Preview: PepperBall Personal Defense Compact Launcher

by
posted on February 5, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
pepperball_compact_main_f.jpg

PepperBall is now offering a small, non-lethal defensive launcher in its self-defense lineup. The Compact is the newest addition to the PepperBall pepper-spray projectile series of launchers, which includes the laser and flashlight assisted LifeLite handheld launcher, along with the pistol-styled TCP multi-shot launcher which released last year. 

According to PepperBall’s GM of the Personal Defense Division Kyle Tengwall, the Compact was developed per consumer requests specifically for “runners, hikers, and many others who want to defend themselves on the go.” The intention is for it to easily tuck away and be withdrawn without the need for a holster or storage in a pack, as is the case with the previous launchers. Coming in at 6.5” tall by 1.25” long and 1.75” wide with a weight of just 1.5 oz., it is the smallest offering in the lineup, and most importantly, small enough to easily fit inside a pocket without adding too much weight. 

The PepperBall Compact is small enough to fit inside a pocket.


The PepperBall Personal Defense Compact Launcher is a single-shot, reloadable device which shoots a .68-cal., irritant-filled ball projectile, the same type used with the larger LifeLite launcher, up to 30 feet with up to 14 joules of energy. Once the projectile hits the intended target or something in the vicinity, it bursts open, releasing the irritant compound contained inside in a disorienting cloud that can expand up to 12 feet wide.

Projectiles are launched through the use of a changeable C02 or N2 canister installed inside the launcher. The effect of the cloud is temporarily incapacitating and impermanent, but effective. This is the same 2-percent PAVA irritant compound that originated in a 1996 DARPA program and subsequently used by military and law-enforcement agencies. The Compact is offered at a MSRP of $24.99. For more information on PepperBall products, please visit the company’s website at pepperball.com.

Latest

9X18 Makarov
9X18 Makarov

Shooting Surplus: Finding Affordable Mil-Surp Ammo in 2026

Today, the market for mil-surp ammo is vastly different than it was even just a few years ago. If you're a military-surplus collector and shooter, what should you look for in 2026? Here's our guide.

Colt Electro-Optics Introduces New Red Dots & Magnifier

No stranger to rebirth, Colt has recently spun off an optics division to make sure that, in a world where optics are considered to be standard equipment, a fully kitted-out gun can be all-pony.

What This Huge NFA Ruling Means for Gun Owners

The recent ruling in Jensen v. ATF and the subsequent lack of an appeal by the U.S. Department of Justice has left many gun owners with questions about purchasing NFA items. Here is some guidance.

Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Model 386 Night Guard

In partnership with Lipsey's, Smith & Wesson recently re-introduced two of its classic Night Guard revolvers, the Models 386 and 396, which are chambered for the .357 Magnum and .44 Special, respectively.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 14, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

A (Slightly Confusing) History of Colt's Police Positive Revolver

For one of the most popular law-enforcement revolvers ever made, the history of the Colt Police Positive isn't nearly as linear as one would think it'd be.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.