Flobert .32 Rimfire

[fabil12]

Hello, I'm a recent member but a long time follower of Cast Boolits.

I just bought a Flobert on GB. It arrived today. It looks just grand. Sold as .32 caliber.
Tight action, beautiful shiny bore, lovely. It's a rolling block and pre 1899.
I do a bit of gunsmithing so I took it apart in my shop and measured the bore.
Bore looked pretty large for a .32
The muzzle shows a little wear but about an inch back I'm measuring .335"
The chamber is about .360
This is a rimfire mind you. Hell of a snappy hammer spring too.

Does anyone know what caliber this is??? Thanks

[John Taylor]

There are three different designs for the Flobert. If it is the first model I would just hang it on the wall. The second model has a separate breach block and works like a rolling block. The third has a heavy breach block that pivots on two screws in the side of the barrel. None of these rifles are very strong. Best bet if you want it to be a shooter is to line the bore to 22LR. If it was a 22 to start with then I would say standard velocity ammo only.
There have been several guns in 32 rim fire converted to 32 Colt by moving the firing pin. Yours seems to have a bore that is to large for this and I don't believe the action would hold up under the pressure.

[Bent Ramrod]

If you can find a .32 Short or Long Colt shell, and it fits in the chamber OK, then you have a .32 rimfire. There was also a 9mm rimfire cartridge, typically a shot cartridge but also for a round ball, that they used in Europe. It was larger than a .32 (of course), smaller and shorter than a .38 RF, and perhaps RWS might still offer the stuff for sale. I've seen at least one Flobert chambered for this, and a tin of the ball cartridges.

[NoZombies]

I've seen and shot the 9mm rimfire, but I don't have any on hand right now to measure. I know there was also an 8mm rimfire that didn't last real long on the market. No idea what your is, but almost certainly not a .32 rimfire.

I would also ask, was that measurement across the lands, or the grooves? if across the lands, then it's more than likely a 9mm RF.

[fabil12]

Measurement is across the lands. I tried various drill bits and then turned a rod on my lathe until it fit and then measured it.

[Mk42gunner]

There was also a .36 cal rimfire, I have seen the Dixie Gun Works cases for it. I would almost bet your Flobert was for the 9mm though.

Best thing would be to make a chamber cast to see what you actually have. I agree with John Taylor; I have seen a few Floberts and wouldn't want to shoot any of the ones that I have seen with anything strionger than a CB cap.

Robert

[Gunaria]

The only thing I know is that Century has 9mm Flobert in stock right now, 50rnds for $26.95. In #10, #9 & #8 shot.

http://www.centuryarms.biz/proddetail.asp?prod=AM1688