One of the first questions we hear is, Whats the difference between a pistol and revolver?
Sometimes, certain things that should be simple are not.
As a case in point, let us consider the humble handgun.
While semi-autos (lower left) and revolvers (upper right) are both “handguns,” they are quite different in operation and design.
A particularly insightful five-year-old once entertained me in my medical clinic, extolling the many manifest virtues of frogs.
He patiently explained that all toads were frogs, but not all frogs were toads.
So it is with handguns.
Autoloading semi-automatic pistols are the most common defensive and recreational handguns in America.
[Be sure to also read our article21 Right & Wrong Gun Terms.]
Revolver vs.
Pistol
In the United States, federal law (18 U.S.C.
Sam Colt’s 1851 Navy was the world’s first truly successful combat revolver. This gun was widely used by both sides during the American Civil War.
In general terms, a handgun is a small, handheld firearm without a stock.
As defined by law and accepted firearms terminology, a handgun can either be a pistol or a revolver.
The origins of the term pistol hearken back to 16thcentury France.
ThisSpringfield Armory XD-M Elite OSPfeeds via a box magazine that resides in the grip of the gun. This magazine holds 22 9mm cartridges.
The French pistolet at that time meant a small gun or knife.
In modern parlance, the word pistol is typically used to describe a semi-automatic autoloading handgun.
Semi-automatic means that the gun fires one shot with each trigger pull.
A semi-automatic pistol feeds rounds from the internal magazine into the chamber. Firing a round makes the slide cycle back and forth to accomplish this.
[Be sure to readhow to load a pistol.]
By contrast, the word revolver is shorthand for a revolving pistol.
This particular design dates back to before the American Civil War.
Despite loading and unloading via wildly different mechanisms, all of these revolvers operate in a similar fashion.
So, in terms of name alone, the revolver and pistol are both subsets of handguns.
The worlds first autoloading pistol was the obscure Salvator-Dormus semi-automatic handgun patented in July of 1891.
There have been lots of different kinds since then, but todays pistols follow certain common conventions.
One quirky aspect of revolver design is that they spill hot gas out between the cylinder and barrel.
Recoil energy pushes a reciprocating slide backward to extract and eject the empty cartridge case.
Spring pressure drives the slide forward to push another cartridge into the firing chamber.
Pressing the trigger again repeats the cycle.
Revolvers load a variety of ways. Most feature a swing-out cylinder like this one so that they may be reloaded from the rear.
This process can continue until the ammunition in the magazine has run dry.
You then load the round cylinder with individual cartridges and snap it back in place.
Most revolvers can be fired two ways.
Both these guns fire the .44 Magnum cartridge, but each operates completely differently.
When fired in the double-action mode, you simply pull the trigger.
Releasing and then pulling the trigger again repeats the process.
As an alternative, most revolvers also allow you to manually cock the hammer back with your thumb.
This mode of fire is called single-action.
Pulling the trigger, then simply drops the hammer, firing the shot.
This is because the guns mechanism has so much less work to do when compared to the double-action mode.
Despite its age, the classic revolver still maintains a healthy following even today.
The heavy nature of the design also lends itself to excellent accuracy.
Lastly, the nature of the firing mechanism is such that revolver triggers are amenable to exceptionally crisp performance.
Downsides include bulk, weight, and limited ammunition capacity.
Is a Revolver a Pistol?
Strictly speaking, a revolver is not a pistol.
However, variety is the spice of life.
Some shooters gravitate towards trim pocket pistols.
Others will run a revolver or nothing at all.
In shooting like most human pursuits our innate individuality expresses itself in our personal preferences.
Last updated: October 4, 2023
Go to forum
XD-MElite 4.5" OSPTM Threaded
