FN 303-P
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 191 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.57 kg
- Introduced
- 2001
About
What it is, and why it matters
The FN 303-P is a compact, pistol-format less-lethal launcher developed by FN Herstal as a handgun companion to the shoulder-fired FN 303. Powered by a disposable compressed-gas (CO2) capsule housed in its detachable magazine, it launches fin-stabilized .68 caliber (18mm) projectiles that can be filled with washable marking paint, indelible dye, or PAVA irritant powder. Intended for close-range crowd control and use-of-force de-escalation, it holds seven projectiles per magazine and has an effective range of about 25 meters. The design offers a manual ambidextrous safety, three-white-dot sights, and an optional laser aiming module.
The FN 303 family was created after 2001 in response to law-enforcement requests for a technology that reduced applied force while improving crowd-control and officer safety, delivering a projectile designed to transfer kinetic energy without penetrating the body.
Compact pistol variant of the FN 303 Less Lethal System; requires certification by FN's training team before deployment. Now discontinued in favor of newer FN 303 Tactical and Mk2 launchers.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- FN Herstal
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- Belgium
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 2001
- Variant of
- Compact
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 191 mm
- Overall length
- 288 mm
- Height
- 203 mm
- Width
- 51 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.57 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated
- Trigger
- Single action
- Trigger pull
- 24.0 N
- Capacity
- 7
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Aluminum alloy
- Finish
- Black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 91 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 35 J
- Effective range
- 25 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Co2 powered- Fin stabilized projectiles
Detachable gas magazine
Three dot sights
Optional laser sight
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,909 pistols | 1.57 kg | 794 g | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,911 pistols | 288 mm | 196 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,941 pistols | 191 mm | 102 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,962 pistols | 7 | 8 | Holds fewer rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the FN 303-P
How much does the FN 303-P weigh?
The FN 303-P weighs 1.57 kg (3.47 lb) empty.
What caliber is the FN 303-P?
The FN 303-P is chambered in .68 Caliber (18mm) Less-Lethal.
How many rounds does the FN 303-P hold?
The FN 303-P holds 7 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the FN 303-P?
The FN 303-P is 288 mm (11.34 in) long overall, with a 191 mm (7.52 in) barrel.
Who makes the FN 303-P?
The FN 303-P is made by FN Herstal (Belgium). It was designed by FN Herstal.
When was the FN 303-P introduced?
The FN 303-P was introduced in 2001.
How does the FN 303-P operate?
The FN 303-P uses a gas operated action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Law Enforcement Agencies
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/fn-303p' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "fn-303p", "name": "FN 303-P", "manufacturer": { "id": "fn-herstal", "name": "FN Herstal", "countryCode": "BE", "foundedYear": 1889, "website": "https://www.fnherstal.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "868b12ac455d24b965edddf486bafb1892f606961311b1ab9907556e3a23b075" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "BE", "year_introduced": 2001, "barrel_length_mm": 191, "weight_empty_g": 1574, "action_type": "gas_operated"}