the baseline defensive round and it is legal everywhere the launcher is.
Eco-Kinetic
A biodegradable practice round, cheaper, for training. Same flight, softer impact. Use these to learn the launcher; it is the round most owners never buy and should.
Pepper
A shell filled with OC (oleoresin capsicum) that bursts on impact and releases an irritant cloud. It causes burning eyes, coughing, and difficulty seeing and breathing for a period of minutes. It does not have to hit the person: a burst against a wall or the ground near them still works. Sold separately, not in every state.
Max
Byrna's strongest chemical round, a higher-concentration OC and CS blend for maximum effect from a single hit. Same rules as Pepper.
What it does to a person
A kinetic hit hurts and deters. A chemical hit incapacitates for minutes. Neither is designed to cause lasting injury, and both can if the round strikes an eye or the face at close range. Byrna and the industry call these launchers less-lethal, not non-lethal: a hard projectile at close range or to the eye can injure someone, and a Byrna deserves the same handling rules as a firearm. The point of a Byrna is to create distance and time, not to win a fight.
Which to load
Most owners carry chemical rounds if legal where they live, because the cloud works on a miss, and keep kinetic rounds where chemical ones are not allowed. Practice with Eco-Kinetic. Keep magazines covered with a mag cover so the rounds you chose are the rounds that are in there.
Frequently asked questions
What caliber is a Byrna?
.68 on the SD, EP and LE; .61 on the CL.
Does a Byrna shoot pepper balls?
Yes, Pepper and Max chemical rounds, sold separately where legal.
Can a Byrna break skin?
A kinetic round at close range can.
Are the rounds interchangeable between models?
Between SD, EP and LE, yes. The CL's .61 rounds are their own size.
How much does a Byrna hit hurt?
Like a hard paintball hit or worse. Enough to stop most people.
The bottom line
Kinetic to hurt, chemical to incapacitate, Eco-Kinetic to practice. Choose by your state's law and carry the launcher in a holster that covers the trigger.
Related reading
How does a Byrna work?
Does the Byrna actually work?
Byrna magazine holders and covers
