The cartridge that started it all — designed for the C-93 Borchardt, the first successful commercially produced semi-automatic pistol. Georg Luger's work to simplify the Borchardt pistol and its cartridge directly produced the 7.65mm and 9mm Parabellum.
Type: Pistol
Introduced: 1893, Germany
Parent case: None
Standardization: None
Bullet diameter: 0.308" (7.82 mm)
Case length: 0.99" (25.15 mm)
Overall length: 1.34" (34.04 mm)
Max pressure: 25,000 PSI
Rim type: Rimless
Primer: Small Pistol
Typical twist rate: 1:9.9
Muzzle velocity: 1380–1440 fps
Muzzle energy: 360–391 ft-lbs
Effective range: 75 yd
Common bullet weights: 85 gr
Primary use: Military, Self Defense
Production status: Discontinued
Also known as: 7.65x25mm Borchardt
History: Hugo Borchardt designed the C-93 pistol and its cartridge in 1893 while working for Ludwig Loewe & Company in Berlin. The C-93 was the first semi-automatic pistol to achieve commercial production. Georg Luger was tasked with improving the design — his refinements shortened the case and straightened the taper, creating the 7.65mm Parabellum, and later the 9mm Parabellum. Without the Borchardt…
Notable firearms: Borchardt C-93
Military use: Limited European adoption
Similar cartridges: 7.65x21mm Parabellum, 7.63mm Mauser