Are Pistols And Handguns The Same Thing?

For some people who don't know much about firearms, they may have questions about different types of firearms. For example, they may think that pistols and handguns are the same thing. Today we will talk about whether pistols and handguns are the same thing?

Going by a broad definition, handguns are any type of gun that can be safely and effectively used when held in your hand. Some people extend this definition to include any firearm that can be operated with a single hand, since any type of gun can be used with your hands. In either case, a pistol fits both definitions, which means a pistol is technically a handgun. Common types of handguns include: Hinge or break-action pistols, Revolvers, and Automatic handguns

As you can see, there’s some overlap here, since pistols are included among common handgun types. Handguns can also be classified by how the chamber is designed and used or by how the trigger functions.

Now, let’s move on to the basics of pistols. Pistols are first developed and used in 16th-century Europe, pistols are more specific types of handguns. To get technical, a pistol can be defined as a type of handgun with one chamber. Revolvers have also been defined as types of pistols with more than one chamber, except with cylinders that spin. However, there are also semi-automatic pistols available today capable of firing multiple shots at a time. If you get even more technical, chambers in a pistol don’t move, and in revolvers, they “revolve,” or move.

Pistols come in a variety of sizes, styles, calibers, and actions, which is true of any other type of handgun. Therefore, any related terminology you may use specific to pistols will depend on what features are most important to you. If you go by size, a pistol can have a longer slide, or distance between sights, for faster target acquisition, whereas a sub-compact pistol is pocket-size and often better used as a backup handgun.

As mentioned above, a pistol fits into the handgun category if you go by the basic definition of what a handgun is. In this case, it’s not technically wrong to refer to a pistol as a handgun in casual or general conversation. That said, how you refer to a handgun will depend on the situation and the nature of your conversation.