So I've been on the fence for so long with the Byrna, but this review has definitely put me over the edge. And now that I've made the decision to get it, now I won't be able to wait for its arrival! Great review...thank you for your work and efforts.
Great review! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and showing the differences in capabilities. Honestly, I was expecting them to do a little more with the sights, I would love to see Glock sights come on the next model. The trigger pull seems very impressive. Thanks again. I know how expensive it is to review these for everyone else in the non-lethal community. We absolutely appreciate everything you do.
Best LE video to date and yours didn’t malfunction like some I have seen. I was worried it may have been smoke and mirrors regarding the fps increase but there you have it. Consistency was something to be desired. Curious to see if it improves after some more launching. Waiting to get my hands on one right meow.
I was actually surprised the FPS was higher than stated, my SD never hit the 300 claimed FPS! That was only the second time I shot it when I made this video so hopefully the shot string will settle down? They stopped sending them out within a day or two of the release do to out of spec parts so I’m thinking that is why I had to wait 6 weeks after purchasing to receive. Thank for watching!!!
First round pepper, rounds 2 and 3 kinetic then the rest pepper. Seems like the best eay to do it since the 2nd shot seems to be the stringest sfter you pierce. I would like a consistent 30 joules even if it used an entire CO2 cartridge.
Loved your review of the LE. Not sure if I like the white line iron sights, but they do draw your eye. Did you even review the Hi Viz model with the glowing sights? It's interesting to use as you can see where you're pointing the Byrna in the dark which is a nice feature for those of us who are a little older, and they actually help during the day by drawing your eye for better shot placement like the white sights on the LE.
Great review, thank you. However I'm pretty underwhelmed by the performance. It's certainly much better. However I do feel that if Umarex made a .68 version of the HDP50, it would likely be half the price, and with limited fiddling have more power. Since buying my HDP50, my HD with Boost adapter has been pretty much a paperweight.
If your shooting at a downwards angle over a chrony. Your readings will be slower. You need to shoot level over a chrony. The moment you change angle over chrony. Your increasing the travel distance of projectile between the 2 points. Although small remember the chrony total measure distance is already small.
This was an excellent review. And really important for people relying on them for self defense. Because the first piercing shot is extremely underpowered and the second shot is drastically more powerful I would probably carry a Chemical round loaded first followed by a kinetic. This would be optimal and the best way to carry it. The down side would be not having a strong kinetic round as a first shot. Sometimes an assailant may be to close and a Chemical round for a first shot may wind up contaminating you as the the shooter. Especially if in a small confined area. I’m wondering could you do a test where you keep it on safe. Pull the trigger to engage Co2 and then fire the first round to see if it comes out at 23joules. I must say I am a little disappointed with Byrna in general. They are charging $479 for this new launcher. And the average is 13 joules for the first magazine. As compared to the average of 9 joules. For the SD model. It’s honestly not a monumental difference. Only 4 joules. One only gets 23 joules for one shot. Shame on Byrna. I can’t see justifying paying that price difference. I purchased a new HD model for $240 on EBay and get a consistent 280-299 fps. Around 10-11 joules for the first magazine. The consistency seems to be much better on the HD and SD. That being said. I really feel after seeing this test the new PE is a complete waste of money because one would always be forced to have an very under powered first shot. All the time. At least the new LE, SD, or older HD gives you the option. The new LE and SD giving 4-6 joules on the first shot is insulting. It’s equal to that of a T4E .43 marker
I just put up a short video last night and engaged the C02 before firing and the first shot was 433 fps. In their defense they only claim 340 fps and in this test 3 out of 7 shots were above the 340 mark. Of course this varies on temperature and C02 canister. I’m also wondering it was more powerful would the chemical round burst in the marker? I guess it comes down to if the extra 100 fps and a little lighter trigger pull is worth it for the money? Thanks for taking the time to watch it is appreciated!
@@airgunnerreviews7888 yes it really was a great review. I’m going to watch the other video your talking about. I’m not sure if the Byrna Chemical rounds will burst. I know the Ones I shot out of the fully modified Hdr/Hdp had no issues. But they are a different shell. Byrna Chemical rounds are kinda famous for just cracking. I think Duke Defense rounds are really the best for a .68 cal. But I think it be really awesome if you could get some Byrna inert rounds do a safe video with the new LE. I’m sure people would really benefit from that. Thanks again and keep up the great work! 👍
I will do a test with the inert thanks! I have also had chemical rounds crack in the magazine so I make sure the first round is kinetic and I try not to load and unload the magazine. I will look up Duke defense thanks for the info!
I had the same issue with the safety on my SDXL model, it felt as though it was stuck, so much that I was afraid to force it in fear I would damage the mechanism. I called Byrna twice, explained my issue and was told ibwould get a call back. Unfortunately, I never received a call back. This was a brand new unit too, so you would think I'd get a call back asap. I believe they are just growing so fast that their customer service is lacking.
I own a Byrna HD that I bought mostly for backyard plinking, but I rarely use it because the trigger pull is so atrociously bad. I'd love to be able to retrofit the improved trigger system or trade-in on an LE. Byrna, are you listening?
Maybe you can do a trigger job on it like a conventional pistol. At the very least, try lubing it up on the internal surfaces, I found my trigger pull to be no worse than a striker-fired pistol. Also, since the trigger pull also brings the barrel backwards, rubber rounds will add friction. Try using the hard nylon ones to see if that helps, or coat the rubber ones with 100% silicon oil.
Knowing someone is trying to break into your home call police and having a Byrna if they get in and time for a reality check , Byrna or gun . How much liability are you willing to accept?
I totally agree if they’re breaking into your home! But if I get into a heated argument and someone starts getting aggressive you can’t kill them, this is where this could come in handy.
Im considering a bryna because I wanted to do a road trip. But if someone breaks into my car to try and steal my stuff I can't legally shoot them with a real gun.
i just looked on the website and saw that it is only giving you 5 rounds of each ammo type with it, why would it do that when it comes with 7 round magazines
Yes I would still recommend a Byrna! However the pepper rounds are legal if you live anywhere in upstate NY just not in the city such as Manhattan, Brooklyn etc. most companies are not allowed to ship to NY but perfectly legal to carry. Completely stupid I know! Here is a link to a company you can purchase from, www.selfdefenseproducts.com/byrna-max-projectiles/
@@airgunnerreviews7888 I live in Long Island, they can ship me anything but the pepper. They make it almost impossible to defend yourself… thank you for the recommendation and feedback
I actually prefer the ConfortTac belly band (Amazon) it is not as fast to draw but more comfortable for myself anyway. It sits a little higher on the waist and is more comfortable when sitting down. Don’t buy the new hard shell holster from Byrna I did a review on that and it is not concealable. The belly band requires a row of stitches removed with a razor blade, takes less than a minute!
The deviation in short averages out the inconsistencies of the FPS within the string of shots The spread is the highest FPS compared to the lowest fps. example: 300 fps high shot down to 180 fps = 120 fps spread
Something’s not right with that LE numbers should not go from low to high back low to high had that same issue with a SD there’s possibly a bad spring in it I’d send it in and have them check it out
I hope only the good guys have this stuff. It may be that weapons are changing direction fast. Seeing even compound slingshots! Deadly force though! I was wondering if it's safe to launch a pepper ball from a slingshot pouch. You wouldn't want to break that ball open in your face!
You don’t think you can squeeze one and have it break open and I remember a video here where a guy took a pair of pliers to break it open as an experiment.
@@airgunnerreviews7888 What happened? I would never pinch the ball but rather just in front of it. Just not sure if a slingshot would have enough energy to cause it to break on a bad guy.
Sorry I’m not up to speed on slingshots! But I think the ammo for a slingshot is around 3/8” and you can pinch in the front but a 68 cal. is much larger of a projectile so you could be squeezing it. You bring up a real good point and I have an old slingshot someplace in my shed I will have to get out and test, it will make an interesting video to see if a powder filled training round breaks on impact. Stay tuned!
I really liked the Gavle it is powerful and very accurate but I had to return it because it was plagued with problems, it kept blowing 0-rings and the firing bolt would not reset when it ran out of C02. Also harder to find the larger capacity threaded C02 that doesn’t break the bank. I’m hoping the 1.5 version has corrected these issues but I haven’t seen any videos as of yet suggesting these issues have been 100% corrected.
@@airgunnerreviews7888 Ah good to know!! Thank you for that. Those are important factors that require fixing. I have been in contact with them because my only concern until this point is the protruding CO2 cartridge with the 1.5 version plus the lack of not having a magazine like the Byrna. I have the Byrna SD XL and like it so I was considering the LE version until I came across the Gavle 1.5. The response I received from Grimburg is that they are most likely going to have the magazine option with the next released however it will be a long time whatever that timeframe means. I did receive a marketing email that they are almost out of the 1.5 Gavle but will be producing more so there will be a backorder on them. I hear the FSC is good too with power and that has the magazine option. I might go that way for now until the next version of Gavle comes out when all bugs are fixed.
That’s the same thinking I had but the LE model barrel is one piece and goes straight into the boost, so you can take the boost off but the barrel will stick out! I did try an 8 gram C02 using a filler piece in the air tube and there was both a loss of power and shot count!
My cousin said there is someone handing you off another byrna because one shot was more than the 3rd or 4th and it should have been less.....is he wrong?
Byrna replaced my original Byrna LE after repair because it was very inconsistent, unfortunately the second LE failed and needed repair and after receiving it there is a 100 fps drop between the first and second shot.
In this video I am comparing my Byrna SD that has the Byrna boost attached so it is the same as the Byrna SD XL in this configuration. The LE has much more power, lighter trigger pull and better sights.
@@airgunnerreviews7888 ...I guess I was hoping the SDXL was just as good as the LE because honestly, I have no idea how long I'll be on the waiting list for the LE, so I was just gonna buy the SDXL since they are available for purchase now. But after your response, I'm just gonna wait for the LE. I've been on the list for a bit now, so hopefully im getting close. I just wanna let you know I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me and your reviews are awesome. Thanks again sir.
I don't know why Byrna even bothered with a safety with trigger pulls like that I never use my safety it's alredy safe the only need I may have is if I felt a threat was emanant and wanted my launcher reedy but didn't want to draw attention
That is a hard decision! The chemical round’s definitely makes a much better self defense weapon. However the first 1 to 2 full shots are over 20 joules so it can buy you some time and it comes down to how motivated is the attacker. Umarex offers a few good markers you can modify for more power but are less compact and have to have a little more time to push the C02 bulb and like NY I don’t think you can legally carry metal or lead rounds. A good face shot with the Byrna would definitely hurt and law enforcement is familiar with it as a self defense weapon so less likely to get charged depending on the situation. Stay safe!
I will assume you mean the chemical rounds since the kinetic projectiles don’t break? After reading your comment I took a Byrna training round (powder filled) and threw it against the side of my shed and it broke so it doesn’t take much! I just put a video up called “How to keep Byrna chemical rounds from breaking in launcher”. This is a common problem they are pretty fragile!
I'm wondering if your comparison is apple to apple meaning are both Launchers equipped with the 12 gram CO2 Canister? I didn't catch if you said it or not. Thanks!
@Air Gunner Reviews . Thank you. What makes the LE create more Joules with the same 12 gram CO2 Canister. I'm just trying to understand the process how its abke to del7ver more power. Is the LE and SD or HD the same size in length? 👍👍😁😁
You are correct the minimum would be 216 if you use the pierce and shoot option which is about 1/2 the power however if you leave the pistol on safety for the first shot it would have had much higher results and the minimum would be closer to the 249 on the last shot. Mostly I will say I miss spoke when I said it! I recorded this a while ago so I would have to go back and rewatch but I’m thinking it was an honest mistake and my old age! 😎
True stopping power is reserved for a firearm but it will strongly deter a person from entering. I conceal carry the Byrna daily and keep a rifle handy at home as well as the Byrna.
The SD uses the 8 gram C02 and is more compact/lighter and the XL uses the 12 gram C02 which is easier and cheaper to get. The LE has considerably more power, a lighter trigger pull, better sights and also uses 12 gram C02.
Kindly go to the Byrna website and in the search box type SDXL and the model will come up and you will notice in the description “speeds up to 300fps” . The SD model also states “speeds up to 300fps”. The SDXL model gives you more shot capacity do to the 12 gram C02, and perhaps a little better accuracy do to the slightly longer barrel. The LE model states “up to 340 fps” however mine is shooting over 400 fps on all 3 times I have tested with the chronograph.
I too am in NYS. Whereabouts are you located? I am worried about the legality of owning one of these and using it for self defense and having an issue. What ammo are you allowed to use in NY?
I live between Saratoga Springs and Lake George, Byrna is 100% legal to carry here and although most companies are not allowed to ship chemical irritants it is legal to use for self defense. NY has the craziest laws!
@@airgunnerreviews7888 I live in the same area. Looking to get a launcher for self defense so your efforts are appreciated (I am a new subscriber). Do you travel out of state to get your irritants?
You can only legally carry either launcher with kinetic rounds and in my opinion makes the HDR less effective since you cannot use devastator type rounds. The Byrna can be carried legally with chemical rounds but you have to have the rounds shipped to a friend or family member outside of NY and pick them up. NY doesn’t believe in self defense!
@@airgunnerreviews7888 very interesting I live in NY ( update not city ) where is this stated in the law ? I agree with you 100 percent about the HDR. But I’ve never seen anything or heard of anything g the bands or restricts air guns in any way.
I’m glad you asked! Last year I extensively researched conceal carry laws for upstate NY and on the ny.gov I found an entire section regarding air guns and it specifically stated you could not conceal carry any type of bb or pellet gun/pistol. It also stated they must be unloaded when transporting. I was going to share that link here but I cannot find it! I sent a text to my neighbor who is a local deputy sheriff and he says it comes down to specific town and city ordinances. For instance I live in Saratoga county and can carry except within city limits (where I would need to carry the most). He used to work in Buffalo and they are completely banned for conceal carry. He also says it is up to the cop if he wants to charge you with possession of a loaded weapon where the laws are not specific to just gun powder. I will definitely need to do more research on this matter!
I have a Byrna SD with Boost attachment. Would that be considered a good item to use for self defense to stop an assailant because crime has rose so much in my city? The reason I have gotten a real firearm is because I do not want to take the life of the individual but mainly stop them and subdue them. Thank you
I'd say the byrna is pretty good, a friend of mine had a guy trying to attack him with a knife. 1 face shot from the byrna put the guy down on the sidewalk.
@@tha1355 thank you for the information! I have yet to use it on a individual but i have been hearing so many mixed reviews. I am glad I purchased this though. Do you have one too?
@@xxWASxxDARKSTAR yes I have 1 & so does my family members. I've taken shots from the kinetic round & the byrna max. Im 6'5 & 250 pounds. The kinetics hurt like hell & taking multiple shots will be a great deterant. The max chemical rounds put me down for about 25 minutes when timed. Couldn't see & my nasal passage was on fire
@@tha1355 thank you for sharing that! I will definitely be recommending this for my friends and family. What does your load out look like? Do you use pepper rounds first then kinetic?
Got my Bryna LE last week and have had the chance to shoot it a bit and it's not reliable at all unfortunately and I am returning mine. The launcher expels all the CO2 randomly, not matter how carefully you load it. Been happening to me after about 1 clip (7 shots) when I load the second clip, but it also has happened after a few shots from the first clip. Would not recommend this as a self defense tool, would not trust it. I am very disappointed as I waited months for this launcher to be delivered.
So sorry to hear! Byrna is really good about answering emails from my experience so hopefully they have a replacement if you’re still interested. I have owned the SD version since they came out and so far my LE has been very reliable as well. Unfortunately you got the Lemon!
@@airgunnerreviews7888 Just got an email from Byrna - I wrote a 3 star review based on my experience with their product. The took my review down and told me by email that they checked into my case and the Customer Service Team "resolved" my issue. I returned it for a refund. These guys are scamming the reviews.
It is an unboxing video to show viewers all angles of the launcher. There was NO C02 loaded, NO projectiles in the magazine or breech and never do you see my finger on the trigger.
The only time the pistol was pointed directly at me was when I was unboxing and showing what the sights looked like and I think 99.9% of the people watching understand the concept that if there is no C02 cartridge loaded in the pistol it is 100% safe! Unfortunately there are a few who lack the intelligence to understand this concept and have nothing better to do than watch RU-vid videos all day just to pick them apart.
No the LE doesn’t have the power of the FSC or Gavle, the use of chemical irritants do help. I do have an FSC and it is a powerhouse, I had the Gavle and shot it once and had to go back for repairs, I got it back after waiting weeks and again shot it a few times and had to go back so I traded it for my FSC. I do have a recent video testing the Grimburg 8 gram projectiles but they are too heavy for the LE. Thanks for watching!
@@airgunnerreviews7888 let me guess, after shooting the Gavle, all the air just sprayed out? I had to send my Gavle back, got it back and the same thing happened. I took it apart and changed the O ring to a milsig O ring, and haven’t had any issues since.
There were many issues with this one! The bolt was too tight and needed sanding the first time (so I was told) and I guess after it failed the second time it was the spring and you are also correct the milsig O-ring kept blowing apart also! I think he has worked it all out now, I’m glad yours is working correctly it is very accurate and a powerhouse!
