Flobert Garden Gun
Flobert · Shotgun · In Production · 1845
Also known as: 9mm Flobert Garden Gun, 9mm Smoothbore Garden Gun, Rat Gun
Overview
The Flobert Garden Gun is a lightweight single-shot break-action smoothbore shotgun chambered for the 9mm Flobert rimfire shotshell. Developed from Louis-Nicolas Flobert's mid-19th-century rimfire system, it fires a small charge of birdshot at low velocity for close-range pest control against rats, snakes, squirrels, and pest birds. Its soft report, negligible recoil, and short effective range make it a common tool for farmers and gardeners across Europe, where such guns face little or no legal restriction.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1630 g (57.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1000 mm (39.37") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 180 m/s (591 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 113 J (83 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 18 m (20 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 30 m (33 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9mm Flobert · primary — also known as 9mm Flobert Shot, 9mm No. 3 Bore, 9mm Rimfire Shotshell, 9x44R Flobert
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Hammer
- Features: Smoothbore Barrel, Single Shot, Break Open Action, Extractor, Lightweight Alloy Frame
Service history
Operators
- Farmers and gardeners
Production
Production years: 1845-present
Produced in various forms by many European manufacturers since the mid-19th century; no consolidated production total exists
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Louis-Nicolas Flobert
Notes
The 9mm Flobert shotshell uses a roughly 44mm (1.75 in) rimfire case loaded with about 1/4 oz (7 g) of fine shot at around 180 m/s (600 fps). It is practically harmless beyond roughly 20 yards and cannot chamber conventional rimfire ammunition. Many makers produced garden guns in this chambering, including Anschutz, RWS, and various European gunmakers; dimensions vary by manufacturer.
Background
Louis-Nicolas Flobert invented the rimfire cartridge in 1845 by fitting a percussion cap with a small ball, and the low-powered guns built around his system became the archetype of the European 'garden gun' used for close-range pest control.