How to Load and Insert a Byrna CL Magazine Correctly

By Byrna | Best Non Lethal Self-Defense Products | Published: 2026-10-13

Category: Guías prácticas

A step-by-step guide to loading .61 caliber rounds into the Byrna CL magazine and seating it properly, plus the fix when a Byrna magazine is not seating all the way.

Quick answer

Load rounds nose-first into the magazine, push each one fully past the feed lip, then insert the magazine base-first until it stops and you feel it catch. If it will not seat, the usual cause is a round sitting proud of the feed lip or the magazine being angled rather than pushed straight in. Work slowly the first few times and check the round count before you carry.

Know your magazine before you load it

The Byrna CL uses .61 caliber projectiles, and the extended magazine holds seven plus one, for eight rounds total when one is chambered. That extra round is easy to lose track of, so decide before you start whether you are loading seven for storage or eight for carry. The same magazine also fits the CL-XL, so if you own both launchers you can share magazines between them.

Rounds are not all identical in shape. Kinetic rounds and chemical irritant rounds can sit slightly differently against the feed lip, which is why the seating check below matters more than speed. If you are new to the platform, load a full magazine once with dummy or practice rounds before you load live projectiles.

What causes a Byrna magazine not seating

Almost every seating problem traces back to one of three things: a round not fully pushed into the magazine, debris or a stray projectile fragment in the magazine well, or the magazine being rocked in at an angle instead of pushed straight up. A magazine that is one round over capacity will also resist seating because the top round has nowhere to compress.

Check these in order. First, press the top round down with your thumb; it should sit flush or slightly below the feed lip. Second, look into the well for anything that does not belong there. Third, reinsert with the magazine square to the well. If it still will not catch, unload one round and try again.

Top round sitting proud of the feed lip: press it down or remove and reload it.
Magazine inserted at an angle: pull it out and push straight up.
One round over capacity: remove a round and reseat.

Loading and carry habits worth building

Load in the same place every time, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger. Count rounds out loud or in your head as they go in; the count is the only reliable way to know whether you are carrying seven or eight. Rotate the top round periodically if a magazine sits loaded for a long time, since the round under spring pressure is the one most likely to show wear.

Keep spare magazines loaded and stored separately from the launcher, and inspect the feed lips for cracks or deformation each time you load. A magazine that has been dropped on a hard surface is worth a close look before you trust it for carry.

Step-by-step: loading and inserting the magazine

Point the launcher in a safe direction: Set the launcher down or hold it with the muzzle pointed away from people and pets, and keep your finger off the trigger. Treat every magazine as loaded until you have personally checked it. Checkpoint: muzzle safe, finger off trigger, no live round in the chamber.
Orient the magazine and the round: Hold the magazine with the feed lips up. Pick up a .61 caliber round and note which end is the nose; it goes in nose-first, not base-first. Checkpoint: round nose points toward the feed lips.
Press the first round in until it clicks past the lip: Push the round down and back against the spring until it sits fully inside the magazine. Do not stop when it merely disappears from view; it needs to clear the feed lip. Common mistake: leaving the first round proud, which makes every round after it sit too high.
Stack the remaining rounds one at a time: Add rounds in the same nose-first orientation, pressing each one down until it seats. Count as you go so you know whether you stopped at seven or added the plus-one. Checkpoint: seven rounds for storage, eight only if you intend to carry with one chambered.
Press the top round flush and inspect: Give the top round a firm thumb press. It should sit flush or slightly below the feed lips with no tilt. Look along the magazine for any round sitting at an angle. Common mistake: skipping this check and discovering the problem only when the magazine will not seat.
Insert the magazine straight into the well: Push the magazine base-first into the well with the magazine square to the opening. Push straight up until it stops, then press firmly once more to confirm it has caught. Common mistake: rocking the magazine forward or back, which feels like it seats but does not latch.
Confirm the magazine is locked in: Give the base a gentle tug downward. It should not move. If it slides out, pull it, check the top round and the well, and reinsert straight. Checkpoint: tug test passed before the launcher goes into a holster or bag.

Gear that affects how you load

Byrna CL .61 Caliber 7-rd Magazine: The Byrna CL .61 Caliber 7-rd Magazine supports 7+1, allowing eight rounds total, and is compatible with both the CL and the CL-XL. It is the magazine you will actually be loading, and the shared fit means one loading routine covers both launchers.
Byrna CL Launcher - Universal Kit: The Byrna CL Launcher - Universal Kit is the compact less-lethal launcher that fires .61 caliber kinetic and/or chemical irritant projectiles from up to 60 feet and is powered by compressed air (CO2). Confirming the caliber and power source keeps you from loading the wrong projectiles or expecting firearm-style behavior.
Byrna LE Launcher - Universal Kit: The Byrna LE Launcher - Universal Kit fires .68 caliber rounds and does not include chemical projectiles. If you also own an LE, its .68 caliber magazines and rounds are not interchangeable with the CL, so keep the two loading setups separate.