What is a 9mm Rimfire RIFLE, not shotgun?

[ungawa]

Back in the 80s I had a friend that had a 9mm rimfire rifle. Every search I do on the web turns up a 9mm shotshell/shotgun, the ammunition for which resembles a .357 cartridge. The 9mm rifle did not fire a shotshell, it fired a slug. And it was not a long cartridge like .357, it was shorter than a 9mm parabellum. Sort of resembling the 9mm version of a .22 short.

Anybody know what this was?

[ungawa]

I think the .38 short rimfire might have been the one. After you mentioned it, I found a pic of it elsewhere. I remember it being a little more stubby but it was 30 years ago and that looks close.

You didn't need hearing protection for it out of the single-shot rifle. But it blasted an enormous hole through a 2-1/2" hard cover book.

The ammo was old and a couple rounds took over the recommended 30 seconds downrange to light

[elweasel]

Excuse me ignorance but...

Why would such a round exist? Cheaper to make? Better to shoot? Why?

[RockIsland]

Only thing I can think of is a Star Destroyer, (not the ones that chased the Millennium Falcon) but that was 9mm Largo.

[RockIsland]

How about 9mm pinfire? Though I think it was used primarily as a pistol round.

[knight0334]

One of the variants of the 9mm Flobert? .38Rimfire(short)?

European countries would often mark their .38 caliber guns as 9mm.

[ungawa]

One of the variants of the 9mm Flobert? .38Rimfire(short)?

No chance the one commonly referred to as 9mm Flobert.

European countries would often mark their .38 caliber guns as 9mm.

That probably seals it right there, thanks for the help.