Yes, the current waiting period for firearm licenses in South Africa now exceeds a year (it used to be around 3 months), and this largely defeats the whole purpose of people wanting to defend themselves and their families.
South Africans are great though at finding solutions to sticky problems, and this product is one such example. It’s not cheap at R6,000, but it certainly seems to tick all the boxes:
* The CO2 cartridge (standard paintball size) is only pierced on the first use, so will remain ready for use for a very long time.
* The projectile is a standard 68 calibre, so you are not locked into the supplier.
* It comes with two easy-loading magazines each holding 5 projectiles, which also are used to release the CO2 cartridge.
* There is a variety of choice when it comes to the choice of projectiles.
* In most cases this will be non-lethal (unless you hit someone in the eye) which is re-assuring to many users.
* No recoil also gives many the confidence to aim straight.
I see it is available from a variety of outlets across South Africa. There are also a number of alternatives on the international market from around $380 (just look out for a CO2 system that only pierces on the first trigger pull).
Note that although the unpierced CO2 cartridges last indefinitely, unused projectiles need replacing between after 3 to 5 years. A pierced CO2 cartridge is good for about 24 hours or 21 shots.
#gadget #selfdefence #southafrica #byrna