Profile
- Origin
- Belgium
- Built by
- MECAR
- Type
- 76 mm canister round
- Service note
- Cold War-era 76 mm tank ammunition family
Munitions
76mm Canister M333
Also known as
- 76 mm Canister M333
- 76 mm M333 canister
- M333
The 76mm Canister M333 is a Belgian MECAR fixed canister round for the Saladin and Scorpion 76 mm gun family. Nexter's 2016 ammunition catalog lists it for the L5A1 and L23/L23A1 guns, with a thin-walled projectile carrying steel pellets for close-quarters anti-personnel use at about 100 metres effective range.
Profile / Specs
Specifications
- Calibre
- 76 mm
- Round type
- Fixed canister round
- Projectile body
- Thin-walled cylindrical body with steel pellets and a base plug
- Pellets
- About 800 steel spheres
- Round mass
- 7.7 kg
- Round length
- 530 mm
- Projectile mass
- 5.6 kg
- Cartridge case
- Brass
- Primer
- Percussion cap
- Propellant
- 0.7 kg single base multi-perforated propellant
- Muzzle velocity
- 533 m/s
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Maximum range
- 700 m
- Packaging
- 2 rounds per twin container, 36 containers per pallet
- Operational temperature
- -32°C to +62°C
- UN classification
- 1.2C, UN 0328
Firing Weapons
Nexter's catalog places M333 in the 76 mm ammunition set for the Saladin L5A1 and Scorpion L23/L23A1 guns.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 76 mm rifled tank gun | Nexter lists the M333 canister round for use in the 76 mm L5A1 gun on the Saladin against personnel at close quarters. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
 | 76 mm low-velocity tank gun | Nexter lists the M333 canister round for the L23 and L23A1 guns on Scorpion light tanks against personnel at close quarters. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
Carrier Vehicles
The same catalog entry ties the round to the vehicle gun families used by the Alvis Saladin and FV101 Scorpion.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 6x6 armored reconnaissance car | Nexter identifies the Saladin's 76 mm L5A1 gun as one of the weapon fits for the M333 canister round. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
 | Tracked light tank | Nexter explicitly lists the 76mm Canister M333 for use in the FV101 Scorpion's L23 and L23A1 guns against personnel at close quarters. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
Canister Round Profile
Nexter's M333 listing describes a short-range anti-personnel canister round built around pellet dispersal rather than a high-explosive filler.
| Topic | Documented detail |
|---|---|
| Mission | Close-quarters use against personnel from Saladin and Scorpion 76 mm gun systems. |
| Projectile body | Thin-walled cylindrical body loaded with steel pellets and closed by a base plug. |
| Pellet load | About 800 steel spheres. |
| Range | About 100 m effective range and 700 m maximum range. |
| Packaging | Two rounds per twin container, with 36 containers per pallet. |
| Safety classification | UN 1.2C, UN 0328. |
Source: Nexter 2016 Catalog.
Timeline
76mm Canister M333 Key Events
Chemring acquires MECAR
Chemring says it acquired MECAR SPRL in Nivelles, Belgium, in September 2010, later selling the business in 2014.
Sources: Chemring heritage
Nexter catalogs M333 as in service
Nexter's 2016 ammunition catalog lists the 76mm Canister M333 as an in-service MECAR tank-ammunition round for the Saladin and Scorpion gun family.
Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Nexter 2016 CatalogPublisher: Internet Archive / Nexter | Note: Supports the M333 designation, in-service status, close-quarters personnel role, L5A1 and L23/23A1 compatibility, canister construction, and the technical data table including pellets, range, packaging, and UN classification. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Chemring heritagePublisher: Chemring Group PLC | Note: Supports MECAR's Belgian ammunition-maker lineage, Nivelles location, September 2010 acquisition by Chemring, and later 2014 sale. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Mil-Spec Industries M333 pagePublisher: Mil-Spec Industries | Note: Supports image provenance for the M333 product photo. | Accessed: 2026-06-29