Sellier & Bellot Sellier & Bellot is the name of a firearms ammunition manufacturer situated in Vlašim , Czech Republic . It is a subsidiary of the Brazilian company CBC . Foundation . Sellier & Bellot was founded in August 5 , 1825 by a French merchant called Louis Sellier . Louis Sellier began manufacturing percussion caps for infantry firearms in a factory in Prague , Bohemia on the request of Francis I , the Emperor of Austria . Sellier was soon joined by his countryman Jean Maria Nicolaus Bellot , who led the company to quickly gain momentum . Sellier & Bellot products soon established themselves on both European and overseas markets . As early as 1830 the manufacture of percussion caps was in excess of 60 million and peaked later in 1837 at the enormous quantity of 156 millions caps . A subsidiary plant in Prussia n town Schönebeck is founded . Cartridge production starts . Together with Flobert ‘ s rimfire and Lefaucheux ‘ s pin - primer cartridges , first centrefire cartridges appear in the production program . In just a few years , the annual output grows to 10 million cartridges . Subsequent development . Louis Sellier dies and his heirs acquire his share . Heirs of Louis Sellier convince Jean Bellot to give up management of the company and sell it . The factory brings in Czech entrepreneur Martin Hála , who soon transforms the company into a joint - stock company ( ; ) . Another subsidiary plant is established in Riga , Latvia ( then part of Russia ) and this soon covers demand for percussion caps in the whole of Russia and Scandinavia . The first trade mark Sellier & Bellot is listed in Prague . Hunting cartridge cases , quickly followed by hunting cartridges , are brought into the production program . This program is extended by copper primers for blasting works and ammunition manufacture in Škoda Pilsen . During the years of World War I the production of commercial ammunition is curbed and total capacity used to manufacture rifle and handgun cartridges for the army . The Steyr 9 mm cartridge is developed and introduced to serial production during this period . After the independent state of Czechoslovakia is founded in October 1918 , the Company becomes the dominant supplier of handgun ammunition for the Czechoslovak Army and police . The production of commercial ammunition for competition shooting and hunting purposes is further extended . The Company expands into the Asian and South American markets where Sellier & Bellot ‘ s infantry cartridges meet with a great success . Based on the invention of its managing director Mr . Blechta , the Company became the only manufacturer of silver azide in the world . Owing to this , the production of industrial detonators increased significantly . The Company´s transfer from Prague to Vlašim lead to further growth . Nationalization of the Company and the decision of the Czechoslovak Government to introduce state monopoly for the manufacture of both military and commercial ammunition supplies a key incentive for further development of Sellier & Bellot . The range of commercial ammunition is extended to forty rifle calibre types , ten pistol and twenty revolver types . Shot shell manufacture ranges from 12 to 410 calibre types . Total output soon increases five times . Approximately 70 % of the output is exported . Original 7 . 62×45 , 7 . 62×39 and 7 . 62×54R cartridges are successfully introduced into production to cover the demands of the Czechoslovak Army . Company starts to produce antifriction bearings . Production of packaging machines , now concentrated in the subsidiary company Sellier & Bellot , stroje Ltd . begins . Manufacture of cartridges according to valid C . I . P . regulations begins . Transformation of the state - owned company to a joint - stock company – Sellier & Bellot a . s . ( JSC ) . The company ‘ s shareholders are Czech natural and legal persons ; a part of the equity is held by Company´s employees . Almost 70 % of production volume is exported through the daughter company – Sellier & Bellot Trade a . s . The company´s products are exported to more than seventy countries around the world . The Company is granted ISO 9001 certification . Sellier & Bellot earns the bronze medal in " Deutsches Waffen Journal " readers´ vote in the category of Ammunition . Sellier & Bellot JSC celebrates its 180th anniversary . It is not only one of the oldest engineering companies in the Czech Republic , but also one of the oldest companies in the world . It has been manufacturing products bearing its trademark uninterrupted since 1825 . Sellier & Bellot is acquired by CBC of Brazil .