pistols vs revolvers

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ISC

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On a recent thread there was some controversy over the belief by many that revolvers are not pistols.

Here are the definitions for a couple different firearms types according to a document found on the ATF website:
http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/buyback/design1-23.pdf

Pistol means any handgun that does not contain its ammunition in a revolving cylinder. Pistols may be single shot, manually opperated repeaters, multiple-barreled, semiautomatic, or fully automatic.

revolver means a handgun that contains its ammunition in a revolving cylinder.
 
Who cares what the ATF says? The Oxford English Dictionary simple defines a pistol as:

"A small firearm designed to be held in one hand"

And the etymology of the word dates back to the mid-1500's.

Where do people think the term pistoleer came from? It sure was long before there were any auto-loading pistols.

The only reason for the modern confusion of the term is people find "pistol" easier to say and print then "autoloading pistol". But pistol is really a synonym for hand gun, whether autoloading or revolver.
 
gwnorth - Why would we use a 500 year-old definition as opposed to a modern one?

Here's Wikipedia's thoughts on it. Authors of this entry believe that generally speaking, revolvers are pistols, but technically speaking, they aren't.

Since we are the people who are really in the know, we should not refer to revolvers as pistols.

Here's an interesting entry from dictionary.com. This defines a pistol as a handheld gun. It also disccusses the origin of the word going back to the 16th centry in Czechoslovakia. (or whatever it was called at that time)

Who are we with, the ignorant general masses, or the gun folks who know the difference?
 
I am a gun folk and I know the difference without having to resort to ad hoc definitions. Which is my only point - someone arguing that a revolver is not a pistol to me just means they have a limited knowledge of english vocabulary (or which is the lesser of two evils, ignorance of firearms, or ignorance of the english language :D )

Pistol = hand gun. They come in two general forms, revolvers and autoloaders (three I suppose, if you think of single shot pistols).
 
I guess it depends on whose definition you believe.

I'm going to start a poll. Polls are easy to count votes without folks having to type. We'll see. :)
 
originally, all handguns were single shot pistols.

Merriam webster definitions:
pistol
1: a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel

revolver
2 : a handgun with a cylinder of several chambers brought successively into line with the barrel and discharged with the same hammer

handgun
: a firearm (as a revolver or pistol) designed to be held and fired with one hand
 
The first revolver was patented by Samuel Colt and called the Paterson Revolving Pistol. End of story, end of debate.
 
If Mauser called the broomhandle a revolver would that have made it one?

Sam colt invented the revolver. The term "revolver" didn't exist in 1836.

When Ford made his first car the term automobile didn't exist so he called it a quadricycle. Does anyone still call their car a quadricycle? Of course not. Words have evolved to describe objects that didn't previously exist. Those words evolve to more appropriately describe the objects. One can call an automobile a motor wagon or call margerine butter or a revolver a pistol, but it is hardly the most acccurate way to express what you want to describe.

I know that most people who aren't serious about cooking call margerine butter, but wouldn't call butter margerine.

I also know that most people that aren't serious about firearms call a revolver a pistol, but wouldn't call a pistol a revolver.

Why use inaccurate terms if you know what you're talking about?
 
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Through evolution of modern the modern english language I would feel that revolvers fall into the pistol category. Since some disagree I have and will always try to refer to them as handguns, a category made up of revolvers and automatics.
 
Either way, it seems to be generally considered "in the know" to refer to semi-autos as "pistols" and revolvers as well..revolvers, regardless of the origins for either word. Yet both are obviously referred to as handguns. :p Its a potato/pot(ahh)to kind of thing. Kinda like shotguns are shotguns and rifles are rifles, but both are long guns. A loose comparison, at best, but you get the idea.

Look at it this way. If you went into a gun shop and asked to see their selection of "pistols", I doubt they would break out the revolvers. If, on the other hand, you asked to see their "revolvers", they probably would not break out the 1911's, Sigs, Glocks, XD's, etc., etc. Now, if you asked to see their selection of "handguns", they would probably ask you whether or not you were wanting a revolver or a pistol. You get the idea...
 
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Maybe, then, we'd also better adopt the evening news' definition of a semi-automatic rifle, which they call an "automatic assault weapon."

"Hey, nice AR-15!"

"Nope, it's an automatic assault weapon!"


"Nice Ruger 10-22!"

"Nope, it's an automatic assault weapon, the prime choice of petty thieves, drug dealers, and junkies looking to score some quick cash from the corner gas station so they can support their smack habits. That's right, AUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPON."

And so forth and so stupidly on.


Things start getting really dangerous when you start letting people who don't know and don't give a **** (and I classify both BATFE and the evening news in that category) controlling the lexicon of your sport.
 
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ATF's definition comes from 18 U.S.C. chap 44, which was written by gun controllers, hence, as noted in the poll, I afford it zero respect much like "semi automatic assault weapon".

I'm going to keep an open mind in the event somebody can provide a precourser to the current 18 U.S.C. Chap 44 but it hasn't happened in several threads so far.
 
So why does the IDPA allow revolvers then :)

(Just bein' an SD - it's monday afterall).


and I still say they are all pistols (literally speaking that is). Common colloquial usage of a word does not cancel out it's true underlying historical meaning (unless you're Bill Clinton in a court of law, apparently).
 
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Just an opinion, for what it's worth...

To me, pistol denotes any kind of handgun. There are several subcategories of pistols, the most common being auto and revolver. But it certainly appears that there's no consensus on the matter. ;)
 
Revolvers, Pistols, WHO CARES!

Things must be getting slow in the land of tin foil hats:confused:. All I will contribute here is, does it realy matter:confused:? Will the world come to an end as we know it? Will we be rediculed for saying revolver, pistol? I don't know I carry a GUN:eek:
 
I'm 65 years old. I have been shooting since I was a kid of about 8. I have been a firearms collector, hunter, LEO, armed self-defense instructer, range officer & and have testified in court as an expert witness. I really could care less whether someone thinks I'm "In the know" or not. I know what my knowledge base is and if they dont, tough. I will call it a pistol if I want to or a revolver or both. I'm sure whoever I'm talking to will know what I'm speaking about. I have more important things to be concerned about than this.
 
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