Louis Nicolas Auguste Flobert was a French inventor and gunsmith who is best known for his development of the first rimfire cartridges. He was born in 1819, and began his career as a gunsmith in Paris. In 1845, he invented a new type of small caliber rimfire cartridge that used a percussion cap to ignite the powder charge. This was a significant innovation, as it eliminated the need for a separate percussion cap and allowed for the development of smaller, more compact firearms.
Flobert’s invention was quickly adopted by gun manufacturers, and became known as the “Flobert” cartridge. It was primarily used in small caliber rifles, shotguns, and pistols, such as the Flobert Zimmerschuetzen target pistols that were popular in Europe in the late 19th century.
Flobert’s invention also led to the development of other rimfire cartridges, such as the 22 Short, 22 Long, and 22 Long Rifle. These cartridges are still in use today, and are used primarily for target shooting and small game hunting.
