Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Opinions please - is a Revolver a Pistol?

I've always considered "Pistols" either the original single shots (where the term came into being) or anything that does not contain a revolving cylinder. To me, a Revolver is NOT a pistol.

Anyone have any strong opinions on this or have any links to historical articles defining the terms as separate or the same? Of course to the general, non gun loving public and press, they are used interchangeably.

To me, any handgun is a pistol, single shot, revolver, or semi.

We have periodically had this discussion several times in the 16 years since I've been here. A revolver is not a pistol. A pistol is a handgun whose chamber is part of its barrel. A revolver, has revolving chambers within a rotating cylinder, which is separate from the barrel.

Yes, early on, when folks were struggling for a term to apply to the revolver, it was sometimes referred to as a "revolving pistol," but that's limited to that early phase when firearm terminology was just incorporating the new concept, and it was pretty quickly dropped in favor of two distinct handgun subcategories, revolver and pistol.

"Handgun" is the super category. "Revolver" and "pistol" are subcategories underneath it in the same way that "chicken" is the super category, underneath which falls "hen" and "rooster." Not all chickens are roosters, and not all handguns are revolvers. Similarly, not all chickens are hens, and not all handguns are pistols.

"All revolvers are pistols but not all pistols are revolvers," is a phrase I have heard for decades and has been in print longer. A revolver is a subset of pistol as are single shots, pepper boxes, fixed multi-barrel pistols, semi-automatics, bolt action, et al. I have seen revolvers called pistols in copies of ads long before Borchard and Mauser came up with their designs in the late 1880s. I recently reread Billy Dixon's auto-biography where he calls whatever revolver he is carrying a "pistol". I'm pretty sure even Sam Colt's 1836 revolver was initially called a "revolving pistol" in early descriptions if not patent request too.

I don't know when the movement to separate the revolver from the pistol category began but I suspect it was not long after semi-auto pistols became feasible devices. If one wishes to use form rather than function as a description I have no problem with it unless one's undies get in a bunch and they try to "correct" everyone. There are much more important definitions to clarify such as calling pistols handgun. and vice versa.

Boy, it's a good thing I haven't had a drink yet today. But I did have scramble eggs this morning! Shhh, don't tell the chickens...er...or the hens.

There are revolvers and there are pistols.

Around here, any handgun in a "pistol". Of course, it is Tennessee, we may not be as discriminating and sophisticated as other folks. "Pistol" is the term for any handgun. Revolver or Semi Auto are descriptive. Typically, we refer to them by make and model (Smith 15, Ruger Blackhawk, Glock 27, Kimber 1911, etc.). But then, my crowd generally knows what those references mean.

I don't know that you can make a statement one way or the other definitively. I have seen old British manuals refer to revolvers as pistols. So historically, especially in the early decades of the invention of the revolver, it continued to be called a pistol. But at some point in the 20th century, "gun people" (which includes military & LE) began calling semi-auto's and anything where the chamber is connected to the barrel a "Pistol" and revolvers were referred to as revolvers exclusively.

While it's technically not "incorrect", in modern parlance, a revolver shouldn't be referred to as a pistol.

Exactly. Just as Winchester 94, Ruger Number 1, Remington 760 or a Mauser 98 are rifles.

when i was a kid back in the 50's, you really didn't see many semiauto handguns being carried. For that matter, i don't remember other than law enforcement many people carrying handguns. They were around the house, but not often carried. More often a rifle of some kind.
The term pistol was often used to describe any handgun. A example would be a first generation colt SAA i hear the term pistol, but don't remember revolver so much. As semiauto's started to become more and more in usage, the distinction between a "wheel gun" or revolver and a semiauto, "a pistol" came into being.

Interesting enought a conversation with a F.B.I. guy that taught classes at quantico sticks in mind. In some of his lectures he used the term wheel gun. He had trainees coming up after the lecture asking him what he meant, they had never heard the term.
Sheesh.

When y'all get done with this, you can tackle what makes the difference between canoe and kayak.

Lets make it easier for the uneducated. We will in future discussions refer to them as side arms.

I guess it would matter when the term pistol came about. If it was used for any handgun or were there specifics to its term.

From my youngest days we never called it a handgun, but a pistol. It didn't matter if it was a semi-auto, revolver or single shot.

Just ask ~ Pistol Packin' Mama!

That's an even larger category than handgun, since it includes sabres.

To my dad, a gun was always a handgun. If you meant rifle or shotgun, you had to say that. Some people seem to develop their own peculiar systems for naming things.

Dammit, Samuel Colt sold his handguns as revolving pistols, and advertised them as such.

That oughta be the end of the discussion.

Traditionally a "gun" was a smooth bore long gun. Everything else was a pistol or rifle. (going back to the turn of the 19th century).

The last I saw the ATF classified 'pistols' as any handgun that doesn't have a revolving cylinder.

I like this. We don't need to make it more confusing than it already is to people who want to take up our sport, or has an interest in personal security.

Revolvers are pistols.

"All revolvers are pistols but not all pistols are revolvers,"

I'm in this camp.

ya me too.

Dammit, Samuel Colt sold his handguns as revolving pistols, and advertised them as such.

That oughta be the end of the discussion.

As far as I'm concerned, revolvers are also "pistols".

On the other hand, semi-auto pistols are not "revolvers".

The name "pistol" comes from "Pistoia" and, at the time, referred to the muzzlestuffers then in use. Common usage, however, has broadened with handgun developments.

I agree. A revolver is a handgun, and is not a pistol.

Same here

You gonna pull those pistols, or whistle Dixie?......

I rarely make a comment without reading pretty much all the way through a topic, unless maybe it is a really long thread, but on this one I'll make an exception.


Who really gives a rats ass?


If I didn't have anything more important to worry about than if someone calls a revolver a pistol I'd count myself pretty damn lucky. That is way, way down the list of things that would ruin my day, upset me or disturb me in the least. It's also way, way down the list of things that would make me happy, glad or even make me crack a smile.


YMMV.

OK, if you don't care about discussing correct firearms terminology, I'm going to put a loaded clip in my 1911 and go do some shooting.

Digging around in the basement, I looked at some of my old books on various subjects and noticed a couple interesting factoids on this subject. A book on the Spanish-American War written in 1904 by a couple of the generals involved in that fray used the term "revolver" for the standard military issue handgun of that time- a double action revolver. Later, when discussing the situation in the Philippines, the Colt Single Action Army was referred to as a "pistol". That seems to jibe with some of the dime novels I have that were written in the same time frame.

The use of "revolver" really seemed to take off with the pulp detective novels of the 1920s and especially 30s. If not referred to as a "gat" , "heater", "rod", or other slang, then revolver was the term used for a wheel gun. Pistol was most often reserved for a semi-auto handgun in this era. As an aside, "automatic" or "auto" began to see wide usage in place of "semi-automatic" during this timeframe too.

With only the dozen different sources I looked at, I couldn't find a definitive reason for a revolver to not be a pistol. The best I can guess is "revolver" grew to define a double action revolver while a single action was often called a "pistol". It is probably the fault of the British for this conundrum- they devised the Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver around 1900 which greatly blurred the lines if not erased them.

Definition of revolver in English:
revolver
NOUN
1A pistol with revolving chambers enabling several shots to be fired without reloading.

(Per the Oxford English dictionary)

While it is believed, that pistols evolved from the "hand cannom"
After the Chinese invented black powder during the 9th century,[1][2][3] these inventions were later transmitted to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The direct ancestor of the firearm is the fire lance. The prototype of the fire lance was invented in China during the 10th century and is the predecessor of all firearms.


Hand cannon from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

Where as long guns derived thier shape and basic function from crossbow, not the other way round, as is commonly thought. The crossbow has been around since 400BC (belly-bow)

Yep....that's good enough for me although I was liking the side arm thing until TRH ruined it with swords.

pis·tol
ˈpistl/Submit
noun
1.
a small firearm designed to be held in one hand.
synonyms: revolver, gun, handgun, sidearm; automatic, six-shooter, thirty-eight, derringer; informalgat, piece; trademarkColt, Luger
"a concealed pistol"

My CCW permit is actually a "concealed pistol permit " but it does not matter what type of handgun.

Medical professionals don’t consult dictionaries for definitions of their terms of art. Neither do lawyers. Neither should we.

Not nessecariy

This is what gets talked about here between hunting and fishing season. I'm guessing this topic comes up every 2 or 3 years...

. . . is a Revolver a Pistol?

No - because pistols have 'clips'.

Yawn.

It's an unanswerable question.

ATF differentiates between pistols and revolvers. Dictionaries consider all handguns to be pistols and reference historical sources as justification. Mystery writers, movies, TV and board-game producers for many years did not bother to learn the difference.

I'll continue to use the more precise terms, you can suite yourself.

Yawn.

Thanks for sharing.

A fly in your ointment , revolvers have magazines:

According to my Dad, they were all 'Pissoliver'(s).

As well as speed loaders.

This is correct, and Jeff Cooper agreed, based on the French-Spanish word origin.
I think we have the ATF to thank for the modern usage which separates "revolver" from "pistol".
But they also call a suppressor a "silencer".

I've heard something like that more than once. Fine by me, I'm smart enough to know what you/"they" mean.


Have at it hoss.

U.S. Army manuals circa 1970s referred to both revolvers and M-1911 type handguns as pistols. All contemporary references I have seen during the 1860s referred to handguns such as Colt M-1851, Colt M-1860, Remington M-1858, various Confederate models, etc., all as pistols and sometimes unofficially "six-shooters". So, all handguns are pistols and some pistols are revolvers.

If I remember correctly, in the U.S. Army manual of arms for Military Police there was a command of "Raise Pistol". No reference anywhere to "Raise Revolver". The illustration in the manual depicted a soldier holding a revolver at the position of "Raise Pistol".

I couldn't give two fuggs what you call them.




Travis

No, we need to hammer this out here and now!

I have carbine vs. rifles and clip vs. magazine issues to settle.

I don't have time for this frivolous type of schit.

Hey....is this thing in the front yard a sled, snowmobile, or a snowmachine?

None.

It's a lawn ornament. Hasn't run in twelve years.




Dave

No, no the new one in my yard.

I only sit outside your house and breathe heavily during the holidays.

Took my S&W 625 along with a bunch of clips to the range today. Had a great time with that revolver. Also took two guns to patten on a turkey target but didn't take the first rifle. 😏

From an early age a revolver is just that, a revolver. A pistol is not.

g

Back home they call it a " Ski-Doo" no matter who made it. Down here we call a Ski-Doo a Polaris with the anti-theft option.

The same that cartridges are not calibers.

https://crimefictionbook.com/2015/10/22/revolver-pistol-differences/

I long for that.




Dave

Yes sir boys and girls " most accurate shooting PISTOL in the market."

Calling a revolver a revolver makes sense, that doesn't mean that a revolver isn't a pistol though.

Sounds like I wrote that.

To those obstinate folks who say revolvers are not pistols, go back to school.



Or the scholars who say "all revolvers are pistols". Even Colt's first revolver designs were long guns.



Elisha Collier had rifles too.



Some were neither rifle nor pistol.

Yup, nothing better than taking the word of advertising agents to determine what words actually mean...

A revolver is not a pistol and a pistol is not a revolver.

They are both handguns.

I will take the legal definition, the one prescribed by anyone that knows anything in the editor and writer world, and the common sense definitions.

Anyone that wants to use the others is welcome to have at it. They can enjoy attempting to bemuse those with a clue...

Well,

Some Winchester 94's are rifles,

most are carbines.


But it's not important, and Cariboujack has a great point.

The word of a modern marketer is one thing. The word of the man who actually created what we know as the "revolver" today is another entirely.

And as you obviously missed above, not all revolvers are handguns. But some folks are entirely ignorant of history so it's no surprise.

I'm surprised that none get their panties in a bunch because by their own nonsense, there is no differentiation between a semi-auto "pistol" and a flintlock "pistol".

There's plenty of differentiation. Are people angry that there are ducks and parrots, both of which are birds? Same with flintlock pistols and semi-auto pistols. Why would anyone have a problem with hierarchical classifications?

If there's no differentiation with the term "pistol", then it has no meaning. If all it does is draw a line between single shots, semi-autos and revolvers, then what is the point? If it's not either specific, or universally generic, it has no useful meaning.
Bird = handgun
But "pistol" can be a flintlock, cartridge single shot, bolt action or semi-auto but not a revolver??? Can parrots be ducks and eagles but not sparrows???
Seems a little hypocritical and illogical.
And again, not all revolvers are handguns. Interestingly enough, Sam Colt needed a term to differentiate the revolving handgun from the revolving rifle or revolving shotgun. He chose "pistol".
So Hiram Maxim can call his invention whatever he wants (silencer vs suppressor) but Sam Colt cannot?

Is all of this really just because semi-auto shooters want exclusive rights to the term "pistol"?

The definition of a pistol is same as it’s always been.

Really, it always included semi-autos, even before they existed?

I wonder what they called revolving pistols (to differentiate from revolving rifles) back in 1606? I'll bet good money they called `em pistols.

Right. A handgun possessing a barrel and chamber that constitutes a single unit.

Back when that was all that existed, wasn't it kind of a given?

All pancakes are flapjacks, but not all flapjacks are pancakes. I learnt that today. And I'm sure there's a debate among chefs and cooks in there somewhere.

Now I know the XP100 is code for experimental pistol 100, but I wouldn't necessarily call that contraption a pistol whether it technically is or not.
But a revolver,...a revolver is most definitely a pistol. Whether you call it a Colt, wheelgun, smokewagon, Blackhawk, K-frame, six shooter, it's still a pistol, pistola, heat, rod, ect.