What really is CB?

[Anvil]

I often get confused with the term CB. It is known as "Cap & Ball" here but elsewhere as a "conical bullet" round.
I'm not a black powder guy but I am interested in the Conical B[color=var(--body_text_color)]ullet guns if they are out there. [/color]
[color=var(--body_text_color)]Not much luck in searching unless they are also black powder?  [/color]
Educate me if you are a Guru on this. Any 22 rimfire firearms guns and calibers give me interest for better understanding.

[LHB]

Not sure about this, but I think that the start of the letter usage started with the very first self-contained cartridges.
It is my understanding that some of the very first cartridges were developed in France, and used with single shot pistols indoors, in what was called parlor shooting.  These cartridges were nothing but a percussion cap, with a BB seated as the projectile, no gun powder at all.  Then someone re-placed the BB with a heavier conical bullet for the CB.  Then Smith & Wesson re-placed the percussion cap with a copper case to hold powder, and developed the .22 short.
I remember that 60 years ago we could still find .22 caliber BB caps, imported, and was told that they did not contain any powder, just primer, and there were also .22 caliber CB caps on the market, but don't remember if they had powder in them or just the primer.

[Mike In A Truck]

It's my understanding that the Flobert cartridge...basically  a 22 lead ball pressed into a percusion cap was one of the first if not the first. Back in Victorian times a Gentleman calling on a young lady would spend at least part of the evening shooting "parlor guns". This was very popular.  And if the young lady was allowed to outshoot the gent she might even be inclined to lift her skirt and show him her ankles..yowza! OK I don't know for sure. Somewhere around here I have Sam Fadalas Book of the 22.  Which has a history of rimfire development.