FAQ’s

No. The Byrna SD is powered by compressed CO₂ cartridges, just like a paintball or airsoft gun.

We currently do not ship Byrna products to Hawaii, New York City (5-Boroughs and Yonkers), Washington D.C., and Portland, OR. For more information see Shipping Restrictions.

We recommend that you always check state and local regulations relating to CO₂ powered launchers and pepper self-defense products before traveling with your Byrna. If you are unsure you can check with the local police department. For air travel questions see below.

The Byrna is roughly the size of a compact 9mm handgun. We sell tactical holsters that have been custom designed to comfortably hold your Byrna as well as nylon holsters designed for compact 9mm handguns. Please see the Product Spec Sheet for more info.

All of our chemical irritant projectiles are very effective. The one you order will depend on your ship-to destination as we are not able to ship all chemical irritant projectiles to all destinations at this time. See Shipping Restrictions for further information.

See Safety Data Sheets for chemical content of the Byrna Max projectiles and the Byrna Pepper projectiles for more info.

You would have to ship to a destination that is not restricted. Please contact customer service at info@tetelestaidefense.com if you have any questions. We do not offer legal advice. Each customer is responsible for checking the laws in his or her own area before purchasing any products as state, county, and local regulations may vary. If you are unsure of the laws in your area, please seek legal counsel.

No. The Byrna is much more powerful than a paintball gun and will cause the paintball to rupture upon firing. This will permanently damage the Byrna. For this reason, you should not use the Byrna for paintball and using it with incompatible non-Byrna projectiles or CO₂ canisters may void your warranty.

No. The Byrna should never be pointed or fired at the head, neck or back. When it is empty the force of the gas at close range, could cause serious injury or death.

The Byrna is currently offered only in the U.S., South Africa, Puerto Rico and Canada. Please visit our South African website www.byrna.africa if you are interested in placing an order for delivery in South Africa.
Please visit our Canadian website www.byrna.ca if you are interested in placing an order for delivery in Canada.

We are looking to expand worldwide. Please subscribe to our mailing list at the bottom of the page and check back with us regularly to find out where else the Byrna is offered. For dealer and distributor inquiries outside the U.S., please contact international@byrna.com

The Byrna is available in a number of colors including Safety Orange. The Byrna is intended for self-defense in situations where police are not present to offer assistance and should not be drawn when police or armed security personnel are present. Byrnas are not equipped with an orange tip to identify them as toys because they are not toys, and we do not sell to anyone under 18.

Use of the Byrna offensively or in furtherance of a crime is illegal and may subject you to civil and criminal penalties, including incarceration.

You should never draw your Byrna in the presence of a police officer acting in his professional capacity or you may be shot.

We recommend you check individual airline and airport regulations as well as TSA rules (all of which are subject to change) before traveling with your Byrna. Several domestic airline carriers allow you to carry an unloaded Byrna, or similar launcher like a paintball or airsoft gun, in checked luggage.

Most airlines do not permit the transport of CO₂ cartridges or self-defense rounds, so we recommend ordering them to be delivered to your intended destination before traveling by air.

When traveling by air, you can print out and adhere or include in your luggage the TSA Regulation for Compressed Air Guns

Byrna SD Launchers are powered by 8-gram Byrna CO₂ cartridges. There is no standard size among suppliers so we recommend you use Byrna brand cartridges which may be purchased from our online store. Use of non-conforming cartridges may compromise your Byrna’s performance and may damage your Byrna, voiding your warranty.

Byrna CO₂ cartridges have a virtually indefinite shelf life. The cartridge is not pierced until the trigger is pulled so you can always keep an un-punctured CO₂ cartridge in your Byrna to maximize its utility for self-defense. The Byrna incorporates puncture technology to allow it to fire on the first trigger pull. We recommend loading a new CO₂ cartridge after every sustained use of the Byrna because once the cartridge is punctured CO₂ will leak out over a 24-hour period.

A single Byrna 8 gram CO2 cartridge should consistently fire 15 – 20 projectiles. The Byrna 12 gram CO2 cartridge should consistently fire 25 – 30 projectiles.

Yes. Please refer to the Operating Manual.  Relying on a tool for your protection means you need to assure that tool stays properly taken care of, and one of the great parts about the Byrna launchers is how easy they are to maintain. Here is a short BYRNA PRO TIP video that explains how to maintain your launcher with our oiler and brush kit: https://byrna.com/blogs/byrna-nation/byrna-pro-tip-launcher-maintenance.

The Byrna is currently available in Safety Orange, Desert Tan, Black, Grey, Bright Yellow and Pink. Colors not shown on the site may be special ordered.  Please contact customer service at  info@tetelestaidefense.com

No. Byrna projectiles are manufactured for use with Byrna Launchers pursuant to our specifications. Third party rounds are not tested for use with the Byrna and may not match our specifications or be as effective. Non-Byrna rounds may break inside the magazine or barrel or get stuck and void your warranty.

Byrna Chemical Irritant Projectiles are constructed to break on impact so a puffy jacket, loose clothing or anything that partially absorbs the force of that impact can make them less effective. The Byrna can be aimed to impact the ceiling above the target, the wall next to the target or a nearby tree if they present a more accessible point of impact. Here is a short Byrna Pro Tip video where we discuss your options for shot placement during encounters where impacting someone directly may not be your best option, or not an option at all: https://byrna.com/blogs/byrna-nation/byrna-pro-tip-shot-placement.

Byrna launchers were developed for home defense but can be handy for an outdoor lifestyle. The launcher itself is not affected by cold weather, but the temperature of the CO2 cannister can affect its performance. If your launcher or CO2 cannister had been left in a very cold environment for an extended period of time the cannister’s internal pressure can drop which will reduce the speed of the projectile and the force of the impact. In the case of a partially used CO2 cannister, the cold can reduce the firing force to a point where the projectile may not fire or burst on impact.
If you have a problem with your launcher in cold weather we recommend that you remove the CO2 cannister and clear the breach of any projectiles according to the instructions in your operations manual, load a fresh CO2 cartridge that is at room temperature, and try again.

To prevent problems related to cold or frozen CO2 cartridges we recommend:
1. Storing your loaded launcher and CO2 cartridges at room temperature;
2. Not leaving CO2 cannisters or loaded Byrna launchers in your glove box or outside for an extended period when the weather is below freezing; and
3. Carrying your launcher and your spare CO2 cartridges under a jacket or vest and in close contact with your body when carrying Byrna Launchers outside in winter conditions.

These precautions will reduce the risk that pressure in your cartridge will drop below the level needed for effective operation.