ursavus.elemensis
New member
A pistol is a semi-auto handgun, and a revolver is a revolver. Two different things.
What gives? Pistols vs Revolvers? A rant.
- Thread starter MemphisJim
- Start date
I'm seventy-eight years old. Reared in a shooting family, I was taught that the words "handgun" and "pistol" were interchangeable -- a weapon one fired from one's hand. A revolver was a pistol, as was a autoloader.
That was more than sixty years ago. Since then, word usage has changed. Now a revolving pistol is a revolver and an autoloading pistol is a pistol, two mutually exclusive categories. It grates, but it's probably permanent. I will learn to live with it -- or maybe just die unreconstructed.
Over that same sixty years, the meaning of the word "gay" underwent a similar, and probably permanent, change. And when was the last time you heard anyone use the word, "yonder"? I'm trying to save it so I use it whenever I can, and I get some strange looks when I do. A hundred years from now, an experienced shooter might wonder, as he sets his blaster on STUN, why we made such a fuss about the difference between revolvers and pistols.
Cordially, Jack
That was more than sixty years ago. Since then, word usage has changed. Now a revolving pistol is a revolver and an autoloading pistol is a pistol, two mutually exclusive categories. It grates, but it's probably permanent. I will learn to live with it -- or maybe just die unreconstructed.
Over that same sixty years, the meaning of the word "gay" underwent a similar, and probably permanent, change. And when was the last time you heard anyone use the word, "yonder"? I'm trying to save it so I use it whenever I can, and I get some strange looks when I do. A hundred years from now, an experienced shooter might wonder, as he sets his blaster on STUN, why we made such a fuss about the difference between revolvers and pistols.
Cordially, Jack
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OK I'll do it..........
From WIKI:
Multiple senses of the word "pistol"
The word "pistol" is often synonymous with the word "handgun". Some handgun experts make a technical distinction that views pistols as a subset of handguns. In American usage, the term "pistol" refers to a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel, making pistols distinct from the other main type of handgun, the revolver, which has a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers. However, Commonwealth usage makes no distinction at a technical level—"pistol" may refer to revolvers, semi-automatics, or muzzle-loading/cap-&-ball handguns. For example, the official designation of the Webley Mk VI was "Pistol, Revolver, Webley No. 1 Mk VI", and the designation "Pistol No. 2 Mk I" was used to refer to both the Enfield Revolver and the later Browning Hi-Power semi-automatic.[1][2][3][4]
The first pistols were made as early as the 15th century, but their creator is unknown.[5] By the 18th century, the term came to be used often to refer to handheld firearms. Practical revolver designs appeared in the 19th century, and it was in that century that the (sometimes-observed) technical differentiation in usage of the words "pistol" and "revolver" developed.[citation needed]
[edit] Etymology of "pistol"
Hand Cannon from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
The word "pistol" is derived from the French pistole (or pistolet), which has these possible origins:
* From the Czech pistole and this one from the Czech píšťala (flute or pipe, referring to the shape of a Hussite firearm), from Middle High German pischulle or from Middle French pistole.
* From the city of Pistoia, Italy, where hand-held guns (designed to be fired from horseback) were first produced in the 1540s.[6]
* That early pistols were carried by cavalry in holsters hung from the pommel (or pistallo in medieval French) of a horse's sad
From WIKI:
Multiple senses of the word "pistol"
The word "pistol" is often synonymous with the word "handgun". Some handgun experts make a technical distinction that views pistols as a subset of handguns. In American usage, the term "pistol" refers to a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel, making pistols distinct from the other main type of handgun, the revolver, which has a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers. However, Commonwealth usage makes no distinction at a technical level—"pistol" may refer to revolvers, semi-automatics, or muzzle-loading/cap-&-ball handguns. For example, the official designation of the Webley Mk VI was "Pistol, Revolver, Webley No. 1 Mk VI", and the designation "Pistol No. 2 Mk I" was used to refer to both the Enfield Revolver and the later Browning Hi-Power semi-automatic.[1][2][3][4]
The first pistols were made as early as the 15th century, but their creator is unknown.[5] By the 18th century, the term came to be used often to refer to handheld firearms. Practical revolver designs appeared in the 19th century, and it was in that century that the (sometimes-observed) technical differentiation in usage of the words "pistol" and "revolver" developed.[citation needed]
[edit] Etymology of "pistol"
Hand Cannon from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
The word "pistol" is derived from the French pistole (or pistolet), which has these possible origins:
* From the Czech pistole and this one from the Czech píšťala (flute or pipe, referring to the shape of a Hussite firearm), from Middle High German pischulle or from Middle French pistole.
* From the city of Pistoia, Italy, where hand-held guns (designed to be fired from horseback) were first produced in the 1540s.[6]
* That early pistols were carried by cavalry in holsters hung from the pommel (or pistallo in medieval French) of a horse's sad
..... and my grandpa kept his WWI knife in a scabbard but his pistol in a holster ....
and NASCAR used to put motors in racecars but now they put engines in them and
my granny used to wear bloomers and her daughters wore panties and now my gf wears thongs......
... but now I'm getting off the subject entirely:
and NASCAR used to put motors in racecars but now they put engines in them and
my granny used to wear bloomers and her daughters wore panties and now my gf wears thongs......
... but now I'm getting off the subject entirely:
I'm from the camp that considers a "pistol" to be synonymous with handgun. However, I find myself mainly avoiding the term to avoid confusion. I usually refer to handguns, semi-autos, and revolvers. Part of the trend in referring to only semi-autos as pistols relates back to statutory and regulatory language. The ATF reports on the numbers of "pistols" and "revolvers" made, rather than "semi-autos" and "revolvers."
OFF-TOPIC
OFF-TOPIC
Our state song, My Old Kentucky Home, is very dated. It once referred to a then-polite term for African-Americans being gay (pre-Civil War). It has been changed by the legislature with the line now reading "the people are gay." I'm wondering if that is going to be changed sometime.
Bismarck357
New member
I sense your angst in your post, and I; a "Lexicon Devil" myself know full well the damage well chosen words can inflict. I currently own 7 handguns, only 3 are autos. I am a man who is torn between simplisity and the power the revolver offers,and the high ammo capacity and the lightning speed of the tactical reload that only the auto can promise....so I carry one of both, and depending on what my target is dictates which gun I use.
From Websters 9th Collegiate Dictionary "...a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel..."
A simple definition and they offer no other.
In common American usage a pistol and revolver are different. Both are types of handguns. Someone back there on page one explained the evolution of the different terms. In short, originally just about all handguns were pistols (think Pirates); single shot handguns with chambers integral to the barrel. Then came the "revolving pistol" which gave birth to the term "revolver" and which confused some folks terminology some. Semis came along later and they were and are straight up pistols.
That is the real deal and if you want to be slovenly and Euro-Trashy you can call a revolver a pistol and vice versa. But us "Born in the USA" types know the difference by cracky! Real Americans know the difference 'tween a pistol and a wheelgun and salute each time we handle one (which accounts for the many bruises on the noggin)!
tipoc
A simple definition and they offer no other.
In common American usage a pistol and revolver are different. Both are types of handguns. Someone back there on page one explained the evolution of the different terms. In short, originally just about all handguns were pistols (think Pirates); single shot handguns with chambers integral to the barrel. Then came the "revolving pistol" which gave birth to the term "revolver" and which confused some folks terminology some. Semis came along later and they were and are straight up pistols.
That is the real deal and if you want to be slovenly and Euro-Trashy you can call a revolver a pistol and vice versa. But us "Born in the USA" types know the difference by cracky! Real Americans know the difference 'tween a pistol and a wheelgun and salute each time we handle one (which accounts for the many bruises on the noggin)!
tipoc
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I see you are from Claifornicate and sound just like a hollywood liberal trying to produce a Jeff Foxworthy sitcom. If you don't understand what that means then you need to check out his story about the writers and producers of his first two TV shows,
By cracky I ws born and raised n the South and I can show you the graves of all my ancestors back to around 1710 inculding my Cherokee G-G-Grandmother and those that fought in the Revolutionary War with General Jackson and thos that fought in the war of Northern Agression. A gun is either a shotgun or rifle and a pistol is any handgun.
The only place I have ever heard the term "By Cracky" is on TV or the Internet.
I grew up in an earlier era
when gay did not automatically mean homosexual, and when all handguns were pistols. Some pistols were revolvers, some were single shots, and some were semi autos. But they were all pistols!
I dislike using dictionary definitions (especially on line ones) because they reflect the definition of words as found in common usage (and they do so clearly state). Words in common usage may not be used correctly, or accurately. Especially technical terms. Go look up assault rifle and semi automatic assault weapon!
A couple of decades ago one didn't find such terms in ordinary dictionaries, assault rifle could be found in firearms lexicons (along with its correct definition), and (semi automatic) assault weapon was found nowhere.
Now they are in the dictionary, and in law. I guess this makes them "correct" terms in the technical sense, but not in the historical sense, at least to me.
One of the problems we have in our language is that word definitions are fluid, and do change over time. Not because of a needed change, but because of constant mass misuse, terms change to mean what the majority uses them as.
Back on target, I'm one of those who believes that pistol includes all handguns, not just those with an integeral chamber and barrel. When the term came about, all handgun designs did have chambers and barrels as one unit, but that was not the defining characteristic. It was the fact that they were fired in the hand, without a shoulder stock that made it a pistol, and not a rifle or shotgun.
when gay did not automatically mean homosexual, and when all handguns were pistols. Some pistols were revolvers, some were single shots, and some were semi autos. But they were all pistols!
I dislike using dictionary definitions (especially on line ones) because they reflect the definition of words as found in common usage (and they do so clearly state). Words in common usage may not be used correctly, or accurately. Especially technical terms. Go look up assault rifle and semi automatic assault weapon!
A couple of decades ago one didn't find such terms in ordinary dictionaries, assault rifle could be found in firearms lexicons (along with its correct definition), and (semi automatic) assault weapon was found nowhere.
Now they are in the dictionary, and in law. I guess this makes them "correct" terms in the technical sense, but not in the historical sense, at least to me.
One of the problems we have in our language is that word definitions are fluid, and do change over time. Not because of a needed change, but because of constant mass misuse, terms change to mean what the majority uses them as.
Back on target, I'm one of those who believes that pistol includes all handguns, not just those with an integeral chamber and barrel. When the term came about, all handgun designs did have chambers and barrels as one unit, but that was not the defining characteristic. It was the fact that they were fired in the hand, without a shoulder stock that made it a pistol, and not a rifle or shotgun.
Rich Miranda
New member
I almost majored in etymology (most people have to look it up).
Language is living and breathing, just like us. It also changes and ages over time, just like us.
Generally speaking, the dictionary tries to capture current definitions of words and is not primarily intended to keep the language from changing, though it does that to some degree.
Firearms, more often than many other subjects, contains many instances where common usage trumps the dictionary. We just have to decide what works best and move on. The common usage of language does and will indeed change the dictionary.
I tend to be a purist, but I concede that I am the underdog.
Language is living and breathing, just like us. It also changes and ages over time, just like us.
Generally speaking, the dictionary tries to capture current definitions of words and is not primarily intended to keep the language from changing, though it does that to some degree.
Firearms, more often than many other subjects, contains many instances where common usage trumps the dictionary. We just have to decide what works best and move on. The common usage of language does and will indeed change the dictionary.
I tend to be a purist, but I concede that I am the underdog.