In 1825, Louis Sellier, a French merchant, received the privilege to manufacture percussion caps for infantry firearms in its newly founded factory in Prague from Franz I., the Emperor of Austria. Shortly afterwards he invited his countryman, Jean Maria Nicolaus Bellot, to join the company. As early as 1830 the manufacture of percussion caps was in excess of 60 million and peaked later in 1837 to 156 million.

During World War I the production of commercial ammunition was curbed and total capacity used to manufacture rifle and handgun cartridges for the Army. The Steyr 9mm cartridge was developed and introduced into serial production during this period. After the independent state of Czechoslovakia was founded in October 1918, the Company became the dominant supplier of handgun ammunition for the Czechoslovak army and police. The production of commercial ammunition for competition shooting and hunting purposes was further extended. The Company expanded into the Asian and South American markets where Sellier & Bellot‘s infantry cartridges met with a great success.