PEABODY — Less Lethal Protection, a self-defense business that opened this past July, has already caught the attention of those who want to feel safe but don’t want to own a deadly weapon.
Prospective customers who visit the store located on Route 1 can get a demonstration of the “Byrna” pistol from owner Jack Hartzell, who attests to the ease of use for recoil-less guns.
“There’s really not a lot of training on these, particularly since none of these weapons have any recoil to it, which people love,” Hartzell said. “It’s basically aim and shoot.”
Less lethal weapons are powered by carbon dioxide cartridges to shoot kinetic projectiles that incapacitate threats without killing them. A picture on the store’s wall of someone with a large welt on their shoulder illustrates the Byrna’s power.
The store also sells projectile ammunition with chemical irritants inside that cause an array of debilitating side effects, from nausea to burning in the throat.
Made by Byrna Technologies, Inc., the weapon comes in two models: the “Law Enforcement,” which has much more power, better sights, and a smoother trigger, and the “Self Defense,” which is more compact. Both can fire accurately from a range of 60 feet away.
Hartzell also sells specialized holsters that he hopes to get trademarked, a sling bag carry equipment, and an attachable laser with a strobe setting that is likely to blind any intruder stalking in the night.
Around 600 law enforcement agencies from around the world have bought from Byrna, highlighting the product’s effectiveness.
It’s a formidable alternative to firearms that come with the liability and moral weight of being able to kill someone, a reality that many consumers who care about self-defense can’t get around.
“Even having a gun just scares me, so this alternative I like because I walk my dog all the time, and sometimes I don’t feel safe,” Vivian Martin, a customer at Less Lethal Protection, said. “Having something like this, I won’t hesitate to pull out if I need to, knowing that I’m not going to possibly kill someone.”
Martin was joined by her husband Jimmy, both of whom have a concealed carry license, and their two teenage sons, Samuel and Gabriel, who they hope to get trained in self-defense and have a gun safety education.
Covering that side of the self-defense industry is Josh Ulirch of Safe Family Training Solutions in Gloucester, a company that runs self-defense classes to prepare citizens for any dangerous situation they may encounter.
As a former Los Angeles Police Department officer and Massachusetts State Police Department homicide detective for 13 years, Ulrich is well aware of the threats that families like the Martins may want to protect themselves from.
“What I do is real firearms, and so I train people in order to be able to handle that deadly force responsibly because you can get yourself in a lot of trouble,” Ulrich said. “People are protecting themselves from being victimized… different tools, same idea.”
The two self-defense entrepreneurs are currently working to combine forces to bring training seminars to the Less Lethal Protection store.
Both men emphasize the importance of practice no matter the weapon you’re using for self-defense. To that end, Hartzell installed a firing range in his shop so customers could try out the gun and get some reps in before purchasing.
“I believe in what Jack’s doing. I think it’s great that people are looking for a reason to protect themselves,” Ulrich said. “They’re not just sitting back waiting for somebody to come help them out. They’re being proactive.”
Hartzell knows the importance of being proactive from personal experience growing up in rough neighborhoods.
After a failed procedure on his knee left him without the facilities he feels he needs to protect himself, less lethal weaponry has given Hartzell the peace of mind he needs without having to go through the lengthy process of obtaining a gun in Massachusetts.
For Hartzell and hundreds of thousands of others, Byrna provides that feeling of safety without the added weight of a firearm’s lethality.
