Flobert Parlor Pistol
Flobert · Pistol · Discontinued · 1845
Also known as: Flobert Saloon Pistol, Flobert Gallery Pistol, 6mm Flobert Parlor Pistol, Muff Pistol
Overview
The Flobert Parlor Pistol is a single-shot rimfire pistol built around the low-powered 6mm Flobert cartridge developed by Louis-Nicolas Flobert in 1845, the first successful self-contained metallic rimfire round. Because the ammunition contained no powder and was propelled solely by its percussion cap, these pistols were quiet and mild enough to be fired indoors, giving rise to the parlor, saloon and gallery pistols popular for target practice in wealthy nineteenth-century homes. A typical example pairs a long round or octagonal barrel with a tip-up Flobert breech and an exposed spur hammer, and was widely copied by makers across France, Belgium and Germany who could not use Flobert's name.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 500 g (17.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 390 mm (15.35") |
| Barrel Length | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Height | 120 mm (4.72") |
| Width | 30 mm (1.18") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 213 m/s (699 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 27 J (20 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 10 m (11 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Rifled |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 BB Cap (6mm Flobert) · primary — also known as .22 BB Cap, 6mm Flobert, .22 CB Cap, Flobert
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single-Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half-Cock Hammer Notch
- Features: Long Round Or Octagonal Target Barrel, Flobert Tip-Up Breech Action, Exposed Spur Hammer, Fixed Target Sights, Smooth Or Checkered Walnut Bag Grip
Production
Production years: c. 1845-1920
Produced in large but unrecorded numbers by many small European makers copying Flobert's design.
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Louis-Nicolas Flobert
Discontinued: 1920
Notes
A generic pattern rather than a single model; near-identical Flobert-type parlor, saloon and gallery pistols were mass-produced in Liege, Saint-Etienne and Germany through the late 1800s. Also chambered in 4mm, 5mm and .22 CB Cap. Considered antiques today.
Background
Louis-Nicolas Flobert's 1845 bulleted breech cap let gentlemen and ladies practice marksmanship in a dedicated parlor or shooting gallery without the smoke, noise or danger of a full-power firearm. The design spread across Europe under the borrowed names saloon and parlor gun, and small muff versions were slipped into a pocket or handbag for genteel self-defense.