Czech-Ered Past: Sellier & Bellot Turn 200 Years Old

Happy birthday, S&B. It’s not often a company marks its 200th anniversary, especially one based in a country that’s been invaded by both Nazis and Communists, experienced the death of an empire, survived the transition from state control to free market capitalism, and recently, acquisition by another firm. But here we are.

Founded in 1825 by two French businessmen, Louis Sellier and Jean Maria Niclaus Bellot, S&B originally made percussion caps for the Austro-Hungarian empire, after being granted a contract by Franz I. By 1870, the company had added cartridge manufacturer to its portfolio, turning out rimfire metallic ammunition, as well as pinfire shotgun shells, quickly expanding production to over 10 million cartridges annually. 

By 1936, production had outgrown their original factory in Prague, so they picked up and established a new facility in Vlasim, about an hour outside the city, where they still manufacture today. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the company transformed from a state-run organization to a joint-stock company, and, in 2022, were acquired by Colt-CZ group.

In the U.S., S&B is perhaps best known for offering some of the most inexpensive 9mm ball ammo on the market, and it’s tempting to lump them in with other bargain brands, such as garbage-tier products from the likes of Tula and Ulyanovsk (or at least it was, until the latter were sanctioned following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022). 

This would be a major mistake. Having visited ammunition plants all over the western hemisphere, we can say with certainty that S&B has one of the most modern facilities we’ve ever seen and a QC process that’s second to none. 

Their U.S. market presence is the result of a deliberate business decision to limit exposure to the most volatile (though largest) market in the world — one that’s willing to endure seemingly eye-watering prices during inevitable panic-buying episodes yet will nickel-and-dime at every opportunity outside of them. Predictability and stability are prerequisites for a healthy business environment, and, in this respect, the U.S. can be a frustrating place to sell ammo. 

Instead of putting a lot of eggs in an American basket, the company decided to focus its efforts just about everywhere else, shipping about 20 percent of production to these shores and seeking long-term contracts from governments in Europe and the Middle East — in effect subsidizing the ammo we see here, as this reduces the need to carry excess raw material inventory. 

This strategy seems to have paid off, as the company went from revenues (in USD) of $134 million in 2014, to $314 million in 2024, while maintaining approximately the same number of staff and making significant investments in new plant. This modernization is ongoing, and two of the new lines are now spitting out a prodigious amount of product using machines designed and built in-house. 

Just because the most commonly seen S&B offerings are 9mm flavor doesn’t mean that’s all they make. If you need European calibers such as 8×57, 6.5×55, or a personal favorite, the well-balanced and heavy-hitting 9.3×62, you’ll find them in inventory, as well as more exotic rounds for rimmed, single-shot rifles. 

There’s also economically priced 300BLK, 6.8SPC, and 6.5 Creedmoor using high-quality brass (though if you’re a reloader you may encounter slightly tighter primer pockets than usual), and S&B 10mm Auto is some of the best value out there. 

If you ever wondered how many 9mm rounds fit inside a 40-foot-long ISO container, according to S&B the answer is 1.3 million. With a steady stream of shipments crossing the Atlantic, we expect to be shooting Sellier & Bellot products well into the future and look forward to a continued supply of high quality, economically priced ammunition from a trusted ally.