Auto,revolver, pistol? Just semantics or what?

[PoliceEquipment]

Hi there,

In my opinion,

The proper general term for all of them is handgun, and in common use "pistol" and "handgun" are interchangeable. These are firearm that are held and fired with one hand.

While revolver is a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets).
Or
a door consisting of four orthogonal partitions that rotate about a central pivot; a door designed to equalize the air pressure in tall buildings

 

[kozak6]

A revolver is pistol. So is a semiautomatic pistol. So is a single shot pistol.

It's a generic class basically interchangeable with "handgun".

Speaking of "handgun", I know a guy who is convinced that it's a bad word only an anti would use, directly comparable to "assault weapon".

 

[Stophel]

[Speaking of "handgun", I know a guy who is convinced that it's a bad word only an anti would use, directly comparable to "assault weapon".]


I don't like to use the word "handgun", not in normal speech, anyway. If I'm being real "technical" maybe. To me it DOES have a somewhat negative connotation. A word a TV news anchor might use....with a sneer

 

[wgsigs]

I confess that I never knew that a "pistol" was equivalent only to a semi-automatic handgun until about a year ago when I responded to a thread that asked "Which pistol had the best out-of-the-box trigger?" and I responded with Colt Python.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Strictly speaking, handgun=Any man-portable firearm designed to be used by a single individual with his (or her) hands.

Rifle, shotgun, pistol, etc. came along later to differentiate between the types of handguns.

It wasn't until more recently that "handgun" became specific to pistols.

It was also a more recent devlopment that "pitol-grip" came to mean a distinctly protruding grip below the stock; Technically, any long gun that doesn't have a straight stock is "pistol grip". That would be most these days, save a few lever rifles and SxS shotguns.

My vernacular?

Firearm is all-encompassing

Pistol and handgun are used interchangeably

Autoloader, automatic or auto pistol denote just that

Revolver or wheelgun

Bolt rifle or bolt gun

Autoloading rifle

Lever rifle or levergun

Shotgun I tend to more more generic with

 

[Stophel]

I prefer Hog Laig, or Equalizer, or Widowmaker...

 

[Loosedhorse]

If it matters...

The Gun Control Act of 1968 established a point system (for "sporting purposes" features) for importation of foreign-made handguns. There are two separate point systems, one for "revolvers", one for "pistols."

The GCA defines a pistol as

A weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire a projectile (bullet) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having (a) a chamber( s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s); and (b) a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand and at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s).

A revolver is

A projectile weapon, of the pistol type, having a breechloading chambered cylinder...

So, I guess a revolver is of the "pistol-type" but somehow not a pistol. What do you expect when you let gun-grabbing legislators define gun types for you!

Quick quiz: A pepperbox (with revolving cylinder AND multiple barrels that are all integral with their chambers) is a pistol or a revolver?

I believe that the GCA is the single source of all "a revolver is not a pistol" nonsense. As has already been mentioned, this is what Colt's thought:

 

[fatcat4620]

Dang I thought this was a thread about the automatic revolver. Where would the Webley-Fosbery stand?

 

[JRH6856]

Where would the Webley-Fosbery stand?

See post #19

 

[jmr40]

The strict definition of a pistol is a handgun with one chamber. This would include single shots, lever action, semi-autos, bolt action, etc.

A revolver is a handgun with multiple chambers. At first they were called revolving pistols, but the term was shotened to revolvers after some time.

That is the definition I prefer to use and think it is the proper terminology. Over the years as words meanings have changed many folks simply use the term "pistol" to refer to any handgun.

 

[fatcat4620]

Thank you micro

 

[Wanderling]

Calling a "revolver" a "pistol" may be technically correct but historically these two terms drifted apart in XIX century, when the cutting edge tech revolvers coexisted with traditional outdated pistols. Historically, for most people, a revolver is a handgun with a drum, a pistol is a handgun without one. So by extension the semi-autos, when they appeared, were called "pistols" as they were clearly not "revolvers". At least by the lay people. Although the "revolving pistol" seems to be the proper "scientific" definition.

 

[LibShooter]

Calling a "revolver" a "pistol" may be technically correct but historically these two terms drifted apart in XIX century...

In the 21st century the terms are drifting back together. Collect a representative focus group of English speakers, bring out a Glock and a Smith & Wesson revolver and ask the folks how many of these are pistols. Almost everybody will say both are.

 

[Pete D.]

The most common, the generic, definition is that a pistol is a small firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand. That covers all handguns.
The most common refinement of that generic is, as mentioned in a post earlier, that a pistol has a chamber that is "contiguous with the barrel." That excludes revolvers.
Pete

 

[JohnBT]

"a revolver is a handgun with a drum"

I've never seen a handgun with a drum.

 

[tipoc]

Oh well, pick what ya want...



Or to put it another way, both are correct. One term is older than the other and is giving way to more modern usage.

The dominant term for the last several decades though, has been that a pistol is a semi and a revolver a revolver. This modern usage came into being following the growth of the use of the semi-automatic at the beginning of the last century. The term pistol has come to be a term used to distinguish a self loading handgun from a revolver. These bookcovers from the last several decades illustrate that.

However the usage of the older meaning hangs on. Newspapers will often say that a person was armed "with a pistol" and show a picture of a revolver. You can also see here that folks who are particularly nettled by the "correct" usage of terms lean to the older meaning of pistol covering revolvers.

I lean to the more modern meanin, mostly cuz I like to know what people are talking about.


tipoc

 

[webfox]

Ccsniper's post was correct. The 4473 that we fill out to purchase from an FFL initially asks if it's a "handgun, long gun, other".

On the line that the make, model, and the serial number is recorded, it is further refined to define "revolver" or "pistol".

In the CCW course, either are referred to as "handguns".

Interchangeable use of the term is okay, until you get into talking about "magazine capacity".

 

[F-111 John]

The ATF uses "pistol" and "revolver" to mean two different types of handguns. To them it's not semantics, but an attempt at precise meaning.

Here's an excerpt from an ATF publication, with emphasis added:

The “any other weapon” definition excludes weapons designed to be fired from the shoulder that are not capable of firing fixed ammunition or a pistol or revolver having a rifled bore. However, certain alterations to a pistol or revolver, such as the addition of a second vertical handgrip, create a weapon that no longer meets the definition of pistol or revolver. A pistol or revolver modified as described is an “any other weapon” subject to the NFA because the weapon is not designed to be fired when held in one hand.

As stated above, a pistol or revolver having a rifled bore does not meet the definition of “any other weapon” and is not subject to the NFA. It is important to note that any pistol or revolver having a barrel without a rifled bore does not fit within the exclusion and is an “any other weapon” subject to the NFA.