pistols

Pistols are handheld firearms designed for firing from one hand. They use a cartridge chamber and are carried or employed for personal defense, sport, or law enforcement. The term generally refers to two main families: semi-automatic pistols, which feed cartridges from a magazine and cycle automatically through ejection and reloading, and revolvers, which use a rotating cylinder to align individual cartridges with the barrel. Smaller pocket pistols, sometimes called derringers, are also categorized as pistols.

Semi-automatic pistols operate by firing a cartridge, then using the energy from the shot to cycle the action, extract the spent case, and load the next cartridge. They are commonly chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, and other pistol calibers. Revolvers keep several rounds in a rotating cylinder; firing rotates the cylinder to align a fresh cartridge with the barrel for each shot, typically offering a simpler mechanism and often different reliability profiles.

Development began in the modern era in the 19th century with cartridge-enabled handguns, followed by widespread use in military, police, and civilian markets in the 20th century. Pistols are used for self-defense, sport shooting, and as service weapons. Special variants exist for concealed carry, competition, or duty use, reflecting diverse ergonomics, sights, and safety features.

Safety and regulation emphasize responsible handling, training, and secure storage. Legal ownership and restrictions vary by jurisdiction, often including licensing, background checks, and limits on possession or use. Standard safety practices promote keeping the finger off the trigger, treating every firearm as loaded, and storing firearms unloaded and locked when not in use.