View source for 12.17×42mm RF

{{Short description|Rimfire rifle cartridge}}
The '''12.17×42mm [[Rimfire ammunition|rimfire]]''' and its slightly longer but still intercchangeable variant, the '''12.17×44mm rimfire''', are rifle cartridges adopted by the armed forces of [[Sweden]] and [[Norway]] in 1867 and 1871, respectively. They were primarily chambered in the [[Remington M1867]] rolling block rifle, which became the standard firearm for both countries.{{Infobox Firearm Cartridge
| name = 12.17×42mm RF/12.17×44mm RF 
| image = 12,17x42mmRF patron.jpg
| caption = 12.17×42mm RF (12,17mm patron m/1867) from the collection of Armémuseum, Stockholm
| origin = [[United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway]]
| type = Rifle
<!-- Service history -->
| used_by = [[Sweden]]<br>[[Norway]]
<!-- Specifications -->
| is_SI_specs = 
| parent = 
| case_type = 
| bullet = .497 inches\12.615 mm
| neck = 12.17×42mm RF - 13.44 mm<br>12.17×44mm RF - 13.46 mm
| shoulder = 
| base = 12.17×42mm RF - 13.93 mm<br>12.17×44mm RF - 14.00 mm
| rim_dia = 12.17×42mm RF - 15.94 mm<br>12.17×44mm RF - 16.00 mm
| rim_thick = 12.17×42mm RF - 1.68 mm<br>12.17×44mm RF - 2.08 mm
| case_length = 12.17×42mm RF - 41.2 mm<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |url=http://municion.org/Rem/12x42Rf.htm |title=12 x 42 RF Swedish Remington 1867 / MUNICION.ORG |access-date=2011-12-14 |archive-date=2012-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426051712/http://municion.org/Rem/12x42Rf.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><br>12.17×44mm RF - 44 mm<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |url=http://municion.org/Rem/12x44Rf.htm |title=12x44 RF Remington Noruego / MUNICION.ORG |access-date=2019-01-13 |archive-date=2018-10-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005054002/http://municion.org/Rem/12x44Rf.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| length = 12.17×42mm RF - 51.78 mm<br>12.17×44mm RF - 57.38 mm
| case_capacity = 
| rifling = 
| primer = Rimfire
| max_pressure = 
| max_cup = 
| filling = Black Powder
| filling_weight = In Service; 3.89 or 4.09 Grams
| detonation = 
| yield = 
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| is_SI_ballistics = 
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| test_barrel_length = 
| balsrc = 
}}

==12.17×42mm RF and its subvariety the 12.17×44mm RF==
[[File:Gevär m-1867 Sverige (Typexemplar serienummer 1 - Armémuseum).jpg|thumb|250px|Model 1867 Remington rolling block chambered for the 12.17×42mm RF. The picture is of a "gevär m/1867" manufactured in Sweden. Apart from minor external details M1867 rifles made in Norway were identical to those made in Sweden.]][[File:12,17x44mmR patron - Armémuseum.jpg|thumb|250px|12.17×44mmR, rimmed centerfire cartridge]][[Image:M1867 cartridge.jpg|thumb|250px|Dimensional drawing of 12.17×44mm RF, Norwegian rimfire military cartridge]]The '''12.17×42mm RF''' rimfire round was developed by a joint [[United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway|Swedish-Norwegian]] arms commission quite likely based on the American [[.50-70 Government]] which was already tested in the [[Remington Rolling Block rifle|Remington Rolling Block rifles]] they were considering, and was adopted by the armed forces of both Sweden and Norway in 1867. It was used in the [[Remington M1867|M1867 Remington]] rifles adopted as new standard rifles by the armed forces of Sweden and Norway the same year.

Many thousands of older 12-mm rifles, both Swedish [[muzzle-loading]] Model 1860<ref>{{Cite web |title=1867 & 1868 Swedish Remington Conversions |url=https://www.militaryrifles.com/sweden/remingtonconversions |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=MilitaryRifles.com |language=en}}</ref> and [[breech-loading]] Model 1864 ''Hagström'' and Norwegian [[Kammerlader]] rifles<ref>{{Cite web |title=M1855/67 & M1860-67 Lund (12.7x44R) |url=https://www.militaryrifles.com/norway/lund |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=MilitaryRifles.com |language=en}}</ref> of various models were also converted to rolling block rifles, chambered for the new standard round.

A lengthened version of the round, the '''12.17×44mm RF''', was adopted by the Norwegian armed forces in 1871. But the two cartridges were interchangeable, and could thus be fired from the same weapons.

The cartridge, nominally known as 4 [[Line (unit)|Linjers]] (actual bore diameter 4.1 Swedish decimal lines or 3.88 Norwegian decimal lines, that is 0.41 Swedish or 0.388 Norwegian inches), had a lead bullet 12.615mm (0.497&nbsp;in) in diameter, with the diameter of the bore, measured between the lands, being 12.17mm (0.479 inches). It used a copper case.

In Swedish service, the standard cartridge used a lead projectile (shaped like a [[Minié ball]]) weighing 24 g (370 gr). The muzzle velocity fired through a 955mm (37.6&nbsp;in) rifle barrel was 386&nbsp;m/s (1,266&nbsp;ft/s), with a muzzle energy of 1,788 J (1,319&nbsp;ft/lbf).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gevär m/1867-74|url=https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024385111/gevar-m-1867-74|access-date=2020-10-22|website=digitaltmuseum.se|language=en}}</ref> Fired through a 460mm (18.11&nbsp;in) carbine barrel the muzzle velocity was 340&nbsp;m/s (1,115&nbsp;ft/s), with a muzzle energy of 1,387 J (1,023&nbsp;ft/lbf).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Karbin m/1870|url=https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024385239/karbin-m-1870|access-date=2020-10-22|website=digitaltmuseum.se|language=en}}</ref>

In Norwegian service, the standard cartridge used a cast lead projectile weighing 5.85 kvintin (22.8 g/352 gr) and 1 kvintin (3.89 g/60 gr) of [[gunpowder]]. Later rounds had a pressed lead projectile weighing 6 kvintin (23.4 g/361 gr) and the gunpowder load was increased to 1.05 kvintin (4.09 g/63 gr).

There was also a blank round - an ordinary cartridge case loaded with 54 gr (3.50 g) of gunpowder and sealed off with a piece of cardboard or a cork disc.

==12.17×44mmR centerfire==
A civilian/paramilitary [[centerfire]] version of the cartridge, the '''12.17×44mmR''' using a [[brass]] cartridge case with the same dimensions as the 12.17×44mm RF, was introduced during the 1870s in both Sweden and Norway.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=http://municion.org/12/12x44rRemSwedish.htm |title=12x44 R Rem Sueco / MUNICION.ORG |access-date=2011-12-17 |archive-date=2012-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426051803/http://municion.org/12/12x44rRemSwedish.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The centerfire cartridge could be fired from both Swedish and Norwegian M1867 military Remington rolling-block firearms with only a minor modification, converting the weapon from rimfire to centerfire and vice versa, which could be done by the shooter in the field provided he or she carried the replacement parts. The advantage of the centerfire cartridge was that spent cases could be reloaded, making centerfire ammunition significantly cheaper to use than rimfire ammunition, so the 12.17×44mmR also saw extensive use in Swedish paramilitary service, being used by Frivilliga Skarpskytterörelsen ("The Volunteer Sharpshooter Movement"), a voluntary paramilitary organization patterned on the  British [[Volunteer Force (Great Britain)|Volunteer Force]] and training civilians in the use of arms, with the units raised intended as local defense units (the first such volunteer "sharpshooter" units were raised in Stockholm in 1860, with the total number of active members throughout Sweden reaching 40,000 in 1865;<ref>{{Cite web|date=1882|title=421-422 (Nordisk familjebok / 1800-talsutgåvan. 5. Folkvisor - Grimnesmål)|url=https://runeberg.org/nfae/0217.html|access-date=2020-10-22|website=runeberg.org|language=sv}}</ref> volunteer "sharpshooter" units were armed with military M1867 rifles modified to use the 12.17×44mmR centerfire cartridge, and wore military-style uniforms).

==Alternative names==
The '''12.17×42mm RF''' is also known as "12,17mm patron m/1867" and "12×42RF Swedish Remington Model 1867".<ref name="auto1"/><br>The '''12.17×44mm RF''' is also known as "12×44RF Norwegian Remington Model 1871" and "12.7×44RF Norwegian".<ref name="auto2"/><br>The '''12.17×44mm R''' is also known as "12×44R Swedish Remington", ".50 Swedish/Norwegian Remington" and "12.7×44R".<ref name="auto"/>

==Today==
Many Remington Rolling Blocks were converted to use the centerfire 12.17×44mmR cartridge or rebuilt to [[shotgun]]s. Many of these guns still exist and are still used by [[black-powder]] enthusiasts both for competition and hunting. Centerfire 12.17×44mmR cases are available, but a more cost-effective way to acquire cases is to cut [[.50 Alaskan]] cases down to 44mm (1.732 in) total length.<ref>Flatnes, Oyvind. ''From Musket to Metallic Cartridge: A Practical History of Black Powder Firearms''. Crowood Press, 2013, pp. 134–138. {{ISBN|978-1847975935}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Remington M1867]]
*[[Krag–Petersson]]
*''[[Kammerlader]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Schinke, Carsten (1990). ''Die leichten schwedischen Infanteriegewehre Armee und Heimwehr''. Journal-Verlag Schwendt GmbH. Page 17 and 18.
* Hanevik, Karl Egil (1998). ''Norske Militærgeværer etter 1867''. Hanevik Våpen. {{ISBN|82-993143-1-3}}. Chapter 1 and appendix A
* Flatnes, Øyvind (2005). ''Vakre Våpen - Svart Krutt''. Landbruksforlaget. {{ISBN|82-529-2940-0}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:12.17x42mm RF}}
[[Category:Pistol and rifle cartridges]]
[[Category:Rimfire cartridges]]