Powerful Pistol Pepper Projectiles - Pepper Launcher Information and Comparisons
There's a lot of buzz about air-powered self-defense pistols that shoot pepper projectiles. These are essentially self-defense weapons that use compressed air to fire paintball-like projectiles made from hard plastic. Instead of being filled with marking paint, they are filled with powdered chemical irritants (OC, PAVA, and CS Tear Gas). The chemical mix varies on the projectile brand, but all of them are similar to those found in pepper spray. They generally come in three calibers: .43, .50, and .68. The largest, .68 is the most common paintball caliber, but generally this follows other air-powered gun calibers.
We're going to discuss three of the biggest brands out there for the consumer less lethal self-defense market. Here in 2024, these items are extremely difficult to find. We tend to run out of them (especially Byrna products) as soon as we get them in stock, so if you're thinking about buying one and can't find it on our site, feel free to email us at support@harfordarmory and we'll make sure to put you on the wait list for the model you want.
Although the ingredients and ultimately the effects are very similar, pepper projectiles are different than pepper spray. Aside from the pepper spray containers you're used to seeing, several brands make "guns" that shoot pepper spray, gel, or powder. Sabre makes a really nice one that shoots pepper gel. Kimber also makes the PepperBlaster II, which adds some range (advertised at 13') and reduces problems associated with aerosols. The big advantages of a projectile pistol are range and capacity. A pepper "ball" projectile can travel 60-150' with decent ballistic performance (depending on what it's shot from - the pistols here perform well at 50-60'), where a pepper spray or gel, such as the Sabre Pepper Gel Gun is only good up to 15' at the very most, and that's likely a stretch. The civilian model Tasers we carry, the Taser Bolt and Taser X1, both have a maximum range of 15'.
Another factor with pepper spray is wind and resulting backspray. If you spray an attacker who is 10' away into the wind, you are more likely to hit yourself more than your target. This is why many police departments switched to pepper gel or pepper foam. If basic pepper spray is what you're looking for, we recommend gel over spray and practicing with an inert unit in advance of carrying it. The Sabre Pepper Gel with Training Unit is our preferred option and it's the same type of gel that many police officers carry.
It's reasonable to ask if this range is really needed in a self-defense situation. Most self-defense situations are up close and personal, so range is not as much of a factor for the consumer market as it is for a law-enforcement stand off where they are trying to avoid lethal force. If you are defending against multiple attackers, this is where range and ammo capacity start to factor in.
Here are my top four pepper launchers for consumers:
- Byrna SD (.68 caliber)
- Umarex Prepared2Protect Pepper Pistol (.50 caliber)
- Streetwise the Heat Pepper Launcher (.50 caliber)
- Sabre Home Defense Pepper Projectile Launcher (.68 caliber)
It's important to check your local laws before ordering or carrying any of these. Some states, such as California and New York, do not allow pepper projectiles for consumers. You can still order a "kinetic" version of the Byrna that shoots rubber or hard plastic projectiles, but they don't have the same incapacitating ability of the chemical versions.
Each of these has some distinct advantages and disadvantages. We'll discuss this more in our videos, but here are the basics. We're going to assume that you will only use the name brand projectiles that go with the pistol. They will likely have no problem firing another brand of quality projectiles of the same caliber, but it does usually void the manufacturer's warranty and it's not worth the risk of jamming in a self-defense situation.
Streetwise the Heat Pepper Launcher:
The Heat is one of the least expensive options, but it has comes with some really nice features. The kit comes with three kinds of. 50 caliber projectiles: Rubber, "Quicksilver" metal filled balls, and live Pepper version. In terms of a kinetic (non-chemical) option, the quicksilver seems like it would be the hardest hitting. We'll put that theory to the test in a future video.
The Heat has an advertised range of 60' and is lightweight with a good feel to it. A Hogue Rubber Pistol Sleeve would improve the grip feel, but it's feels pretty good out of the box. It's about the size of a full frame semi-auto like a Glock 17. Unlike the others, it is not magazine fed. It holds 6 rounds in a tube underneath the barrel. It uses standard 12G CO2 cylinders (it comes with Crossman brand), which is a benefit.
When you carry a CO2 powered pistol, you want it to be stored safely, but ready to shoot. The cylinder needs to be pierced for it to fire, but once pierced it can slowly leak away pressure. So you don't want to pierce it until you're ready to shoot. Streetwise has a solution to that. You screw in the cylinder like a normal CO2 pistol, but it doesn't puncture the cylinder and pressurize until you push up on the screw at the bottom of the grip. It's a simple and quick action you can perform under pressure, but I'm not sure how easy it is to puncture by accident while you're carrying it or holding it. It does have an indicator to let you know if it's pressurized, and it features a two-part trigger safety to prevent accidental firing much like many semi-auto pistols do. This is a plus that the others don't have.
The caliber could be a positive if range is what you're going for, but more likely it's a negative since it's tube fed and only holds 6 rounds. The .50 caliber projectiles may have more velocity but they don't have the punch of the larger ones. They also don't hold nearly as much chemical as the others do. The cloud that forms from a pepper projectile hit is what stops attackers, so a larger projectile is going to carry a whole lot more pepper.
Because it's not magazine fed, reloading under pressure is unlikely with this model. At this time it only comes in black, so if you want it to look like a real pistol, you're in luck. If you're looking for a safety orange/yellow version, they don't make one but Umarex has a similar one with an orange top. On the positive, there's nothing else to buy for this model aside from ammunition and CO2. Some models, such as the Byrna have lots and lots of other options.
This model performed well in our tests, exceeding 400 fps with a .50 projectile. It was accurate and hard-hitting. It did seem to leak some gas from the CO2 cylinder.
If you're serious about a self-defense pepper projectile pistol, Byrna is the premium pick. It's more compact than other models, fires .several types of .68 projectiles, and has a comfortable rubber grip. It has lots of options, including an upgraded version called the Law Enforcement (LE) model (pictured below), and several add-ons that can upgrade the SD version to make it similar. The biggest downside of the Byrna is cost. It's more than twice as much as the other models shown here and the projectiles and accessories are more expensive as well. That said, it's still less expensive than a comparable firearm and not a bad deal for the quality and range of options.
The Byrna SD is magazine fed and comes with two magazines. So tactical reloading is an option with Byrna. It uses 8g CO2 cartridges, which I count as a negative. These are a tad harder to find and more expensive, but that's not a major factor. However, there's another option. You can add on the "Boost Adapter" which extends the length slightly, but more importantly it allows you to use standard 12g CO2 cartridges for more punch and more rounds. The LE version already has the adapter integrated so it takes 12g CO2 out of the box. Unlike the other models, the CO2 cylinder goes below the barrel and not in the handle. The magazines are just for ammo, much like a regular pistol.
So why is being magazine fed so important? Reloading quickly is the obvious answer, but it also allows you interchange ammunition types. If you keep it loaded with kinetic projectiles, you can swap out a magazine to quickly to pop in the pepper. The kit comes with two magazines, but you can buy more Byrna magazines just like a regular pistol.
The coolest Byrna feature (in my opinion) is the auto-piercing trigger. I mentioned before that each CO2 cartridge has to be pierced to pressurize the pistol. In the Byrna model, pulling the trigger pierces the cylinder. No need to twist a screw in the handle or even slap the bottom of the magazine. It's a super easy, reliable method for controlling the CO2 into the unit so it's always ready to go by simply pulling the trigger. As far as I've found, this feature is unique to Byrna. It also has an indicator on top to let you know if a round is loaded.
The all black model certainly looks like a real pistol, but if you'd prefer a "safer" color, there's an orange model available. There's also a tan color for the SD. It comes with a standard thumb safety, which works just like a pistol. The magazine release is also very much like a semi-auto pistol.
If you live in a state where pepper projectiles are banned, Byrna is the only model that comes in a full kit you can buy. All of the other kits come with pepper projectiles and cannot be shipped to states where they are banned. They have Universal and Kinetic kits that come with three kinds of projectiles, all of which are legal in CA and NY according to Byrna. The Byrna pepper projectiles come in some of the kits, but they can also be purchased separately in tubes of five or a jar of 25. Byrna also makes a "Max" projectile with a proprietary pepper and tear gas blend that boasts higher dispersion and effectiveness.
All models have some form of practice ammo, but Byrna includes (and sells separately) "Eco Projectiles" that look to me like hard clay. These are less expensive to use for practice and biodegradable.
The Byrna SD Kinetic Kit (with Boost Adapter and added pepper projectiles where legal) is my overall top pick. It's the highest quality product, has the most options, is reloadable, fires the most powerful projectiles, and is the most compact and comfortable for me.
We've tested the Byrna SD and Byrna LE several times in our range. The LE uses the larger 12g CO2 cylinder and packs a bit more punch because of it. The SD with an 8g cylinder exceeded the stated 280 fps with a .68 projectile. It feels good to shoot and functions smoothly. Our only complaint on the Byrna was accuracy. At 35' it was not as accurate as the other models, but after some additional testing I think it was our lack of familiarity with the longer trigger pull (because of the piercing mechanism most likely). After some practice, all of us who shot it quickly became fairly accurate. It's still worth mentioning, because we had no accuracy issues with the other models directly out of the box.
Sabre Home Defense Pepper Projectile Launcher
If you're looking for a purely home defense option, the Sabre SL-P1C is a solid choice. I'm not sure how much clean up would be required if you shoot pepper balls in your house (I'm not testing that out), but it definitely can give you piece of mind without the responsibilities of having a firearm in the house. It uses the common 12g CO2 cylinders and fires the larger .68 caliber projectiles. It comes with two types of projectiles - pepper and inert practice ammo. I'm not sure why they didn't make a kinetic option, since in my opinion home defense is the place for rubber or hard projectiles. It should be able to fire other brand projectiles if you're willing to void the warranty.
The Sabre launcher is magazine fed, where the projectiles and CO2 are loaded into the magazine. This makes it theoretically easy to reload, but there are a couple of problems. The first is you need to put a CO2 cylinder in each magazine. The Sabre does not have an auto-piercing function like the Byrna, and no shortcut like the Umarex and Streetwise. You have to put a final twist on the screw at the bottom in order to puncture the cylinder and pressurize the unit. For home defense this is ok, but it's not suitable for a tactical or self-defense situation.
Back to reloading, if you do find a spare magazine for it (We've been unable to locate any compatible spare magazines at this point, but I do believe they exist), you could theoretically have different projectile types, but you'd need a CO2 cylinder in each, and you'd need to manually twist each one to pressurize it. Since it's a home defense only weapon in my estimation, you could theoretically leave it pressurized but that carries more risks than benefits, especially if the cylinder leaks most of the pressure out. In that case, it will shoot without enough velocity to be effective.
The other "big" downside to the Sabre launcher is it's overall size. This thing is extremely large compared to other models. On the positive side, it feels surprisingly good in my hand despite the size. Those with smaller hands might have more problems with it. It's also only available in bright yellow, so there's no mistaking this thing for a firearm (but please don't test that theory). It has a grip safety similar to a 1911 pistol, which is a nice feature to prevent accidental firing.
In terms of price, this Sabre pepper launcher is on the less expensive end. It costs slightly more than the Streetwise and Umarex but less than half what the Bryna costs.
Sabre makes an interesting pitch in their literature and videos about their pepper pistol (and really any .68 pepper pistol). You get the 60' range, but you don't even have to hit your target directly. Just being close is going to create a nasty cloud of irritant that will ruin the next 45 minutes of his or her life. That said, from law enforcement experience testing with this type of weapon, hitting the target is far, far more effective but if you hit something nearby and at approximately the same range as your target you will still get effects.
In our testing of the Sabre we were very impressed with the accuracy and feel of this model. It fired at 290 fps with a .68 projectile and was the most accurate of everything we fired. The sights are nice and though it's an extremely large pistol, it felt good when we fired it. The CO2 cylinder is part of the magazine, so it does expel one shot's worth of CO2 when you take the magazine out to reload.
Umarex Prepared2Protect Pepper Pistol:
Umarex is a well known name is CO2 powered air guns. They make a wide variety of BB and pellet guns that closely resemble actual firearms. Make no mistake, their Pepper Pistol may be orange but it is definitely not a toy. This model is remarkably similar to the Streetwise, so most things in terms of how it loads and operates are the same.
It features the same under-barrel tube feed and the same CO2 mechanism that you can tighten and puncture only when you're ready to shoot by slapping the bottom of the screw (where the magazine would be). It also has the same multipart trigger safety and a pressure indicator just below the sight to let you know it's ready to fire.
The main difference is design. It's only available with an orange "slide" and black lower. The design is a little sleeker and the grip is contoured, making it feel nicer than the Heat. This one doesn't really need a grip sleeve on it in my opinion. Much like the Heat, it has fake magazine and slide releases that are purely for aesthetics. Pretty much everything else is exactly the same as the Streetwise Heat, except.. the price. The Umarex comes in slightly cheaper, but it only comes with two types of ammo (rubber and pepper), a cleaning rod, and no CO2. 
I wasn't sure what to expect of the Umarex before we tested it. The contoured grip felt great in my hands, though not quite as nice at the rubber Byrna. It was accurate and functioned a bit more smoothly than the Streetwise model. Much like "the Heat," it exceeded 400 fps with a .50 projectile. We did not have any issues with CO2 leaking on this model.
I didn't include it in this review, but Umarex also makes a compact version of the Prepared 2 Protect (P2P) Pepper Pistol (that's a mouthful) called the P2P HDP 50 Compact. As the name says it's really just a compact version. It loads in a similar manner, except that you have to pull down on the trigger guard to get to the loading tube. The compact one uses 8g CO2 like the Byrna instead of 12g. It's definitely not the prettiest of gun designs, but it is much more compact than the full size version, and it only holds 4 rounds instead of 6. Both models come with 10 pepper balls and 10 rubber ball ammo, but for some reason only the compact comes with CO2 cylinders (3x 8g). 
I took the P2P full size and sat it on top of the Streetwise Heat, and likewise put the Byrna SD on top of the PDP Compact to give a better idea of sizes. You'll see they match fairly closely in size, except I'd say the Byrna grip is slightly longer and to me feels much nicer than the PDP Compact.
All of the models (except the Umarex P2P Compact) have a picatinny rail for mounting a weapon light such as the Nextorch WL14 500 lumen Weapon Light or a laser. This is definitely recommended if you'll be using it at night so you can see your target and ideally blind them at the same time.
One thing you'll notice - these are not toys and they do not have orange tips indicating they are "toy" guns. There are color options in the Byrna (Black, Tan, and Orange/Black), but the all black one looks like a regular handgun (aside from the huge .68 caliber muzzle). These are serious business. If you point any of these at a police officer (or anyone else carrying a firearm), you can expect a lethal response.
Bottom line - should you get a pepper launcher for self-defense? I think the answer is a solid yes, as long as you plan to practice and formulate a plan for when to use it versus other tools. Less lethal weapons are never going to be as effective as firearms. But if you live in a house with children or you simply do not want to own/use a firearm, then this is an interesting option. It's also a really good first line of defense when you have a firearm, but want to start with a less permanent option. Note that you will have a lot of clean up to do if you fire pepper projectiles in a confined area.
It's important to note that self-defense weapons, including pepper launchers should never be used for the "intimidation factor." It is unsafe to brandish a weapon without the intent of using it. It's possible that such a move may work in some situations, but it also could backfire. Reluctance to use a weapon once presented is more likely to escalate the situation and potentially have the weapon turned against the defender. If you have to pull it, be ready to use it. I'm sure none of my readers need to be reminded, but while it is legal to carry in most states, there are laws to increase sentences for using such a weapon to commit a crime.
In my opinion, the pepper launcher is a great option for defense at range. But, range is not really the most important factor in personal self-defense. It can come into play in home defense though. Self-defense situations tend to close range extremely fast. If you can get out of pepper spray range, then you can probably just run away (and you'd be far safer to just run away) unless multiple attackers are present. If you want to get some range (up to 15') I still think the Taser Bolt 2 is a more reliable option in the same price range as the Byrna, but it only gives you the one shot (it is reloadable but not in a self-defense situation).
If you aren't able to use the pepper projectiles for legal or other reasons, these can be used a kinetic deterrent. But keep in mind, it's just a deterrent. It's not going to be enough to stop a determined attacker. In terms of the pain factor, it's really not much different than a BB or pellet pistol. The difference is with larger projectiles, it's much less likely you'll break the skin. The worst theoretical injury I can think of from these is getting shot in the eye. They definitely could do permanent damage to the eye, such as detaching the retina and/or causing blindness.
Note: The only kit that can be sold to states where pepper/chemical projectiles are illegal is the Byrna Kinetic or Universal. Umarex has a kit that only includes rubber and inert rounds, but we do not carry that model. Harford Armory is working on offering other brand kits for sale in states where the pepper projectiles are not allowed by removing the pepper ammo that cannot ship to the state.
The original product that started the pepper projectile trend was PepperBall®, built for law enforcement less-lethal use. It became a longer range alternative to the Taser for those trained. The PepperBall company has a line of consumer products as well, but we're going to stick with the more mainstream ones in this review. There are some other brands out there such as Lancer Tactical that we have not yet tested.
Stay safe out there.