S.A. Self Defense Helping keeping our country safe
S.A. Self Defense
Pepper gun & Ammo Test Labs
Real performance testing for less-lethal launchers, ammunition, and shot-by-shot consistency.
At S.A. Self Defense, we believe real testing matters.
Manufacturer numbers are helpful, but they do not always show how a launcher or round performs in real use, under real conditions, and across multiple shots.
That is why we built the S.A. Test Lab™.
The S.A. Test Lab is our performance testing platform designed to record, organize, and compare launcher and ammo results using real measured data. It allows users to log shot velocity, calculate energy automatically, save test sessions, compare results, and build a better understanding of how their setup actually performs.
Whether you are testing for consistency, comparing ammo profiles, or tracking launcher performance over time, the Test Lab gives you a clear shot-by-shot record.
What the Test Lab Records
Each session is built to give a more complete view of performance, not just a single number.
The Test Lab can record:
Velocity (FPS) for each shot
Calculated energy (Joules)
Ammo used
Launcher used
Temperature
Humidity
Shot-by-shot breakdowns
Velocity curve comparisons between sessions
This makes it easier to see how different launchers, ammo types, and conditions perform over time.
How the Joules Are Calculated
from the recorded velocity and the ammo profile’s stored projectile mass.
Inside the Test Lab:
shot speed is recorded in FPS
ammo mass is stored in grams
the system converts FPS to meters per second
the system converts grams to kilograms
then it applies the standard kinetic energy formula:
E = ½mv²
Where:
E = energy in Joules
m = projectile mass in kilograms
v = velocity in meters per second
This means the energy shown for each shot is based on the actual recorded velocity and the selected ammo profile mass, not a rough estimate or a marketing claim.
Velocity Curve Analysis
This graph shows how the launcher performs from shot to shot, similar to a dyno chart for a vehicle. Instead of looking at only one reading, users can see whether their launcher is stable, dropping off, or staying consistent across the session.
This helps identify:
shot-to-shot consistency
CO₂ pressure drop
differences between ammo setups
real-world launcher behavior
Manual Testing Available Now
With manual testing, you can:
enter each shot’s FPS
let the system calculate Joules automatically
save the session to your profile
compare sessions later
optionally make sessions public
This gives you a structured way to build your own test history and compare results over time.
We are also developing an automatic test mode that will work with the Competition Electronics ProChrono chronograph.
This feature is not publicly available yet and is still being tested, but it should be available soon.
When released, the automatic system will be able to:
read chronograph shot data automatically
capture and record each shot in about half a second
calculate Joules instantly
log environmental conditions during the test
build a full saved session automatically
This will make it possible to test faster, reduce manual entry, and produce a cleaner shot record for each session.
In addition to velocity and energy testing, the S.A. Test Lab is also being developed to measure powder cloud behavior during impact.
This upcoming system is designed to analyze how powder-based rounds disperse after impact by using video, a standardized measurement backdrop, and automatic frame analysis.
The goal is to measure not just how fast a round travels, but also how the powder spreads after it hits.
This feature is still in testing and will be explained in more detail on its own page.
Learn more about Powder Cloud Measurement →
to provide a better way to measure real launcher and ammo performance using organized, repeatable data.
This helps users:
test their own setups
compare results honestly
track consistency over time
better understand launcher performance
see more than a single advertised number
S.A. Self Defense Test Labs FAQ
The S.A. Test Lab is a performance testing platform developed by S.A. Self Defense that allows users to record and analyze the real-world performance of less-lethal launchers and ammunition.
Users can log test sessions, record velocity readings, calculate energy automatically, and compare results over time.
The Test Lab can record multiple data points during a test session including:
Velocity (FPS)
Calculated energy (Joules)
Ammo profile used
Launcher used
Temperature
Humidity
Shot-by-shot velocity breakdown
Velocity curve graphs
These measurements help users understand launcher consistency and overall performance.
The Test Lab calculates kinetic energy using the projectile mass and measured velocity.
Ammo profiles store the projectile mass in grams, which the system converts to kilograms. Velocity readings recorded in FPS are converted to meters per second.
The system then applies the standard energy formula:
E = ½mv²
This calculation is performed automatically for every shot recorded.
No. The Test Lab currently supports manual testing, which allows users to enter chronograph readings manually and save test sessions.
A chronograph is recommended to measure shot velocity, but the system itself does not require special hardware to record sessions manually.
Automatic shot recording is currently being developed for the Competition Electronics ProChrono chronograph.
When this feature is released, the Test Lab will be able to automatically capture velocity readings and record each shot in approximately half a second.
Not yet.
Automatic chronograph integration is currently in development and testing and is not available in the public version of the Test Lab yet.
Manual testing is fully functional and available now.
Yes.
When automatic testing is released, users will need to download the S.A. Test Lab software and connect it to the supported chronograph.
The software will read shot data directly from the chronograph and log the test session automatically.
Powder cloud measurement is an upcoming feature that will analyze how powder-based rounds disperse after impact.
Using video analysis, a standardized measurement backdrop, and controlled lighting, the system will estimate:
Cloud expansion
Peak spread timing
Cloud decay timing
This allows testers to analyze how the powder spreads after the projectile hits the target.
To run a powder cloud dispersion test, the setup will require:
A chronograph to measure shot velocity
A camera recording the target area
Proper lighting so the powder cloud is visible
A standardized measurement backdrop behind the target
A stable testing environment with minimal airflow
The measurement backdrop helps the system estimate the real-world size of the cloud.
A standardized backdrop allows the system to determine the scale of the video recording.
By using the same measurement grid for every test, the Test Lab can estimate cloud size and compare results across different users more consistently.
Yes.
Users can choose to make their test sessions public so others can view and compare results.
Public sessions may appear on tester profiles and comparison tools within the Test La
