.22 BB

History

Frenchman Louis-Nicolas Flobert invented the first rimfire metallic cartridge in 1845. His cartridge consisted of a percussion cap with a bullet attached to the top. Flobert then made what he called "parlor guns" for this cartridge, as these rifles and pistols were designed to be shot in indoor shooting parlors in large homes. Usually derived in the 6 mm and 9 mm calibres, it is since then called the Flobert cartridge, but it does not contain any powder; the only propellant substance contained in the cartridge is within the percussion cap. In Europe, the .22 BB Cap and .22 CB Cap are both called 6mm Flobert and are considered the same cartridge.

Description

These rimfires closely resemble a .22 caliber air rifle in power and are often used for indoor shooting and close range pest control. Developed for indoor shooting galleries with special "gallery guns", the .22 BB Cap was the first rimfire cartridge, dating back to 1845. It has no separate propellant charge, relying on the impulse created by the primer alone to fire a round lead ball. This results in a low muzzle velocity of around 700 ft/s (210 m/s) or less. More common is the .22 CB Cap, which fires a slightly heavier conical bullet and is available in a variety of cartridge lengths.

Specifications

• Case length:
  • .22 BB Cap: 0.284 in
  • 22 CB Cap: 0.284 in
  • .22 Short: 0.423 in
  • .22 Long: 0.613 in
• Bullet weight:
  • .22 BB Cap: 18 gr
  • .22 CB Cap: 18 gr
  • .22 Short: 29 gr
  • .22 Long: 29 gr
• Muzzle velocity:
  • .22 BB Cap: 780 ft/s
  • .22 CB Cap: 953 ft/s
  • .22 Short: 900 ft/s
  • .22 Long: 1,060 ft/s

References

References

1. ''Cartridges of the World 11th Edition'', by Frank C. Barnes, edited by Stan Skinner, Gun Digest Books, 2006, {{ISBN. 0-89689-297-2. pp. 490, 492.
2. [http://www.firearmsadvantage.com/history_of_firearms.html "History of firearms"] {{webarchive. link. (2015-12-22 (fireadvantages.com))
3. [http://www.firearmsadvantage.com/how_guns_work.html "How guns work"] {{webarchive. link. (2015-12-22 (fireadvantages.com))
4. Flayderman, Norm. (2007). "Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values". F+W Media, Inc.
5. (2009). "Cartridges of the World: A Complete and Illustrated Reference for Over 1500 Cartridges". Gun Digest Books.
6. [http://www.arquebusiers.be/section-tir.htm Shooting section (''la section de tir'')] {{webarchive. link. (2013-11-10 of the official website (in French) of a modern indoor shooting association in Belgium, ''Les Arquebusier de Visé''.)