Is a revolver a pistol? Or are pistols strictly autoloaders?
From Guns&Ammo:
From Guns&Ammo:
The obvious answer is all handguns are pistols, not just autoloaders. Not sure who came up with this BOGUS distinction but it's nonsense.Pistol vs. Handgun
There is some gray area with this one. Some use the term “handgun” to describe any hand-held firearm, but only use “pistol” in reference to semi-automatic handguns — not revolvers. I’m of the school that believes pistol and handgun may be used interchangeably. Here’s why.
One authoritative source, The NRA Firearms Sourcebook, defines a pistol as “a generic term for a hand-held firearm. Often used more specifically to refer to a single-shot, revolver or semi-automatic handgun.”
Then there’s the historical record. Though there’s debate over whence the term “pistol” arose, by the late 16th century it was commonly used to describe any hand-held gun. It even appeared in works by William Shakespeare. Then along came Samuel Colt, who described his cylinder-firearm invention as a “revolving pistol.”
“Pistol” was an established part of the vernacular long before the semi-auto handgun. Therefore it’s safe to say all handguns are pistols, and all pistols are handguns.
Read more: http://www.gunsandammo.com/gun-culture/9-misused-gun-terms/#ixzz5P4BSqJyq