Sharps 1874 asked me to post these pictures of his father's Belgian made .22LR single shot, on a chance that one of you fine fellas might identify it, or have some input about it. Thanks, Vall
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IT BE A FLOBERT   WARRANT SYSTEM PARLOR GUN KITCHEN  RAT KILLER

PS YA'LL WILL HAVE TO SPELL THE WORDS I DIDN'T GET TOO FAR IN SCHOOL 6 GRADE BUT I HAD A CAR.

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I have no info Brent, as I'm just trying to help Sharps1874 out, since he couldn't post the pictures himself. he sent them to me, and I'm passing them along here!

Sharps1874,

Swamp Fox is correct; your rifle is a "Warnant" System Flobert rifle.  This was the most complex breeching system of all of them, and could hold black powder pressures up to 9mm rimfire or 9mm centerfire.

The next step down was the so-called "Remington" System, and it's always been a source of wonder to me why Remington didn't sue.  This design incorporates a stingy little rolling block, locked by the hammer when it falls, sort of like a Stevens Crack Shot.  This "system" was chambered for up to .22 Long Rifle Smokeless and .297-250, but I can't imagine they held up for very long in those chamberings.

The lowest pressure setup was the original Flobert System, wherein only the hammer held in the pressure as the cartridge was fired.  This was only for Flobert BB and CB caps.

If you look at the breeches of the rifles in the links you show, you have at least one "original" Flobert and maybe a Remington System; I can't tell now as I'm in this Reply mode and can't get back to the thread.

The original Flobert system dates from the 1840's.  I would guess the "Remington" System probably came along in the 1880's and the "Warnant" in the 1890's, but somebody would have to be able to search European patents to get any exact dates.  As said, thousands and thousands were made, and most were considered disposable toys.  Yours is unusual in that it has a fancy stock, engraving, and set-triggers.  Even more unusual is the fine bore you report.  BB caps relied on the priming for propellant, which ate barrels up quickly.  The early corrosive .22's, especially the smokeless ones, were almost as bad.

My copy of the 1911 "Alfa" Catalog, reproduced as "Arms of the World--1911" (Joseph Schroeder, ed., Digest Books Inc 1972) has woodcuts of some rifles that look very close to yours.  Is there a name on your rifle?  Names like "Amelung", "Troudor," "Liego" and "Clamin" are illustrated in the catalog, but only the "Amelung" and "Liego" have pistol grips, cheekpieces and set-triggers.

Take a look at the following link, (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links). The last picture on the right side looks alike what my Dad has, take a look at the action in the picture compaired to the one that my Dad has on his...they look the same. And they both have the set trigger. if I understand that the tiype of action that my Dads gun has is a Warnat Flobert.  With the set trggers, the checkering and the engraving that it has...that would increase the value of the gun. What was the name of the company that made this rifle? How can I contact the maker of this rifle?

Sharps1874,

Liege in Belgium was a huge gunmaking center in the old days and is still considerable in size.  The producers ran all the way from all-up factories like Fabrique Nationale down to tiny hearth-and-tongs forges, backyard-shed machine shops and cottage gunsmith operations where generic parts were made and assembled.  If there isn't some sort of brand name or maker's mark on your father's rifle, it's probably the product of one of these anonymous cottage industrial operations.  A lot of similarly anonymous double-barreled shotguns were made this way, stamped with any name the importer wanted, and exported all over the world.

Your Dad's rifle should have somewhere on it a stamp of a tiny tower or obelisk (sometimes so badly stamped it looks like a mace or club) and an oval surmounted by a crown with the letters EL with a G below that and a star below that, if it was made in Belgium after 1893.  If it has a fancy eagle with a shield or a feathered crest with "F-ALFA-F" on it, it was sold by the Adolph Frank Export Co. of Hamburg Germany.

The link you provide shows the same Warnant system as yours with markedly inferior workmanship.  This is the kind of Warnant System action I usually see at gun shows.  Generally anybody willing to spend the extra bucks your Dad's rifle undoubtedly cost would have gotten a more substantial .22 for their money, which is why specimens as good as you show are rare.

DWS8130,

             Wow, I was not aware on how rare this rifle is. My Dad and I just thought that it was a regular single shot 22 made in Belgium. I need to get my hands on the 22 soon and look at what markings are on the rifle. The Floberts had an interesting history, thanks.

Bent_Ramrod,

              I'll be looking again for markings on the rifle next time I get my hands on the rifle. I know it has markings on it. Just nothing that makes sense. Thanks for all the information that you have passed on.