The Byrna LE has long been the step-up answer in Byrna’s .68 pistol lineup: a better trigger and more power than the SD for $100 more. Byrna’s newer Short Barrel LE changed that math. It carries the LE’s 4–6 lb trigger and valve assembly on 8g CO₂, which means the trigger is no longer exclusive to the full LE. So what the LE’s price actually buys now is its 12g power system: Byrna rates it at 41.9 J/in², about 40% above the SD’s 30. If that output is what you’re after, the LE is the strongest .68 pistol Byrna makes. If you mainly wanted the trigger, there’s now a cheaper way to get it.
The verdict: Buy the Byrna LE Universal Kit ($499.99) if you want the most power in a .68 Byrna pistol and you’re fine stocking 12g CO₂. It ships ready to shoot, with two magazines, CO₂, rounds, and a case. If value matters more than output, the SD kit ($399.99) is the better buy, and if the trigger was the main draw, look at the Short Barrel LE ($424.99). Neither the LE nor the SD is the smallest Byrna to carry.
How We Evaluated It
This review is built from Byrna’s LE, SD, Short Barrel LE, CL, and CL-XL product pages, Byrna’s CO₂ and accessory listings, authorized dealer listings, and recurring themes in owner feedback. Byrna doesn’t publish dimensions or weight for its pistols on these pages, so we compare them only by the size class Byrna assigns.
Byrna LE vs SD vs Short Barrel LE vs CL
These are the four Byrna pistols most buyers weigh against the LE.
| Spec | LE Kit | SD Kit | Short Barrel LE | CL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Byrna.com) | $499.99 | $399.99 | $424.99 sale | $549.99 |
| Caliber | .68 | .68 | .68 | .61 |
| CO₂ | 12g | 8g | 8g | 8g |
| Energy density | 41.9 J/in² | 30 J/in² | 33.1 J/in² | 41.9 J/in² |
| Velocity | 330 fps | 280 fps | 294 fps | 400 fps |
| Shots per CO₂ | 17 | 22 | 16 | 15 |
| Trigger pull | 4–6 lb | 6–8 lb | 4–6 lb | Not listed |
| Byrna size class | Mid-sized | Compact | Mid-sized | Compact |
| Ready to shoot out of the box | Yes | Yes | No (1 mag only) | Yes |
| Figures from Byrna.com at the time of writing. Byrna lists the LE, SD, and Short Barrel LE velocities as the average of the first 10 shots and the CL’s at room temperature. The CL fires a lighter .61 projectile, so its higher velocity doesn’t mean more energy; Byrna rates it level with the LE. | ||||
Choose the LE if you want the most output in Byrna’s .68 lineup, with a ready-to-shoot kit and the widest ammunition selection.
Choose the SD if value matters most. It costs $100 less, gets more shots per cartridge, and runs the same .68 rounds.
Choose the Short Barrel LE if you want the LE’s trigger on 8g CO₂ and don’t need the LE’s power. Our Short Barrel LE review covers that tradeoff.
Choose the CL if size comes first and you’ll accept a separate .61 ammunition supply.
In this review
Byrna LE Specs at a Glance
Energy density41.9 J/in²Highest .68 pistol rating
Velocity330 fpsAverage of first 10 shots
CO₂12g17 shots at room temperature
Caliber.68Kinetic, Pepper, MAX, training
Magazine5 roundsTwo in the kit
Trigger4–6 lbRedesigned straight trigger
Effective range60 ftByrna rating
AccessoriesPicatinny railLight or laser
The Universal Kit includes the launcher, two 5-round magazines, two 12g CO₂ cylinders, three 5-count tubes of kinetic rounds (15 total), a launcher card, and a carrying case. It comes in black or orange, and it doesn’t include chemical rounds.
What It Does Well
It’s the most powerful .68 pistol Byrna makes. Byrna rates the LE at 41.9 J/in², against 33.1 for the Short Barrel LE and 30 for the SD. That’s about 40% more energy density than the SD, from a velocity gap of about 18% (330 vs 280 fps, measured the same way). Among Byrna’s pistols, only the .61-caliber CL-XL is rated slightly higher, at 42.3.
The trigger is a real step up from the SD. Byrna rates the LE’s redesigned straight trigger at 4–6 lb against 6–8 lb for the SD, and describes it as smoother and lighter. A lighter, cleaner trigger is generally easier to shoot accurately, especially for newer shooters.
The kit is complete. Two magazines, two CO₂ cylinders, 15 kinetic rounds, and a case mean you can shoot it the day it arrives. The Short Barrel LE, by contrast, ships with one magazine and nothing else.
It keeps the CO₂ sealed until you need it. Like Byrna’s other pistols, it uses pull-pierce, so the cartridge in a staged launcher stays unpunctured until the first trigger pull.
It runs the most common Byrna ammunition. The full .68 line works in it: kinetic, Eco-Kinetic, Pro Training, Pepper, and MAX.
Byrna LE Universal Kit
$499.99 at Byrna.com, with two magazines, CO₂, rounds, and a case
What the LE’s Price Actually Buys
Until recently, the case for the LE over the SD rested on two things: a better trigger and more power. The Short Barrel LE split them apart.
Byrna says the Short Barrel LE uses the same redesigned trigger interface and valve assembly as the LE, rated at the same 4–6 lb. But it runs on 8g CO₂, and Byrna rates it at 33.1 J/in², much closer to the SD than to the LE. So the trigger is now available for $424.99. What only the full LE gives you is the 12g power system and the output that comes with it.
The way to think about it. Buy the LE for the power, not just the trigger. If the 12g output is the point, the LE is the clear .68 pick. If the trigger was the main draw, the Short Barrel LE now offers it for less, at lower output.
Equipped with CO₂ and practice rounds, the Short Barrel LE costs about the same as the LE kit, which ships with all of that in the box. For most buyers who want the trigger, that makes the full LE the better value. The Short Barrel LE makes the most sense for buyers who already run 8g CO₂ in an SD or CL and want one cartridge size.
Known Issues
The LE’s tradeoffs are mostly about size, CO₂, and cost per shot.
What to Know Before Buying
- It’s not the compact option. Byrna classifies the LE as mid-sized and the SD and CL as compact. If concealment matters most, the CL is Byrna’s most compact launcher.
- 12g CO₂ only. It won’t run 8g cartridges, so an SD or CL owner’s existing CO₂ supply doesn’t carry over.
- Fewer shots per cartridge than the SD. Byrna rates the LE at 17 shots per 12g cartridge against 22 per 8g for the SD.
- The name can mislead. “LE” doesn’t mean you need law-enforcement credentials. The consumer kit is sold to civilians 18 and older.
- Chemical rounds are extra. The kit ships with kinetic rounds only.
What It Actually Costs
The LE kit ships ready to shoot, so the comparison that matters is equipped cost and running cost.
| Cost | LE Kit | SD Kit | Short Barrel LE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launcher | $499.99 | $399.99 | $424.99 |
| In the box | 2 mags, 2 CO₂, 15 rounds, case | 2 mags, 2 CO₂, 15 rounds, case | 1 mag |
| Ready to shoot | $499.99 | $399.99 | ~$495 (CO₂ and rounds added) |
| CO₂ refill | 12g 10-pack, $19.99 | 8g 10-pack, $19.99 | 8g 10-pack, $19.99 |
| Approx. CO₂ cost per shot | ~$0.12 | ~$0.09 | ~$0.12 |
| Prices from Byrna.com and change frequently. Per-shot figures are our arithmetic from Byrna’s rated shot counts at room temperature; real counts vary with temperature and pace. | |||
The $100 gap between the LE and SD kits holds once both are equipped, since both ship with the same accessories. After that, the SD is about a quarter cheaper per shot to run.
Amazon option. Byrna also sells an LE Kinetic Ultimate Bundle on Amazon for about $529.99, with extra CO₂ and practice rounds. Contents and pricing change, so check the listing against the Byrna.com kit before ordering.
Who Should Skip It
For each of these buyers, a different Byrna fits better.
Better Fits for These Buyers
- You want the best value → the SD kit. See our Byrna SD review.
- You want the LE’s trigger on 8g CO₂ → the Short Barrel LE. See our Short Barrel LE review.
- You want the smallest Byrna to carry → the CL, with its separate .61 ammunition. See our Byrna CL review.
- You want a staged home-defense launcher with more rounds → the TCR or Mission 4.
The Alternatives in Detail
Byrna SD: the value pick
The SD is the LE’s closest relative: the same .68 rounds, the same kit contents, and $100 less. You give up the lighter trigger and about 28% of the LE’s published energy density, and you gain five more shots per cartridge and cheaper CO₂. For a first Byrna on a budget, it’s the safer buy. Our LE vs SD comparison goes deeper on that choice.
Check the Byrna SD Kit at Byrna.com →
Byrna Short Barrel LE: the trigger on 8g
The Short Barrel LE has the LE’s trigger and valve in a shorter frame on 8g CO₂. It’s $75 cheaper than the LE kit, but it ships with one magazine and no CO₂ or rounds, so equipped it costs about the same, with output much closer to the SD. It fits buyers who want one cartridge size across an SD or CL and the better trigger.
Check the Short Barrel LE at Byrna.com →
Byrna CL and CL-XL: the .61 alternatives
The CL is Byrna’s most compact launcher and is rated level with the LE at 41.9 J/in², on 8g CO₂. The CL-XL adds a 7-round magazine and 12g CO₂ and is rated slightly higher, at 42.3. Both cost more than the LE ($549.99 and $579.99 on Byrna.com; the CL bundle runs about $579.99 on Amazon) and fire .61 rounds, which don’t interchange with .68. Our CL-XL review covers the larger of the two.
Check the Byrna CL on Amazon →
Living With It
Ownership Reality
Switching to the LE usually means switching CO₂ sizes. If you own an SD or CL, plan on a second cartridge supply.
CO₂. The LE takes Byrna 12g cartridges, the same size as the TCR and CL-XL. Byrna says its 12g cartridges aren’t compatible with the SD or CL. Cold weather lowers CO₂ pressure and velocity, so a launcher kept somewhere cold won’t match its room-temperature ratings. Our Byrna CO₂ guide covers storage and shot counts.
Rounds. Practice with Eco-Kinetic or kinetic rounds, and stage what fits your situation, whether that’s kinetic, Pepper, or MAX. Our MAX vs Pepper guide explains the difference between the two chemical rounds, and the Byrna ammo guide covers the full line.
Magazines. A spare pair of 5-round magazines ($39.99) makes training and reloading easier. Byrna previously sold a 7-round .68 magazine that fit the LE, but it no longer lists one, so the 5-round pair is the current option.
A light. The LE’s Picatinny rail takes a weapon light, which is the most useful first accessory for a launcher kept for home defense.
Chemical rounds and local law. Byrna currently restricts Pepper projectiles in California and New York, and MAX projectiles in California, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Its direct-to-consumer shipping chart also lists all Byrna products as unavailable in several places, including New York City, Yonkers, Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, and Hawaii. Dealer availability may differ, and local rules can be stricter. Our Byrna legality guide covers the details. This is general information, not legal advice.
Byrna LE FAQ
Is the Byrna LE more powerful than the SD?
Yes. Byrna rates the LE at 41.9 J/in² and 330 fps against 30 J/in² and 280 fps for the SD, both on a first-10-shot average. That’s about 40% more energy density.
Is the Byrna LE the most powerful Byrna pistol?
It’s the most powerful .68 pistol. Byrna rates the .61-caliber CL-XL slightly higher, at 42.3 J/in², and the CL level with the LE at 41.9.
What’s the difference between the Byrna LE and the Short Barrel LE?
They share the same trigger and valve assembly, but the Short Barrel LE runs on 8g CO₂ in a shorter frame and is rated at 33.1 J/in², against 41.9 for the LE. The Short Barrel LE also ships with only one magazine and no CO₂ or rounds.
Can I use 8g CO₂ in the Byrna LE?
No. The LE takes 12g cartridges only. Byrna’s 12g cartridges also fit the TCR and CL-XL, but not the SD or CL.
How many shots does the Byrna LE get per CO₂ cartridge?
Byrna rates it at 17 shots per 12g cartridge at room temperature. Expect fewer in the cold.
Do I need a permit or background check to buy the Byrna LE?
Byrna says its launchers aren’t classified as firearms and require no permit or background check, with a minimum buyer age of 18. Carry and chemical-round rules vary by state and city, so check local law. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is the Byrna LE only for law enforcement?
No. Despite the name, the LE Universal Kit is sold to civilians 18 and older.
Bottom Line
If you want the most power in a .68 Byrna pistol, buy the Byrna LE Universal Kit, and add a 12g CO₂ 10-pack to the same order.
If value matters most, the SD kit costs $100 less with the same box contents.
If you mainly want the trigger and already run 8g CO₂, the Short Barrel LE gives you the LE’s trigger at lower output.
The short version: buy the LE for the power, not just the trigger.
For Byrna’s current LE specifications and kit contents, see the Byrna LE Universal Kit product page.
Sources: Byrna’s LE, SD, Short Barrel LE, CL, and CL-XL product pages, Byrna’s CO₂ and accessory listings, authorized dealer listings, and recurring themes in owner feedback. We have not independently tested the LE.
Legal note: Laws on less-lethal launchers and chemical projectiles vary by state and locality and change frequently, and Byrna restricts shipping to some areas. This review is general information, not legal advice; verify current regulations before purchasing.
Affiliate disclosure: Guns Ammo & Gear participates in affiliate programs and may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never determine which products we recommend or how we describe them.
Note: Prices are approximate and change frequently. Verify current pricing, package contents, and specifications before purchasing.
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