Byrna's New Less Lethal Defensive Shotgun Ammo

Kinetic Less-Lethal 12-gauge shotgun ammunition from Byrna Technology has almost no perceived recoil and, according to the company, 16 times less noise than a standard shotgun round. In decibels, that’s about 117 dB. It accomplishes that because there is no gunpowder, yet it is effective out to 100 feet. The primer provides the propulsion, and a muzzle velocity of 312 fps and a muzzle energy of 14.75 ft-lbs are produced. The shells are 2½ inches long, and the projectile is what the company calls a Clamshell Sabot Jacket. Byrna cautions that less lethal does not mean nonlethal. The projectile can cause serious bodily injury and even death. It uses fin-tail technology for enhanced accuracy, and it is most effective when fired in shotguns with Cylinder Bore and Improved Cylinder Bore chokes. I’ve been shooting the Kinetic Less-Lethal 12-gauge shells in a brand-new Mossberg Model 500 Retrograde pump gun with an 18.5-inch barrel and Cylinder Bore choke, and I can put five rounds into a 12-inch circle at 100 feet. The 500 Retrograde’s magazine holds five rounds, and the gun weighs 6.75 pounds and has a bead front sight. After shooting three boxes of the Less-Lethal ammo, I can confirm that it is quiet, and it has very little recoil. Be aware that these rounds will not cycle semiautomatic shotguns, but they can be fired by manually cycling the action. And the company also cautions to never mix Less-Lethal ammunition with lethal shotshells in any shotgun magazine. MSRP: $39.99 per 10 rounds