Shotshell · CIP
9mm Flobert
The original metallic cartridge — Louis-Nicolas Flobert's 1845 invention that started the era of fixed ammunition.
- Caliber
- 0.354″ · 9 mm
- Introduced
- 1845
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Pest Control, Target
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1845
- Type
- Shotshell
- Origin
- France
- Inventor
- Louis-Nicolas Flobert
- Manufacturer
- RWS / Dynamit Nobel
- Standard
- CIP
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Specialty
- Case capacity
- 8 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:18
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 7,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 25 yd
- Max range
- 30 yd
- Recoil
- 3–5 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 500–625 fps · 8 loads
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 9.00 | 0.354 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.40 | 0.331 | ~ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 8.80 | 0.346 | · |
| Shoulder angle | 7.6° | — | · |
| Base ⌀ | 8.80 | 0.346 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 10.50 | 0.413 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.45 | 0.057 | · |
| Neck length | 33.00 | 1.299 | ≈ |
| Case length | 45.00 | 1.772 | ~ |
| Overall length | 45.00 | 1.772 | ~ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 9mm Flobert is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 8 active loads across 6 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eley | Lead RN Gallery | 60 | Lead RN | 625 | 52 | — |
| Fiocchi | Lead RN Gallery | 60 | Lead RN | 625 | 52 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Lead RN Gallery | 60 | Lead RN | 625 | 52 | — |
| CCI | Range | 65 | LRN | 500 | 36 | — |
| Fiocchi | Range | 65 | LRN | 500 | 36 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Sport | 65 | LRN | 500 | 36 | — |
| PPU | Range | 65 | LRN | 500 | 36 | — |
| RWS | Range | 65 | LRN | 500 | 36 | — |
| PPU | Standard | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
| Wolf | FMJ | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
| Kynoch | Classic | 60 | Lead Round Nose | 820 | 90 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Connected reference
History
Louis-Nicolas Flobert invented the first practical metallic cartridge in 1845 by inserting a projectile into a percussion cap — no separate powder charge, just the priming compound as the propellant. This became the Flobert cartridge, available in several bore sizes. The 9mm Flobert shotshell variant found a lasting niche in European garden guns — break-action rifles used for pest control in orchards and gardens, where minimal noise and range are virtues. RWS and other European makers still produce it. In the US it is rarely seen, but in France, Belgium, and Germany it remains available for traditional garden gun use.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 9mm Flobert use?
- 9mm Flobert typically uses a 1:18 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 9mm Flobert?
- 9mm Flobert uses a 0.354″ (9 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 9mm Flobert still in production?
- 9mm Flobert is active; typical availability is specialty.
- What is 9mm Flobert used for?
- 9mm Flobert is primarily used for pest control, target.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 8 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
Lindcott Armory