OK OK, I need help... 6mm Flobert?

M

mellow_c

New member
So I picked up a rifle.

Chambered in 6mm Flobert.


I’ve never seen one but the internet shows me it’s a tinny little round, smaller (shorter) than a 22 short.

People say that it’s the European equivalent to a “CB cap” ? But based on the pictures Ive seen, I’m not sure, because the CB caps appear to have a longer case than the little Flobert.

I just wonder what This rifle is capable of and designed to chamber and fire. I’d like to find the cheapest option. 6mm Flobert isn’t cheap.
 
Its capable of shoot all the way across the room! It is the approximate equivalent of a CB cap though of course the case and the bullet are different from ours. I think there was a 4mm Flobert too, but I'd have to look that up.

It's a "parlor" (Parlour) rifle. In the later 1800s through the very early 1900s a moderately popular recreation was parlor shooting. If you were wealthy enough to have a house with a parlor. Today we would say living room, in the US. but its not exactly the same thing. People were more formal (and a lot more polite ;)) about a great many things back then, and the parlor was where one entertained guests.

Targets were put up, and people shot them with small caliber rimfire or pinfire rifles and pistols, often single shots, which used very tiny amounts of powder or no powder at all, just the force of the primer. Ammo for these guns has been obsolete and essentially unobtainable for a century or more, though it is now the 21st century and somebody is probably making small quantities somewhere, for a hefty price.

If you find a source for new made ammo, and you want to shoot the gun, open your wallet and pay whatever they want to get it. You're not going to find any at Cabela's and certainly not at WalMart.
 
Cheapest way to shoot that rifle is as a 6mm Flobert. At 40 cents a round it isnt cheap for a RF, but anything else is going to cost a lot as well. If and it's a big "IF" it could be relined to shoot a .22 RF you'll be able to purchase several hundred if not a thousand of rounds of Flobert ammo. So you got to ask yourself, how much are you going to shoot it?
 
Ok, so BB caps only.

Makes sense, CB caps are basically just 22 shorts, correct?

I found this deal...

https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/712014011/redirect

And I found the same ammo (150 count) for about $50 from various sellers on Gun Broker. Depending on how much shipping costs, I might be able to get away with 35 cents a round. That’s not terrible.

And it’s a single shot.

So if I only shot 25 rounds at a time it would cost $8.75:o

Honestly, going into this purchase, I knew what it was, (a parlor rifle) and I think given the rarity of the rifle and the interesting history associated with them, I’d be happy to own it even if I didn’t shoot it. So I’m perfectly content either way.

I’ll take good care of it, show it to people from time to time, exclaim my pride in owning a firearm that fires the weakest cartridge ever produced (correct I would assume?) and shoot it a little here and there, just for fun, or in case the new shooter I’m teaching is extremely timid and even a CB cap is too much. Hah!

I’ll pay 35 cents a round for that.

If anyone can find it cheaper, please please let me know.
 
Got a picture?

Makes sense, CB caps are basically just 22 shorts, correct?
Click to expand...

US makers load "CB Shorts" (also "CB Longs") to run through manually operated repeaters. There was one guy who even got a .22 Short auto made for ISU Rapid Fire to function with them, all the barrel ports closed.
The original CB cap is much shorter.
 
Thank you Jim. I’ll see what I can do about a picture. I’ve always struggled with file size and posting pics to the forum, I don’t use an outside website to store pictures which allows me to just post a link. So I’m pretty much clueless about how to post pictures.
 
Many years ago I bought a a rifle like that for my daughter. I had the chamber reamed for .22 short. The .22 CB cap that it was chambered for was impossible to find around here.

Later on we talked about have it opened up for .22LR but I gave her another rifle instead.

That little rifle is wickedly accurate and she took to shooting like ducks to water.

I don't remember the make of the rifle but if you're interested, I'll text my daughter and ask her...

Tony
 
Sure Tony,

Always interested in new things!


Which reminds me, I really ought to tell you all what I’ve got even if I don’t get a picture posted.

It’s a GUSTAV GEKSCHON & CO. ALFA chambered in 6mm Flobert. Single shot bolt action.
 
If memory server and it doesn't always, her rifle is a JGJ but I haven't looked at it in at least 15 years.

I've texted her but I don't know when she'll get back to me with pix...

Tony
 
I have a copy of the 1903 Sears catalog that lists Flobert rifles with a disclaimer to the extent of, “We do not recommend Flobert rifles. Get yourself a decent rifle.” :D

Enjoy your rifle, it’s a neat piece of history.
 
Just because a rifle is chambered in 6mm Flobert doesn't necessarily make it a Flobert, any more than a rifle chambered in 243 Winchester has to be a Winchester.

CB caps are NOT the same as 22 Short. CB caps are very low powered, usually just by the primer.

Flobert action rifles are ridiculously weak. I probably wouldn't shoot one under any circumstances, but if I had one in 6mm Flobert I certainly wouldn't shoot anything else in it.

The OP's rifle is a single shot bolt, so it isn't a Flobert action.
 
Right. The real Floberts (four main types) were so common that they defined the rimfire rifle in Europe to the point that any inexpensive rifle was called a Flobert, even bolt actions.
 
I ended up with almost 200 rounds of 6mm Flobert from a going out of business auction of reloading and ammo components over 20 years ago. The boxes then were labeled $8.95 per 100.
Still have them "just in case".
 
I bought one of those rifles cheap because I thought it was chambered for .22 short. Later on I had the chamber cut for .22 short and never looked back...
 
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