Revolver, pistol, and handgun

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
In response to someone sharing a recent purchase of a revolver:

Handgun* or Revolver*

Not Pistol
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The use of the word pistol far predates semi-autos or revolvers.
The etymology of the word "pistol" is not related to the chamber being integral to the barrel according to any of the proposed origins I have read. There are a few.
Revolvers were originally referred to as revolving pistols leading me to believe they were originally included in the category of pistols.
The NRA uses the term as a generic for any sort of handgun.
The exclusion of revolvers seems to be a modern distinction which seems to have originated about the time of firearms forums.
 
i always say revolver when speaking about my wheel guns, because I am a revolver guy always have been always will be. Semi auto pistols just don’t do it for me except maybe a 1911. But having said all that, I don’t get hung up on pistol , revolver etc, if I am having a conversation with some one about revolvers and he generalizes pistol as long as I know what he’s referring too I don’t realy care.
 
For me, a revolver is a wheel gun, a semi-auto is a semi-automatic, and pistol is any handgun.

Example: a Ruger sp101 and a Beretta 92 are both pistols, but one is a revolver and one a semi-auto.
 
I am a user of both.

I call a semiauto a pistol, whether it’s a combat gun or AR-15/AK-47 “pistol”[emoji23].

I call a revolver a revolver.

Handguns can be either in my eyes. They’re essentially not a rifle or shotgun.


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The use of the word pistol far predates semi-autos or revolvers.
The etymology of the word "pistol" is not related to the chamber being integral to the barrel according to any of the proposed origins I have read. There are a few.
Revolvers were originally referred to as revolving pistols leading me to believe they were originally included in the category of pistols.
The NRA uses the term as a generic for any sort of handgun.
The exclusion of revolvers seems to be a modern distinction which seems to have originated about the time of firearms forums.
Click to expand...
Correct.

All pistols are handguns and all handguns are pistols.

All revolvers are pistols and are also handguns, but not all pistols and handguns are revolvers.

All semi-automatic pistols/handguns are obviously pistols and are also handguns. Yeah. It's right there in the name.

Generally semi-auto pistols are a different category from revolving pistols/revolvers--with a few exceptions. The Webley Fosbery and the Mateba Autorevolver are two of those exceptions since they are both revolvers and automatic pistols.
 
I can usually tell from the conversation whether a person is using "pistol" in the sense of "handgun" or "semi," and then I use the term the same way. The point of words is communication, after all. I don't thing either is wrong, necessarily, but the people who are adamant that their way is the only way are, well, wrong. Like lots of other words in our language, pistol is a word that has acquired two meanings or interpretations depending on how it is used.
 
The use of the word pistol far predates semi-autos or revolvers.
The etymology of the word "pistol" is not related to the chamber being integral to the barrel according to any of the proposed origins I have read. There are a few.
Revolvers were originally referred to as revolving pistols leading me to believe they were originally included in the category of pistols.
The NRA uses the term as a generic for any sort of handgun.
The exclusion of revolvers seems to be a modern distinction which seems to have originated about the time of firearms forums.
Click to expand...

I think the last sentence is a mistake. The rest on target. As mentioned revolvers are also pistols. But the difference in usage, of separating out revolvers from semi autos (and both from single shot actual pistols) goes back to the more common appearance of semis and the need to make yourself understandable in common everyday conversation.

It's the modern usage vs. the older usage.

In the pic below you see Smith's book originally from 1946. The two Nonte books are both from 1980. Those three pre-date the internet and Firearms Forums.



So the "exclusion" of revolvers predates the internet.

In Walter Ropers 1945 book "Pistol and Revolver Shooting" Roper makes the modern distinction of dividing handguns into three groups...single shot pistols, revolvers and semiauto pistols. He often refers to the latter as automatics for simplicity's sake.

Hatcher's "Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers" also uses the modern distinction. This from a 1935 book. He also at times refers to them all as pistols which he uses as a synonym for handguns. That was more common back then.

So there has been an evolution to this. The tendency has been to call semis "pistols" so as to differentiate it from a revolver. That's just the case like it or not.

Some fellas don't like it at all and consider it sloppy. They also lament the lack of white linen table cloths at restaurants, proudly wear toupees and wear socks with their sandals. They don't bother me. I greet them at the range and show proper appreciation when they show me the newest Ruger or S&W "revolving pistol" they just acquired.

tipoc
 
For every such reference there are multiple in the same year that use the term interchangeably with handgun. Why was there a felt need to make a distinction when no need was felt during the advent of revolvers? They sure didn't call them revolving handguns.
Generally definitions are not erased, but added to a word if usage changes over time. A in I use pistol as defnition one and someone else may use it as definition two, but that doesn't make me wrong when I use definition one.

'semi' or 'semi-auto' 'revolver' 'single shot'

If we are just going with how many people use it, everyone has to give up the clip/magazine distinction, the bullet/cartridge distinction, and even the caliber/cartridge distinction.

Even the NRA agrees with me. That is really something.

I think it is just another thing some people like to publicly correct others within order to make themselves feel good. On this on I don't think they are even correct though.
 
One source I read said "pistol" became a common name for handgun, because of the "handgonnes" made in Pistoia, Italy, back around the year 1500 or so...

Colt's first patents were for "revolving pistols".

Revolvers ARE Pistols. Period.

If you are concerned about why they are usually listed separately, its just for convenience.

Why do we list cars and trucks separately? Just for convinience, as they are both motor vehicles.
 
To me, it's petty garbage. There will always be those that ask a legitimate question or make a statement only to have someone respond with a worthless comment about what they think is the correct terminology of something based on their Google search (yep, we are all genius's and experts with the internet at our fingertips). It's right up their with the grammar police, irritating at best.
 
Just like the snobbery involved in the clip/magazine terminology. Every one of those who feel they have to prove how "smart" they are know exactly what somebody means when they mention a clip for their handgun.
 
Pistol is an all inclusive term.

A single shot T/C is a pistol.

A Smith & Wesson Model 36 is a pistol.

A Colt 1911 A1 is a pistol.

Colt advertising in the 1800s used the terms "Pistol" and "Revolving Pistol" to describe its revolvers.

(http://www.cornellpubs.com/Images2/Colt 1855 Rootes.jpg)

I can't lay my hands on an ad using the term revolving pistol right now.

Edit in: Here's one using the term Revolving Pistol.

(http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/26493/23720784_1.jpg?v=8D3041997793B10)


And I just saw one for a Colt Model 1849 saying that it's a "Repeating Pistol."

(https://www.truewestmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/01/jf05_shooting_from_hip.jpg)

In the early days of semi-autos, Colt frequently used the term "Automatic Pistol" to describe its semi-autos (http://www.coltautos.com/images/Ad_Model_1905_.jpg)


The switch over to pistol being used almost exclusively for semi-automatics happened sometime in the early 1900s, probably by World War I.
 
Pistol is an all inclusive term.
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The switch over to pistol being used almost exclusively for semi-automatics happened sometime in the early 1900s, probably by World War I.
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So which is it?

In my area I don't think the term has ever made it close to "almost exclusively." In person to person conversations, classified ads, etc.; I hear it used inclusively far more often than exclusively. The one time someone tried to correct people on the usage the response was pretty much eye-rolls, and 'not this bull again.'

What did DOD call handguns up until revolvers were removed from service?
 
So which is it?
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It's both. Both are used. Both are correct.

Sixshooter used to be a common term for revolvers. Unfortunately it's been falling out of use. Elmer Keith used it often and he wasn't speaking of six shot semis. The old term was an early way to differentiate between the old flint lock pistol and the modern revolver.

In my area I don't think the term has ever made it close to "almost exclusively." In person to person conversations, classified ads, etc.; I hear it used inclusively far more often than exclusively.
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I don't understand what term you're talking about when you say "the term" above.

tipoc
 
As far as I am concerned all hand guns are Pistols, period. But I run into many who do not. In general conversation I always specify "revolver" or semi-auto" for clarification.
 
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