Short-barreled cartridges are those cartridges that can be fired from short-barreled weapons (pistols, revolvers and weapons less than 60cm in total length). There are shotgun cartridges as well as "bullet" cartridges for handguns. The former, however, are much rarer and are hardly used.

The normally used handgun cartridges are similar in design to rifle cartridges. With one shot, one projectile is fired precisely - in contrast to the shotgun cartridge, where many small bullets are shot scattered.

Short rifle cartridges are mostly used for sporting comparative shooting, but are occasionally used for hunting. Here they are used either for their own safety in an emergency against defensible game, or in the context of trap shooting and trapping.