What gives? Pistols vs Revolvers? A rant.

I try to adapt my terminology - (or explain the reason for my specific terminology, if precise word usage is involved) - to my intended target audience. Making myself understood is helpful.

Language, after all, is supposed to enable communication.

"Words mean things", true, but why make it any more difficult to communicate than circumstances force upon us?

You ought to hear some people suck in their breath when you refer to a handgun of any type as a 'weapon' during some training venues ... :eek:

All kidding aside, specific word usage can either be used to invoke and assist with understanding, or it can be used to provoke ... from both sides of a conversation.

Communication can be hard enough without attempting to provoke, or be condescending ... or take offense at word usage at every possible opportunity.
 
"Dillon Pistol Cleaning Kit"

"Hoppe's Pistol Cleaning Rod"



So here's the question, can I use these to clean a revolver? They don't sell revolver kits and rods. Oh, what to do, what to do?

:D
 
"Dillon Pistol Cleaning Kit"

"Hoppe's Pistol Cleaning Rod"



So here's the question, can I use these to clean a revolver? They don't sell revolver kits and rods. Oh, what to do, what to do?
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use a boresnake- made for revolvers - leave those rods for pistols......:D
 
Won't work. Sliders are White Castle hamburgers.
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That's fitting Stevie-Ray, both are deadly.:p

Uncle Buck said:
But I do have a rifle type firearm with an 18' barrel and a nice shoulder stock... I do not know what to call it? Is it a rifle? Is it a revolver (eh... Twirlie)?
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I believe those are simply referred to as "stretch twirlies".
 
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And I'm happy to see so many members agree with me that a revolver is a pistol.

And are you likewise troubled that so many don't?

Nah. I pay as much attention to whippersnappers as they do to me. Just wanted to get this in before this delightful thread gets closed: to quote Shakespeare, Henry V, "Hoist on one's own petard!" What's a petard?

heh heh,

Jack
 
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"one of the characters in Henry V is none other than, "Pistol."

Touche! And thank you for bringing us back to the point.

Cordially, Jack
 
Since you asked...

... a petard was a renaissance era breaching charge, or small bomb. "Hoist on one's own petard" would literally be blowing oneself up with one's own bomb, and is slang for providing the means of one's own destruction.

But I suspect you knew that, and were asking in jest.

Cheers.

M
 
Does that mean the word "pistol" should immediately conjure the image of a 1911 in my mind's eye rather than a Colt Navy?
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I often think of the Colt 1851 Navy, as my great great grandfather killed 3 Native Americans with one on his trip out west on the Oregon Trail.

He is the only member of our family that I know of, that has ever killed anyone with a handgun.

-
 
I drive a pickup truck, my wife drives a station wagon, my son a SUV, and my daughter a sedan. We also have coupes, convertibles, crossovers, duallies, vans, mini-vans, sports cars, busses, big rigs, tankers, wreckers, flatbeds, and probably a dozen others I cannot come up with at the moment.

If we can have so many terms to describe different vehicles, why is it so hard to have 2 terms to describe different types of handguns that work so differently.
 
If we can have so many terms to describe different
vehicles
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, why is it so hard to have 2 terms to describe different types of handguns that work so differently.
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They are all vehicles. Is a convertible a car? Is a pick-up a truck? Is a sedan an automoblie? Is an SUV an automobile, car or truck? Are trucks automobiles? It ain't that easy. To say a revolver is not a pistol would be like saying that a convertible is not a car.
 
By definition pistols and revolvers are 2 very different things. Just as a pickup truck is different from a sedan. That was established as far back as the 1st page of this thread by several posters.

Most people cannot tell you the difference between a sedan and a coupe and would simply refer to them both as a car. Many people interchange the terms pistol and revolver. Does not mean either is technically correct. I can understand non gun owners confusing the terms, but you would think gun owners would at least like to understand the correct terminology.
 
Language evolves...

And in many cases, devolves.

The strict meaning of 'pistol' is a one handed (are there any of those any more?) firearm wherein the chamber is integral with the barrel. A musket or rifle is not normally considered a 'pistol' even though they almost universally have a chamber integral with the barrel.

The extended meaning of 'pistol' is the same as 'handgun', whatever that might be. I use a rifle and a shotgun with my hands. And my shoulders do support my arms when I fire a revolver, so I suppose my revolver is a shoulder weapon as well.

Ain't inclusiveness wonderful?

Did you know that a hair 'barette' is also a hair 'clip'? Since a barette is a clip and a clip is a magazine, how many barettes do you have for your handgun? Do you want the kind of bullets with rims or flanges or smooth?

I once had to qualify a young fellow with a revolver. He told me he had a "Model 19". Turned out it was a Colt Police Positive. He said, "Well I call it a Model 19". I suppose he could also call it a chocolate cream pie, but it wasn't one of those either.

How many grains does your gun shoot? (I asked if he meant bullet weight or powder charge? He looked at me like I'd just grown a second head.)

Or we could go back to all being named Og. Just grunt; someone will figure it out. Maybe.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Whereas the concept of 'grammar Nazi' is somewhat distasteful, words must have some specific meaning or they are meaningless.

There are two choices in life; learn or remain ignorant. Defending ignorance as 'having a right to an opinion' is rather silly. Having an opinion and pulling a goofy idea out of one's - uh - ear are not the same things. No one likes to be informed they are wrong, me included. But I'd rather be grumped at being corrected than remain ignorant.

You can all decide for yourselves.
 
I am all for the using the correct terminology especially when it makes a difference and leads to confusion. For instance someone walks into a store and says I need a clip for my .45, does he mean a magazine or a spring clip to hold one of the pins in place. But at the same time he says I needs a .45 magazine does he mean something to hold cartridges or the special edition of Guns & Ammo featuring the latest 1911's. :) Usually not matter what we say we have to add some words to put it in context. This is what will PO people that you ask a follow up question to try an figure out exactly what they mean. They take it as a personal insult that you can't read their minds. Forget the part about calling someone out for using clip to mean magazine, they get over that but to ask what kind of clip or magazine is insulting.

Going back to the car deal I remember back in the 60's most cars came in either hardtops, sedans, coupes or convertibles. The hard top could be either a 2-door or 4-door. I don't know of anyone that makes a hardtop any more. :(
 
From the movie "The outlaw
Josey Wales" You fellows going to pull them pistols or whistle Dixie.Which one of you PC jerks are going to call out Clint on his use of the English language.From my experience in 1959 I was issued a M2 carbine with a 30 round banana "CLIP" had I called it a magazine I would have been laughed off the firing range.
 
The quick and easy rule: we don't waste more than three syllables to describe something. That's why we changed semi-auto to pistol, automobile to cars, television to TV, refrigerator to fridge... you get the idea. That's also why PC failed.
 
Self loaders? That is absurd. AUTO loaders!!! They don't have the ability to take action, therefore they can not load their self.

It may be common to refer to AUTO loaders as pistols and exclude revolvers, but that certainly does not make it correct.
It is lazy to do so. I am not saying I am never lazy or judging an individual for being lazy, but IMO it is lazy to do so. The term pistol FAR predates autoloaders so I see no reason it should be limited to auto loaders.

I actually stop at stop signs. I use my turn signal when no other cars are around.
 
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