The Byrna Short Barrel LE sounds like a compact version of the LE, and that’s how most buyers will read the name. Byrna’s own spec sheet tells a different story. The Short Barrel LE takes the LE’s trigger and valve assembly but runs on the same 8g CO₂ size used by the SD, and its published energy figure lands much closer to the SD than to the LE. It ships as a basic box: one launcher, one magazine, no CO₂, no rounds. So the real question isn’t whether it’s a good launcher. It’s whether the LE’s trigger in a shorter frame is worth paying near-LE money for output that sits much closer to the SD than the full LE.
The verdict: Buy the Byrna Short Barrel LE ($424.99 on sale, $449.99 list) if the lighter 4–6 lb trigger matters to you, you want a shorter .68 pistol, and you already stock 8g CO₂. Expect to spend roughly $495 before it’s ready to shoot. If you want the most output per dollar, the SD kit ($399.99) is the value pick, and if you want real LE power, the full LE kit ($499.99) costs about the same once the Short Barrel is equipped.
How We Evaluated It
This review is built from Byrna’s Short Barrel LE, LE, and SD product pages, Byrna’s accessory pricing, and authorized dealer listings. The Short Barrel LE is a new model and we’re excited to write about it. Independent long-term owner feedback is still thin, so we lean on Byrna’s published figures and say where they leave gaps. Byrna does not publish dimensions or weight for this launcher, so we don’t guess at them.
Byrna Short Barrel LE vs SD vs LE
This is a single-version launcher, so the useful comparison is against the two Byrnas it sits between.
| Spec | SD Kit | Short Barrel LE | LE Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Byrna.com) | $399.99 | $424.99 sale / $449.99 list | $499.99 |
| Caliber | .68 | .68 | .68 |
| CO₂ | 8g | 8g | 12g |
| Energy density | 30 J/in² | 33.1 J/in² | 41.9 J/in² |
| Velocity | 280 fps (avg, first 10) | 294 fps (avg, first 10) | 330 fps (avg, first 10) |
| Shots per CO₂ | 22 | 16 | 17 |
| Trigger pull | 6–8 lb | 4–6 lb | 4–6 lb |
| Byrna size class | Compact | Mid-sized | Mid-sized |
| In the box | 2 mags, 2 CO₂, 15 kinetic rounds, case | 1 mag, launcher card | 2 mags, 2 CO₂, 15 kinetic rounds, case |
| Figures from Byrna.com at the time of writing. Byrna lists all three velocities as the average of the first 10 shots. Energy density and shot counts are Byrna’s figures at room temperature. | |||
Choose the Short Barrel LE if the trigger is the upgrade you care about and you want it in a shorter launcher that shares 8g CO₂ with an SD or CL you already own.
Choose the SD if value matters most. It costs less, ships ready to shoot, and gets more shots per cartridge, while giving up about 10% of the Short Barrel’s published energy density.
Choose the full LE if output matters most. Equipped, it costs about what the Short Barrel does, and Byrna rates it roughly 27% higher in energy density.
In this review
Byrna Short Barrel LE Specs at a Glance
Caliber.68Kinetic, Pepper, MAX, training
Velocity294 fpsAverage of first 10 shots
Energy density33.1 J/in²Byrna’s figure
CO₂8g16 shots at room temperature
Magazine5 roundsOne included
Trigger4–6 lbStraight trigger, LE assembly
Effective range60 ftByrna rating
OpticsRed dot readyTop slide fits Byrna Red Dot Pro
Other listed features include white dot sights, an ambidextrous safe/fire switch, a honeycomb over-molded grip, and a Picatinny rail for a light or laser. Black is the only color Byrna currently lists.
What It Does Well
It puts the LE’s trigger in a smaller launcher. Byrna says the Short Barrel LE uses the same redesigned trigger interface and valve assembly as the LE, rated at a 4–6 lb pull against 6–8 lb for the SD. A lighter, smoother trigger is generally easier to shoot accurately, especially for newer shooters and anyone with less hand strength. That’s the main reason to choose this launcher over an SD.
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 shares 8g CO₂ with the SD and CL. If you already own one of those, one cartridge supply covers both. The full LE would put you on 12g instead.
It edges the SD on output. On Byrna’s figures it’s about 5% faster than the SD (294 vs 280 fps, measured the same way) with about 10% more energy density. That’s a real step, just a small one.
It’s ready for a red dot. Byrna says the updated top slide accepts its Red Dot Pro sight, and the rail takes a light or laser.
Byrna Short Barrel LE
Check Current Price →$424.99 at Byrna.com (sale from $449.99), launcher and one magazine
Is the Short Barrel LE Really an LE?
Partly. It shares the LE’s trigger and valve, but not the LE’s power system, and the power system is what separates the LE from the SD on paper.
The full LE runs 12g CO₂ and carries Byrna’s 41.9 J/in² rating. The Short Barrel LE runs 8g CO₂ and is rated at 33.1 J/in². The SD, also on 8g, is rated at 30. Plot the three and the Short Barrel sits only about a quarter of the way from the SD to the LE.
The way to think about it. The Short Barrel LE is closer to an SD with the LE’s trigger than to a shorter LE. That’s a perfectly good thing to want. Just buy it for the trigger and the size, not for the “LE” in the name.
Byrna doesn’t say how much shorter the frame is, and its own wording isn’t consistent: the product description calls it a compact body, while the performance table classifies it as mid-sized, the same class as the full LE, with the SD listed as compact. Byrna publishes no length or weight for the Short Barrel. So we can’t tell you it’s smaller than an SD, and if size is the deciding factor, compare them in person before buying.
Known Issues
Most of the tradeoffs come from the box contents and the 8g system, not the launcher’s design.
What to Know Before Buying
- The box is bare. One launcher, one 5-round magazine, a launcher card. No CO₂, no rounds, no case. The SD and LE kits include two magazines, two CO₂ cartridges, 15 kinetic rounds, and a case.
- Fewer shots per cartridge than the SD. Byrna rates it at 16 shots per 8g cartridge against 22 for the SD, so you’ll change cartridges more often on the same CO₂.
- The name oversells the output. At 33.1 J/in², it’s much closer to the SD (30) than the LE (41.9).
- No published dimensions or weight. Byrna gives a size class but no measurements, so the “shorter, easier-carry” claim can’t be quantified yet.
- Little owner feedback so far. It’s a new model, so long-term reliability reports haven’t built up the way they have for the SD and LE.
What It Actually Costs
The $424.99 sale price is the starting line, not the total.
| Item | Short Barrel LE | SD Kit | LE Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launcher | $424.99 | $399.99 | $499.99 |
| CO₂ to start | Byrna 8g 10-pack, $19.99 | 2 included | 2 included |
| Rounds to start | .68 Kinetic 95-count, ~$50 | 15 included | 15 included |
| Ready to shoot | ~$495 | $399.99 | $499.99 |
| Second magazine | Byrna 5-round 2-pack, $39.99 | Included | Included |
| Prices are approximate and change frequently. The Short Barrel’s ready-to-shoot figure includes more rounds (95) than the kits ship with (15), so it isn’t an exact match, but some CO₂ and rounds are required either way. | |||
Equipped with CO₂ and practice rounds, the Short Barrel LE lands within a few dollars of the full LE kit, and closer to $535 if you add Byrna’s two-pack of magazines for a backup. That’s the main reason to look hard at the LE: for about the same money, it carries Byrna’s highest .68 pistol energy rating.
Running costs favor the SD. On Byrna’s shot counts and a ~$20 ten-pack, 8g CO₂ works out to roughly $0.12 a shot in the Short Barrel LE and $0.09 in the SD.
Who Should Skip It
For most of these readers, another Byrna answers the objection better.
Better Fits for These Buyers
- You want the most launcher for the money → the SD kit, ready to shoot at $399.99. Our Byrna SD review covers it.
- You want the most output in a .68 pistol → the full LE kit. See our Byrna LE review.
- You want the smallest Byrna you can carry → the Byrna CL, if you accept its separate .61 ammunition. Our Byrna CL review explains the tradeoff.
- You want a proven track record → the SD or LE, both with a longer track record of owner feedback.
The Alternatives in Detail
Byrna SD: the value pick
The SD is the closest relative on paper: same 8g CO₂, same .68 rounds, slightly lower output. It costs $25 less than the Short Barrel’s sale price and ships with everything needed to shoot, so the real gap is closer to $95. You give up the lighter trigger and about 10% of the published energy density, and you gain six more shots per cartridge. If the trigger isn’t a priority, the SD is the better buy. Our LE vs SD comparison covers the trigger difference in more depth.
Check the Byrna SD Kit at Byrna.com →
Byrna LE: the power pick
The full LE has the same trigger, a 12g power system, and Byrna’s 41.9 J/in² rating. It costs $75 more than the Short Barrel’s sale price but ships ready to shoot with a second magazine and a case, so equipped, the two cost about the same. The LE’s catch is that it runs 12g CO₂, so it won’t share cartridges with an SD or CL.
Check the Byrna LE Kit at Byrna.com →
Byrna CL: the size pick
If carry size is the real goal, the CL is Byrna’s most compact launcher, rated at 400 fps and 41.9 J/in² on 8g CO₂. It costs more ($549.99 for the kit on Byrna.com) and fires .61 rounds, which don’t interchange with .68. That’s a second ammunition supply if you own any other Byrna.
Check the Byrna CL on Amazon →
Living With It
Ownership Reality
The $425 box is a launcher and one magazine. Budget for CO₂, rounds, and a second magazine before it’s ready to stage or carry.
CO₂. It takes 8g cartridges, the same as the SD and CL, so one supply covers all three. Cold weather lowers CO₂ pressure and velocity, so a launcher kept in a car in winter won’t match its room-temperature ratings. Our Byrna CO₂ guide covers storage and shot counts.
Rounds. It fires standard .68 Byrna projectiles. Practice with kinetic or Eco-Kinetic rounds, and stage what fits your situation. Our Byrna ammo guide explains which rounds suit which use.
Magazines and holsters. Byrna lists its 5-round magazine two-pack ($39.99) and several of its holsters, including the Level II and nylon waistband models, as compatible accessories on the Short Barrel LE page. Confirm fit with Byrna before buying a third-party holster, since the frame dimensions aren’t published.
Chemical rounds and local law. Byrna currently restricts Pepper rounds in California and New York, and MAX rounds in those states and several others, including Michigan and Wisconsin. It doesn’t ship any products to Hawaii, Washington, D.C., or parts of New York City. Local carry and chemical-round rules can be stricter still. Our Byrna legality guide covers the details. This is general information, not legal advice.
Byrna Short Barrel LE FAQ
What is the Byrna Short Barrel LE?
A .68 caliber Byrna pistol that combines the LE’s trigger and valve assembly with a shorter frame and 8g CO₂. Byrna rates it at 294 fps (average of the first 10 shots), 33.1 J/in², and 16 shots per cartridge.
Does the Byrna Short Barrel LE use 8g or 12g CO₂?
8g. That’s the key difference from the full LE, which uses 12g. The Short Barrel LE shares cartridges with the SD and CL.
Is the Short Barrel LE more powerful than the SD?
Slightly. Byrna rates it at 33.1 J/in² against 30 for the SD, and 294 fps against 280 fps on the same first-10-shot average.
Is the Short Barrel LE as powerful as the full LE?
No. Byrna rates the full LE at 41.9 J/in² and 330 fps, against 33.1 J/in² and 294 fps for the Short Barrel LE, on the same first-10-shot average.
What comes in the box?
The launcher, one 5-round magazine, and a launcher card. CO₂ cartridges and projectiles are sold separately.
Is the Short Barrel LE smaller than the SD?
Byrna doesn’t publish dimensions for it. It classifies the Short Barrel LE as “mid-sized,” the same as the full LE, and the SD as “compact,” so don’t assume it’s smaller than an SD.
Can it take a red dot?
Yes. Byrna says its updated top slide accepts the Byrna Red Dot Pro sight, and the Picatinny rail takes a light or laser.
Bottom Line
If the trigger is the upgrade you want, the Byrna Short Barrel LE delivers the LE’s 4–6 lb trigger on 8g CO₂. Add 8g cartridges, a spare magazine pair, and .68 Kinetic rounds in the same order.
If you want the most value, the SD kit ships ready to shoot for less.
If you want the most .68 pistol output, the full LE kit costs about the same once the Short Barrel is equipped.
The short version: buy the Short Barrel LE for the trigger and the size, not for the “LE” in the name.
For Byrna’s current Short Barrel LE specifications and box contents, see the Byrna Short Barrel LE product page.
Sources: Byrna’s Short Barrel LE, LE, SD, and CL product pages, Byrna’s accessory and shipping-restriction listings, and authorized dealer listings. We have not independently tested this launcher.
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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