Things That Don’t Suck: The Lynx Defense Byte Discreet Case

I love the current large-format pistol caliber pistols in the firearm world. That’s a helluva mouthful just to say ‘braced pistol.’ You know, guns like the Ruger PC Charger, the Micro Scorpion, the SIG MPX K, the CMMG Banshee, and all the other micro pistol caliber braced pistols. I just call them subguns and blame that on my love of submachine guns. I was a kid raised on ‘Die Hard’ and ‘Cobra’ so what do you expect?

Along with the rise of braced pistol subguns, we’ve also seen the rise of a supportive industry to cater to them. One such company is Lynx Defense and their Byte bag.

The Byte – Inside and Out

Lynx Defense built the Byte as a discreet submachine gun or PDW bag. It’s not loaded down with the typically tactical telltale features like MOLLE straps, hook and loop fields, and all that fun stuff.

On the outside, it’s just grey and black with an embroidered Lynx head logo. The only real hint as to what’s inside is the small tag that exclaims Lynx Defense.

On the outside, we have both a carry strap and a handle. Users can choose to swap the carry strap around for an over-the-shoulder configuration, or you can move the strap to the back and use it as an oversized sling bag, like a Range Backpack.

The strap and handle are both super wide like a seatbelt and that extra width helps support whatever you choose to stash in the bag.

My loaded-down bag weighs 17.5 pounds, and the padded strap never feels like it’s digging into my shoulder. I packed it and carried it around my house, yard, and even on a half-mile walk to check my mail at the end of a dusty trail. The weight tugged at my shoulder, and I’d occasionally swap, but the strap never dug in or caused pain.

The grey portion of the Lynx Defense Byte outlines a small external pocket. It’s big enough to pack some small essentials. I tossed in a notebook, a battery, and a spare magazine with room for more. It could be a dedicated IFAK pouch, carry a good bit of ammo, or ear and eye protection. It’s a generous pouch, but sits flat when not in use.

What Fits In the Byte?

Inside the main compartment, we get a roomy pouch fitted with a loop panel. Loop as in hook and loop. Two straps with a layer of hook backing are positioned in the bag and allow you to position and tie-down your braced pistol or submachine gun.

Lynx Defense lists compatibility with the following firearms:

H&K
HK SP5
HK MP5K
HK MP7A1

Sig Sauer
Sig Sauer Rattler Folded
Sig Sauer MPX Copperhead

CZ
CZ Scorpion Micro
CZ Scorpion Pistol
CZ Scorpion Folded
Palmetto State Armory
PSA AKV w/ Folding Stock (SKU# 5165490611)

B&T
APC9 Pistol
APC9 SMG Folded
APC9 PRO / APC40 PRO Folded
TP9-N
GHM9 Compact Gen 2
GHM45

Q
Honey Badger
Mini Fix 300 BLK Pistol

Miscellaneous
AR Pistols w/ <10.5″ Barrel with Law Folder
SBR’s with <10.5″ Barrel with Law Folder

Stashing Gats

In my testing, I can confirm it fits the CMMG Banshee and PC Charger as well. The interior pouch is 20 inches wide and provides plenty of room for most SMG-sized firearms. If you want a larger option of the same bag, check out the Lynx Defense Bronx and Bureau bags. The main pocket of the Byte is large enough to fit a wide variety of accessories with your firearm.

Lynx Defense also sent me individual pistol and pistol magazine attachments. So besides my Banshee Mk17, I added a P320 AGX and three extra P320 magazines in the bag. These guns share magazines, so the setup made sense. I had some extra room, so what else could I add?

How about a My Medic trauma kit? It fits perfectly and gives me a must-have medical kit. I was slowly turning my Lynx Defense Byte bag into some kind of super-spy kit you’d see in an action movie.

To stay on the theme, I added a Tru-Spec Armor shirt equipped with a Premier Armor soft panel. Now I was loaded with a little soft armor, two firearms that share magazines and ammunition, both sporting red dots — a total of 97 rounds of 9mm — a medical kit, and a few other goodies.

Zipped Up and Packed

Once the Byte was zipped up, it didn’t look overly bulky and there was no telltale printing. The front and pack are padded. That adds a much-needed layer of protection that also prevents printing and gun-like shapes from being evident. It looks like a slightly oversized laptop bag.

With all my stuff loaded, I went on that aforementioned half-mile walk. I live down a very long dirt road, so plenty of time and space to get some exercise and carry a big bag. I swapped shoulders every now and then, and picked up my mail. I popped the bag open and was happy to see nothing had slid in the bag. Both of my guns and all of my magazines stayed perfectly in place.

This isn’t a bug-out bag, but if the hook and loop sucks, then your guns might rattle around, and that’s not good. The Byte keeps the guns and gear secure, carries them well, provides a good degree of discretion and protection. It’s simple, well-made, and, as the tag says, handcrafted in the US of A. Price = $169.99.