12.17×42mm RF
The 12.17×42mm rimfire and its slightly longer but still interchangeable 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.
12.17×42mm RF and its subvariety the 12.17×44mm RF
The 12.17×42mm RF rimfire round was developed by a joint Swedish-Norwegian arms commission quite likely based on the American .50-70 Government which was already tested in the 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 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 and breech-loading Model 1864 Hagström and Norwegian Kammerlader rifles 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 Linjers, had a lead bullet 12.615mm in diameter, with the diameter of the bore, measured between the lands, being 12.17mm. It used a copper case.
In Swedish service, the standard cartridge used a lead projectile weighing 24 g. The muzzle velocity fired through a 955mm rifle barrel was 386 m/s, with a muzzle energy of 1,788 J. Fired through a 460mm carbine barrel the muzzle velocity was 340 m/s, with a muzzle energy of 1,387 J.
In Norwegian service, the standard cartridge used a cast lead projectile weighing 5.85 kvintin and 1 kvintin of gunpowder. Later rounds had a pressed lead projectile weighing 6 kvintin and the gunpowder load was increased to 1.05 kvintin.
There was also a blank round - an ordinary cartridge case loaded with 54 gr 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. 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, a voluntary paramilitary organization patterned on the British Volunteer Force and training civilians in the use of arms, with the units raised intended as local defense units.Alternative names
The 12.17×42mm RF is also known as "12,17mm patron m/1867" and "12×42RF Swedish Remington Model 1867".The 12.17×44mm RF is also known as "12×44RF Norwegian Remington Model 1871" and "12.7×44RF Norwegian".
The 12.17×44mm R is also known as "12×44R Swedish Remington", ".50 Swedish/Norwegian Remington" and "12.7×44R".