Pistol? Revolver?

[HiredGoon]

Not so much here at PAFOA, but in other places sometimes, I see ALL handguns referred to as pistols.

So my question is, can or should a revolver ever correctly be called a pistol?

Or is a pistol only a semi-auto handgun with a magazine?

Before semi-auto handguns, weren't revolvers called pistols?

[MikeB0]

Before semi-auto handguns, weren't revolvers called pistols?

Yes.

I believe that also sorta answers the other questions. In a more active larger forum, I could see the need for more differentiation.

[deafsmithco]

I don't know, to me they are real, I mean wheel guns and bottom feeders.

[knight0334]

There was a time that all handheld firearms were called pistols. Now its in reference to handguns that the chamber is an integral part of the barrel. ..but hell, there was a time too that sedans were four door cars, now a two door can be a sedan.

Despite the modern meaning, all handguns are pistols. Belief in the changing of the meaning only opens a can of worms with the modern versus old meanings of "keep and bear arms", "militia" and "people".

[mrnyman]

no,a revolver IS NOT a Pistol,many amateurs still refers to a Revolver as a pistol,its not,a Pistol is a old British term that refers to a handgun thatfires a fully encapsulated cartridge,meaning a chamber/breach a revolver has neither,it has a cylinder/forcing cone.


However theyare both handguns.


Nyman

[knight0334]

A revolver is a type of pistol. The modern misconception that a revolver isn't a pistol originated within the last century.

Even Samuel Colt referred to the Paterson as a "revolving pistol".


http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Pistol


pistol
"small hand-held firearm," c.1570, from M.Fr. pistole "short firearm" (1566), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be from Ger. Pistole, from Czech pis'tala "firearm," lit. "tube, pipe," from pisteti "to whistle," of imitative origin, related to Rus. pischal "shepherd's pipe." But earlier form pistolet (1550) is from M.Fr. pistolet "a small firearm," also "a small dagger," which may be the literal sense; though some connect this word with It. pistolese, in reference to Pistoia, town in Tuscany noted for gunsmithing. Pistol-whip is first recorded 1942.

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pistol

noun
a firearm that is held and fired with one hand


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pistol [ˈpistl] noun
a small gun, held in one hand when fired

[knight0334]

http://www.jouster.com/trivia/difference.html