Semi-automatic self-loading pistol
Encyclopedia
A semi-automatic pistol is a type of handgun
which uses a single chamber
and barrel
, with a mechanism
powered by the previous shot to load a fresh cartridge
into the chamber. One round is fired each time the trigger of a semi-automatic pistol is pulled.
A revolver
, which uses multiple chambers and a single barrel, and a derringer
, which uses multiple chambers and multiple barrels, also fire one round for trigger pull, but achieve this in different ways and as such are not classified as being semi-automatic.
Additional terms sometimes used as synonyms for a semi-automatic pistol are automatic pistol (technically incorrect, as an automatic firearm
fires continuously as long as the trigger is held), self-loading pistol, autopistol, and autoloading pistol.
A semi-automatic pistol harnesses the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next, typically via recoil operation
, blowback
, or gas operation
. After a round
is fired, the spent casing is ejected and a new round from the magazine is loaded into the chamber, allowing another shot to be fired as soon as the trigger is again pulled.
Most types of semi-automatic pistols rely on a removable magazine to store ammunition before it is fired, usually inserted inside the grip.
of the handgun automatically extracts and ejects the shell casing and reloads the chamber. This mode of operation generally allows for faster reloading and storing a larger number of cartridges than a revolver
, although semi-automatic pistols are potentially more prone to malfunctions
than revolvers due to their more complex design and mechanism.
Some modern semi-automatic pistols are double action only (DAO); that is, once a round is chambered, each trigger pull will cock the hammer, striker, or firing pin, and will additionally release the same to fire a cartridge in one continuous motion. Each pull of the trigger on a DAO semi-automatic pistol requires the same amount of pressure. The Kel-Tec P-32
is an example of a DAO action. DAO semi-automatic pistols are most generally recommended only in the smaller, self-defense, concealable pistols, rather than in target or hunting pistols. A notable exception is Glock-brand pistols which optimize preset triggers (similar to DAO) but the striker is partially cocked back as the slide closes. This allows for significantly shorter trigger pulls than DAO. The trigger spring can be replaced with a lighter one and paired with a low-strength sear connector resulting in lightened trigger pulls to improve a shooter's accuracy (like models G34 and G35).
Standard modern semi-automatic pistols are usually double action (DA), also sometimes known as double-action/single-action (DA/SA). In this design, the hammer or striker may be either thumb-cocked or activated by pulling the trigger when firing the first shot. The hammer or striker is re-cocked automatically during each firing cycle. In double-action (DA) pistols, the first pull of the trigger requires roughly twice as much pressure as subsequent firings, since the first pull of the trigger also cocks the hammer (if not already cocked by hand). The Beretta 92F/FS, a full-sized, service, semi-automatic pistol is an example of this style of action. A common mode of carry for DA semi-automatic pistols is with the magazine full, a round chambered, and the gun holstered and uncocked with the external safety unengaged or off.
In contrast, a single-action (SA) semi-automatic pistol must be cocked by first operating the slide or bolt, or, if a round is already chambered, by cocking the hammer manually. The famed Colt M1911
is an example of this style of action. All SA semi-automatic pistols exhibit this feature, and automatically cock the hammer when the slide is first "racked" to chamber a round. A round can also be manually inserted in the chamber with the slide locked back. Then the safety can be applied.
On many SA semi-automatic pistols, there is also a hammer position known as "half-cock
ed". Squeezing the trigger will not fire the gun when it is in the half-cocked position, and neither will dropping the gun in this state cause an accidental discharge. During WWII in the Pacific Theater, an unofficial and unapproved carry mode for the SA M1911 by left-handed US soldiers in combat was carrying the gun with the magazine full, a round chambered, the action in half-cocked position, and the thumb safety (accessible only to right-handed users) positioned in the off (or ready-to-fire) mode.
The primary advantage of the half-cocked position versus the uncocked position in that particular scenario was added sound suppression (of the click of the weapon being cocked). A secondary advantage was the avoidance of accidental discharges if the gun were accidentally dropped. The half cock was revised by Colt in the 1970s and subsequently other manufacturers - the hammer will fall from half cock if the trigger is pulled on most newer 1911 type guns.
Cocking the gun from uncocked to fully cocked was much noisier than turning the safety off for right-handed users, or cocking the gun from half cocked to fully cocked for left-handed users. In general, single-action, semi-automatic pistols should never be carried uncocked with the safety off, although many newer SA pistols have modified actions which allow the hammer to exert pressure against the firing pin only when the trigger is pulled. Many modern SA semi-automatic pistols have had their safety mechanisms redesigned to provide a thumb safety on both sides of the pistol (ambidextrous), thereby better meeting the needs of left-handed as well as right-handed users.
There have been semi-automatic pistol designs with different traits than those described here, including those with a magazine fed with a stripper clip
, and those with non-removable magazines. These designs are rarely used in modern semi-automatic pistols. The Model C96
, or "Broomhandle" Mauser, in its original configuration, has a fixed, non-removable magazine located in front of the trigger, which is loaded directly through the breech from the top of the pistol.
Semi-automatic pistols utilize one firing chamber that remains fixed in a constant linear position relative to the gun barrel. In contrast, although double-action revolvers can also be fired semi-automatically, their rounds are not fired from a single chamber, but rather are fired from each of the chambers that are rotated into linear alignment with the barrel's position in turn just prior for each shot fired.
The language surrounding automatic, semi-automatic, self-loading, etc., often causes confusion due to differences in technical usage between different countries and differences in popular usage. For example, the term "automatic pistol" technically refers to a machine pistol
which is capable of firing multiple round bursts for a single pull of the trigger, although in popular US usage it is also used as a synonym for a semi-automatic pistol. In the case of pistols, an 'automatic pistol', a 'semi-automatic pistol', or a 'self-loading pistol', all usually imply a handgun that is semi-automatic, self-loading, and magazine-fed with a magazine that is removable, producing one shot fired for each trigger pull. The term pistol may refer to handguns in general, or may be used to differentiate (semi-automatic) pistols from revolvers.
. For a machine pistol
, in contrast, this can be accomplished by blowback
, or, less commonly, by harnessing gases produced when the gun is fired. See the Desert Eagle
for an example of a semi-automatic pistol that does siphon off some of the gases instead of relying on short recoil operation. See Gas-Operated article for details on gas operation of firearms. A semi-automatic pistol will fire only one shot per trigger pull, in contrast to a "fully automatic" or machine pistol
, which continues to fire as long as the trigger is held or until all rounds have been fired.
While both types of weapons operate on the same principles, fully automatic weapons must be built more ruggedly to accommodate the heat and stress caused by rapid firing, and it can be difficult (and illegal in most countries) to convert a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic mode of fire. A selective fire
action pistol, though, can be converted back and forth by means of a switch, and often includes burst mode
(typically for three-round bursts for each trigger pull). Selective-fire weapons are generally used by specialized law enforcement and security personnel such as SWAT
teams, hostage rescue teams, anti-terrorist units, or government bodyguard
s for heads of state. Selective-fire weapons are not available to civilians unless (in the US) they live in a state that allows civilian ownership of National Firearms Act
(NFA), or Title II weapons. The Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer (German for "rapid fire"), a later variant of the Mauser C96 pistol mentioned above, is a notable example of a true machine pistol.
" and "locked breech" categories according to their principle of operation. The blowback operating principle is suitable for smaller, low-powered calibres, such as 7.65mm Browning (also known as .32 ACP
), and 9mm Browning Short (also known as .380 ACP
) as the resistance of the recoil spring and mass of the slide are sufficient to retard the opening of the breech until the projectile has left the barrel, and breech pressure has dropped to a safe level. For more powerful calibres such as the 9x19mm Parabellum and .45 ACP
, some form of locked breech is needed to retard breech opening, as an unlocked blowback pistol in these calibres requires a very heavy slide and stiff spring, making them bulky, heavy and difficult to operate. A somewhat commercially successful blowback pistol design in the more powerful calibres was produced; the Spanish Astra 400 in 9mm Largo and the similar Astra 600 in 9x19mm Parabellum. U.S. manufacturer Hi-Point also produces a line of blowback operated pistols in several calibers including 9mm Parabellum and .45 ACP
. Virtually all other service-caliber pistols are locked breech designs.
s. Triggers almost universally consist of lever
s or buttons actuated by the index finger
.
Firearms use triggers to initiate the firing of a cartridge in the firing chamber of the weapon. This is accomplished by actuating a striking device through a combination of spring and kinetic energy
operating through a firing pin
to strike and ignite the primer. There are two primary types of striking mechanisms: hammers and strikers.
Hammers are spring-tensioned masses of metal that pivot on a pin when released and strike a firing pin to discharge a cartridge. Strikers are, essentially, spring-loaded firing pins that travel on an axis in-line with the cartridge eliminating the need for a separate hammer. The connection between the trigger and the hammer is generally referred to as the sear
surface. Variable mechanisms will have this surface directly on the trigger and hammer or have separate sears or other connecting parts.
There are numerous types of trigger mechanisms. They are categorized according to which functions the trigger is to perform. In addition to releasing the hammer or the striker, a trigger may cock the hammer or striker, rotate a revolver's cylinder, deactivate passive safeties, select between semi-automatic
and full-automatic
fire such as the Steyr AUG
, or pre-set a 'set trigger.' Most modern firearms use the trigger to deactivate passive safeties but this does not change how they are identified.
introduced his recoil-powered machine gun
in 1883, several gunsmiths set out to apply the same principles to handguns, including Maxim. Maxim's designs for smaller firearms using his recoil-powered ideas never went into production.
In the 1880s, other designers worked on self-loading designs. The first model to gain any commercial success was the Hugo Borchardt
-designed self-loading Borchardt C-93
semi-automatic pistol, which was designed in 1893 and made its public appearance in 1894. Borchardt invented the C-93 mechanism, but it was based in large part upon Maxim's toggle-lock principle. The C-93 featured a clever locking mechanism modeled after the human knee joint in which the mechanical joint is called a knee, or in German Kniegelenk (knee joint).
The C-93 proved mechanically reliable, but was too large and bulky to receive widespread acceptance. Equipped with a screw-on wooden stock, the C-93 served well in small pistol carbine
s, however. Borchardt also developed the 7.65x25mm Borchardt
cartridge, around which the C-93 was built.
In 1896, Paul Mauser introduced his first model of the famous Mauser "Broomhandle" semi-automatic pistol, the C96
. Using the powerful 7.63 mm bottle-necked cartridge originally designed by Borchardt, the Mauser was the first self-loading pistol used extensively in battle, notably the South African War of 1899-1902. These pistols were made in 7.63x25mm Mauser along with some models eventually being made in 9 x 19 mm Parabellum (9 x 19 mm Luger) and a small number in .45 ACP
.
In Belgium
in 1896, the first American gun designer to develop self-loading semi-automatic pistols was John Browning
, whose models were first manufactured by the Belgian
firm of Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Europe
and later by Colt in the US. Like Luger's work conducted around the same time in Germany, Browning's first successful design was in 7.65 mm caliber, the Browning M1900. Browning also devised a slightly different 7.65 mm Browning
(.32 Auto, 7.65x17mm SR) cartridge for his .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol that differed from Luger's 7.65 mm Luger (.30 Luger, 7.65 x 21 mm) cartridge. Browning also designed .25 ACP
, .380 ACP, and .45 ACP cartridges in addition to .32 ACP
cartridges for his semi-automatic pistol designs.
He also created the locked-breech action now commonly used by nearly all heavy-caliber semi-automatic pistols, and designed the .45 ACP
Colt M1911
single-action semi-automatic pistol, which was adopted by the US military in 1911 (hence the Model 1911 designation) and which remained in service for over 70 years. The Model 1911 is still in active use with some US Special Forces and Marine Corps units.
Browning also co-designed the FN Browning Hi-Power
, announced in 1922, during the last years of his life, working on this design until his death in 1926. It was a 9 mm Para semi-automatic pistol and was the first high-capacity, semi-automatic pistol design to feature a staggered-column magazine capable of holding 13 rounds (plus one chambered) in place of the single column magazine that Browning had favored in designing the earlier .45 ACP Colt M1911
. (The earlier, single-column magazine design is still used to today, however, especially for deep-concealment semi-automatic pistols such as the Kel-Tec P-32
.)
The next notable design was the 7.65 mm Luger by Georg Luger
, which although successful in its function, nonetheless failed to have adequate stopping power
and failed to win widespread acceptance. In 1902, Georg Luger
's subsequent and similar 9 mm Luger Parabellum (9 x 19 mm) Pistole Parabellum
design overcame the problem of inadequate stopping power and featured a greatly improved Borchardt
-type Kniegelenk ("knee-joint") locking mechanism. Unlike Browning's locked-breech design, the barrel in a Kniegelenk design does not tip up and down while the gun is fired, thereby theoretically improving shooting accuracy. Luger's 9mm Pistole Parabellum
design was adopted by the German
military and served as their standard sidearm during World War I
. During World War II
, Germany
was the first nation to adopt a double-action pistol, the Walther P38 which could be carried loaded (with a cartridge chambered) and ready to fire without the risk of an accidental discharge if dropped. The P38 also used Luger's 9 mm Parabellum (9 mm Luger) cartridge.
During World War II
revolvers were still issued by various major powers, but their use was decreasing. Though the British firm Webley and Scott
had developed several adequate self-loading pistols, one of which was adopted by the (normally unarmed) British police in 1911 and by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines before the First World War, revolvers were generally preferred by most British military. In the Soviet Union the TT pistol replaced the Nagant M1895
revolver during the war. In the United States the Colt M1911A1 semi-automatic single-action pistol was adopted as the standard military sidearm. Both Colt and Smith & Wesson
produced revolvers chambered for the same .45 ACP
pistol ammunition used in the M1911A1, because of the great demand for handguns and the need to adopt a common cartridge for use in both semi-automatic pistols and revolvers.
After World War II most nations eventually adopted 9 mm Luger (9mm Parabellum) caliber pistols employing Browning's locked-breech design for their standard-issue military pistols. The most popular early choice was the previously mentioned FN Browning Hi-Power
, which was the first high-capacity pistol; another popular model was the locked-breech Walther P38 because of its many safety features. the U.S. military sidearm is a variant of the Beretta 92F/FS.
In 1971 Smith & Wesson offered a safe double-action, high-capacity pistol, the Model 59. CZ
launched its CZ-75 in 1975. Beretta introduced the Beretta 92
also in 1975. Glock introduced the groundbreaking Glock 17
in 1982, and SIG-Sauer introduced its model SIG P226 in 1983. Walther introduced their high-capacity P88
in 1988. In the early 1990s Heckler & Koch
combined what they considered to be the most desirable attributes of semi-autos in the HK USP pistol
. In 1995 Kel-Tec
introduced their first compact 9mm Parabellum pistol, the Kel-Tec P11
, designed for concealed carry. In 1999 Kel-Tec introduced their extremely popular .32 ACP
P-32
for deeply-concealed carry. Both of the Kel-Tec pistols are double-action-only (DAO) designs.
After the Second World War, the almost universal trend has been for self-loading, semi-automatic pistols to replace revolvers for military use, although the transition has been slower in police and civilian use. revolvers are mainly used in jurisdictions which permit their use for civilian self-defense, hunting, plinking
, and target practice. Semi-automatic pistols are by far the most popular for deeply-concealed carry by civilians, for use as primary handguns for police and military use, for use as backup guns for police use, and for use where the 5 or 6 shots of a revolver are deemed inadequate.
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
which uses a single chamber
Chamber (weaponry)
In firearms, the chamber is that portion of the barrel or firing cylinder in which the cartridge is inserted prior to being fired. Rifles and pistols generally have a single chamber in their barrels, while revolvers have multiple chambers in their cylinders and no chamber in their barrel...
and barrel
Gun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
, with a mechanism
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
powered by the previous shot to load a fresh cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
into the chamber. One round is fired each time the trigger of a semi-automatic pistol is pulled.
A revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, which uses multiple chambers and a single barrel, and a derringer
Derringer
The term derringer is a genericized misspelling of the last name of Henry Deringer, a famous 19th-century maker of small pocket pistols. Many copies of the original Philadelphia Deringer pistol were made by other gun makers worldwide, and the name was often misspelled; this misspelling soon became...
, which uses multiple chambers and multiple barrels, also fire one round for trigger pull, but achieve this in different ways and as such are not classified as being semi-automatic.
Additional terms sometimes used as synonyms for a semi-automatic pistol are automatic pistol (technically incorrect, as an automatic firearm
Automatic firearm
An automatic firearm is a firearm that loads another round mechanically after the first round has been fired.The term can be used to refer to semi-automatic firearms, which fire one shot per single pull of the trigger , or fully automatic firearms, which will continue to load and fire ammunition...
fires continuously as long as the trigger is held), self-loading pistol, autopistol, and autoloading pistol.
A semi-automatic pistol harnesses the energy of one shot to reload the chamber for the next, typically via recoil operation
Recoil operation
Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used in locked-breech, autoloading firearms. As the name implies, these actions use the force of recoil to provide energy to cycle the action...
, blowback
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
, or gas operation
Gas-operated reloading
Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to extract the spent case and chamber a new cartridge. Energy from the gas is harnessed...
. After a round
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
is fired, the spent casing is ejected and a new round from the magazine is loaded into the chamber, allowing another shot to be fired as soon as the trigger is again pulled.
Most types of semi-automatic pistols rely on a removable magazine to store ammunition before it is fired, usually inserted inside the grip.
Operation
Typically, the first round is manually loaded into the chamber by pulling back and releasing ("racking") the slide mechanism. After the trigger is pulled and the round is fired, the recoil operationRecoil operation
Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used in locked-breech, autoloading firearms. As the name implies, these actions use the force of recoil to provide energy to cycle the action...
of the handgun automatically extracts and ejects the shell casing and reloads the chamber. This mode of operation generally allows for faster reloading and storing a larger number of cartridges than a revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, although semi-automatic pistols are potentially more prone to malfunctions
Firearm malfunction
A firearm malfunction is the partial or complete failure of a firearm to operate as intended. Malfunctions range from temporary and relatively safe situations, such as a casing that didn't eject, to potentially dangerous occurrences that may permanently damage the gun and cause injury or death...
than revolvers due to their more complex design and mechanism.
Kel-Tec P-32
The Kel-Tec P-32 is a compact semi-automatic pistol using the short-recoil principle of operation. Chambered in .32 ACP, it is popular for concealed carry in the United States. It was designed by George Kellgren, the Swedish firearms designer associated earlier with the Husqvarna, Intratec, and...
is an example of a DAO action. DAO semi-automatic pistols are most generally recommended only in the smaller, self-defense, concealable pistols, rather than in target or hunting pistols. A notable exception is Glock-brand pistols which optimize preset triggers (similar to DAO) but the striker is partially cocked back as the slide closes. This allows for significantly shorter trigger pulls than DAO. The trigger spring can be replaced with a lighter one and paired with a low-strength sear connector resulting in lightened trigger pulls to improve a shooter's accuracy (like models G34 and G35).
Standard modern semi-automatic pistols are usually double action (DA), also sometimes known as double-action/single-action (DA/SA). In this design, the hammer or striker may be either thumb-cocked or activated by pulling the trigger when firing the first shot. The hammer or striker is re-cocked automatically during each firing cycle. In double-action (DA) pistols, the first pull of the trigger requires roughly twice as much pressure as subsequent firings, since the first pull of the trigger also cocks the hammer (if not already cocked by hand). The Beretta 92F/FS, a full-sized, service, semi-automatic pistol is an example of this style of action. A common mode of carry for DA semi-automatic pistols is with the magazine full, a round chambered, and the gun holstered and uncocked with the external safety unengaged or off.
M1911
The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S....
is an example of this style of action. All SA semi-automatic pistols exhibit this feature, and automatically cock the hammer when the slide is first "racked" to chamber a round. A round can also be manually inserted in the chamber with the slide locked back. Then the safety can be applied.
Cocking modes
The normal mode of carrying an SA semi-automatic pistol is Condition 1, popularly known as cocked and locked (see photo of Springfield Armory M1911A1 above). Condition 1 (a term popularized by Colonel Jeff Cooper) refers to having the magazine full, a round chambered, the hammer fully cocked, and the thumb safety engaged or on, at least for right-handed users. For many single-action, semi-automatic pistols, this procedure works well only for right-handed users, as the thumb safety is located on the left side of pistol and is easily accessible only for those who are holding the pistol in the right hand.On many SA semi-automatic pistols, there is also a hammer position known as "half-cock
Half-cock
Half-cock is a technical firearms term referring to the position of the hammer where the hammer is partially but not completely cocked. Many firearms, particularly older firearms, had a notch cut into the hammer allowing half-cock, as this position would neither allow the gun to fire nor permit...
ed". Squeezing the trigger will not fire the gun when it is in the half-cocked position, and neither will dropping the gun in this state cause an accidental discharge. During WWII in the Pacific Theater, an unofficial and unapproved carry mode for the SA M1911 by left-handed US soldiers in combat was carrying the gun with the magazine full, a round chambered, the action in half-cocked position, and the thumb safety (accessible only to right-handed users) positioned in the off (or ready-to-fire) mode.
The primary advantage of the half-cocked position versus the uncocked position in that particular scenario was added sound suppression (of the click of the weapon being cocked). A secondary advantage was the avoidance of accidental discharges if the gun were accidentally dropped. The half cock was revised by Colt in the 1970s and subsequently other manufacturers - the hammer will fall from half cock if the trigger is pulled on most newer 1911 type guns.
Cocking the gun from uncocked to fully cocked was much noisier than turning the safety off for right-handed users, or cocking the gun from half cocked to fully cocked for left-handed users. In general, single-action, semi-automatic pistols should never be carried uncocked with the safety off, although many newer SA pistols have modified actions which allow the hammer to exert pressure against the firing pin only when the trigger is pulled. Many modern SA semi-automatic pistols have had their safety mechanisms redesigned to provide a thumb safety on both sides of the pistol (ambidextrous), thereby better meeting the needs of left-handed as well as right-handed users.
There have been semi-automatic pistol designs with different traits than those described here, including those with a magazine fed with a stripper clip
Stripper clip
A stripper clip or charger is a speedloader that holds several cartridges together in a single unit for easier loading of a firearm's magazine. A stripper clip is used only for loading the magazine and is not necessary for the firearm to function...
, and those with non-removable magazines. These designs are rarely used in modern semi-automatic pistols. The Model C96
Mauser C96
The Mauser C96 is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937...
, or "Broomhandle" Mauser, in its original configuration, has a fixed, non-removable magazine located in front of the trigger, which is loaded directly through the breech from the top of the pistol.
Semi-automatic pistols utilize one firing chamber that remains fixed in a constant linear position relative to the gun barrel. In contrast, although double-action revolvers can also be fired semi-automatically, their rounds are not fired from a single chamber, but rather are fired from each of the chambers that are rotated into linear alignment with the barrel's position in turn just prior for each shot fired.
The language surrounding automatic, semi-automatic, self-loading, etc., often causes confusion due to differences in technical usage between different countries and differences in popular usage. For example, the term "automatic pistol" technically refers to a machine pistol
Machine pistol
A machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
which is capable of firing multiple round bursts for a single pull of the trigger, although in popular US usage it is also used as a synonym for a semi-automatic pistol. In the case of pistols, an 'automatic pistol', a 'semi-automatic pistol', or a 'self-loading pistol', all usually imply a handgun that is semi-automatic, self-loading, and magazine-fed with a magazine that is removable, producing one shot fired for each trigger pull. The term pistol may refer to handguns in general, or may be used to differentiate (semi-automatic) pistols from revolvers.
Technology
A self-loading pistol reloads the chamber with a new round automatically each time the weapon is fired, without additional action being required by the user. For a semi-automatic pistol, this is typically accomplished by recoil operationRecoil operation
Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used in locked-breech, autoloading firearms. As the name implies, these actions use the force of recoil to provide energy to cycle the action...
. For a machine pistol
Machine pistol
A machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
, in contrast, this can be accomplished by blowback
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
, or, less commonly, by harnessing gases produced when the gun is fired. See the Desert Eagle
Desert Eagle
The Desert Eagle is a large-framed gas-operated semi-automatic pistol designed by Magnum Research in the U.S. and by IMI in Israel; the pistol is manufactured primarily in Israel by IMI...
for an example of a semi-automatic pistol that does siphon off some of the gases instead of relying on short recoil operation. See Gas-Operated article for details on gas operation of firearms. A semi-automatic pistol will fire only one shot per trigger pull, in contrast to a "fully automatic" or machine pistol
Machine pistol
A machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
, which continues to fire as long as the trigger is held or until all rounds have been fired.
While both types of weapons operate on the same principles, fully automatic weapons must be built more ruggedly to accommodate the heat and stress caused by rapid firing, and it can be difficult (and illegal in most countries) to convert a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic mode of fire. A selective fire
Selective fire
A selective fire firearm has at least one semi–automatic and one automatic mode, which is activated by means of a selector which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective fire weapons utilize burst fire mechanisms to limit the maximum or total number of shots fired automatically in...
action pistol, though, can be converted back and forth by means of a switch, and often includes burst mode
Burst mode (firearm)
In automatic firearms, burst mode or burst fire is a firing mode enabling the shooter to fire a predetermined number of rounds, usually 2 or 3 rounds and 100+ on anti-aircraft weapons, with a single pull of the trigger. This firing mode is commonly used in submachine guns, assault rifles and carbines...
(typically for three-round bursts for each trigger pull). Selective-fire weapons are generally used by specialized law enforcement and security personnel such as SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
teams, hostage rescue teams, anti-terrorist units, or government bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
s for heads of state. Selective-fire weapons are not available to civilians unless (in the US) they live in a state that allows civilian ownership of National Firearms Act
National Firearms Act
The National Firearms Act , 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, , enacted on June 26, 1934, currently codified as amended as , is an Act of Congress that, in general, imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms. The...
(NFA), or Title II weapons. The Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer (German for "rapid fire"), a later variant of the Mauser C96 pistol mentioned above, is a notable example of a true machine pistol.
Actions: blowback versus locked breech
Self-loading automatic pistols can be divided into "blowbackBlowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
" and "locked breech" categories according to their principle of operation. The blowback operating principle is suitable for smaller, low-powered calibres, such as 7.65mm Browning (also known as .32 ACP
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
), and 9mm Browning Short (also known as .380 ACP
.380 ACP
The .380 ACP pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since...
) as the resistance of the recoil spring and mass of the slide are sufficient to retard the opening of the breech until the projectile has left the barrel, and breech pressure has dropped to a safe level. For more powerful calibres such as the 9x19mm Parabellum and .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
, some form of locked breech is needed to retard breech opening, as an unlocked blowback pistol in these calibres requires a very heavy slide and stiff spring, making them bulky, heavy and difficult to operate. A somewhat commercially successful blowback pistol design in the more powerful calibres was produced; the Spanish Astra 400 in 9mm Largo and the similar Astra 600 in 9x19mm Parabellum. U.S. manufacturer Hi-Point also produces a line of blowback operated pistols in several calibers including 9mm Parabellum and .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
. Virtually all other service-caliber pistols are locked breech designs.
Trigger mechanisms
A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the firing sequence of firearmFirearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s. Triggers almost universally consist of lever
Lever
In physics, a lever is a rigid object that is used with an appropriate fulcrum or pivot point to either multiply the mechanical force that can be applied to another object or resistance force , or multiply the distance and speed at which the opposite end of the rigid object travels.This leverage...
s or buttons actuated by the index finger
Index finger
The index finger, , is the first finger and the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the first and third digits, between the thumb and the middle finger...
.
Firearms use triggers to initiate the firing of a cartridge in the firing chamber of the weapon. This is accomplished by actuating a striking device through a combination of spring and kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
operating through a firing pin
Firing pin
A firing pin or striker is part of the firing mechanism used in a firearm or explosive device e.g. an M14 landmine or bomb fuze. Firing pins may take many forms, though the types used in landmines, bombs, grenade fuzes or other single-use devices generally have a sharpened point...
to strike and ignite the primer. There are two primary types of striking mechanisms: hammers and strikers.
Hammers are spring-tensioned masses of metal that pivot on a pin when released and strike a firing pin to discharge a cartridge. Strikers are, essentially, spring-loaded firing pins that travel on an axis in-line with the cartridge eliminating the need for a separate hammer. The connection between the trigger and the hammer is generally referred to as the sear
Sear (firearm)
In a firearm, the sear is the part of the trigger mechanism which holds the hammer or striker back until the correct amount of pressure has been applied to the trigger; at which point the hammer or striker is released to discharge the weapon...
surface. Variable mechanisms will have this surface directly on the trigger and hammer or have separate sears or other connecting parts.
There are numerous types of trigger mechanisms. They are categorized according to which functions the trigger is to perform. In addition to releasing the hammer or the striker, a trigger may cock the hammer or striker, rotate a revolver's cylinder, deactivate passive safeties, select between semi-automatic
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
and full-automatic
Automatic firearm
An automatic firearm is a firearm that loads another round mechanically after the first round has been fired.The term can be used to refer to semi-automatic firearms, which fire one shot per single pull of the trigger , or fully automatic firearms, which will continue to load and fire ammunition...
fire such as the Steyr AUG
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
, or pre-set a 'set trigger.' Most modern firearms use the trigger to deactivate passive safeties but this does not change how they are identified.
History
After Hiram MaximHiram Stevens Maxim
Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim was an American-born inventor who emigrated to England at the age of forty-one, although he remained an American citizen until he became a naturalized British subject in 1900. He was the inventor of the Maxim Gun – the first portable, fully automatic machine gun – and the...
introduced his recoil-powered machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
in 1883, several gunsmiths set out to apply the same principles to handguns, including Maxim. Maxim's designs for smaller firearms using his recoil-powered ideas never went into production.
In the 1880s, other designers worked on self-loading designs. The first model to gain any commercial success was the Hugo Borchardt
Hugo Borchardt
Hugo Borchardt was a firearms inventor and engineer, born in Magdeburg, Germany. He is known for his inventions of the Borchardt C-93 pistol and the Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 rifle....
-designed self-loading Borchardt C-93
Borchardt C-93
The Borchardt C-93 pistol was designed by Hugo Borchardt in 1893. Ludwig Loewe & Company of Berlin, Germany, a manufacturer of machine tools, produced the C-93, a semi-automatic pistol that he had invented based upon the Maxim toggle-lock principle. He also developed the 7.65×25mm Borchardt...
semi-automatic pistol, which was designed in 1893 and made its public appearance in 1894. Borchardt invented the C-93 mechanism, but it was based in large part upon Maxim's toggle-lock principle. The C-93 featured a clever locking mechanism modeled after the human knee joint in which the mechanical joint is called a knee, or in German Kniegelenk (knee joint).
The C-93 proved mechanically reliable, but was too large and bulky to receive widespread acceptance. Equipped with a screw-on wooden stock, the C-93 served well in small pistol carbine
Carbine
A carbine , from French carabine, is a longarm similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length....
s, however. Borchardt also developed the 7.65x25mm Borchardt
7.65x25mm Borchardt
The 7.65×25mm Borchardt cartridge was designed by Hugo Borchardt. It was the ammunition of the Borchardt C-93 pistol. This cartridge provided the basis for the 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridge, which has similar dimensions but a stronger powder charge...
cartridge, around which the C-93 was built.
In 1896, Paul Mauser introduced his first model of the famous Mauser "Broomhandle" semi-automatic pistol, the C96
Mauser C96
The Mauser C96 is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937...
. Using the powerful 7.63 mm bottle-necked cartridge originally designed by Borchardt, the Mauser was the first self-loading pistol used extensively in battle, notably the South African War of 1899-1902. These pistols were made in 7.63x25mm Mauser along with some models eventually being made in 9 x 19 mm Parabellum (9 x 19 mm Luger) and a small number in .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
.
In Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1896, the first American gun designer to develop self-loading semi-automatic pistols was John Browning
John Browning
John Moses Browning , born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world...
, whose models were first manufactured by the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
firm of Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and later by Colt in the US. Like Luger's work conducted around the same time in Germany, Browning's first successful design was in 7.65 mm caliber, the Browning M1900. Browning also devised a slightly different 7.65 mm Browning
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
(.32 Auto, 7.65x17mm SR) cartridge for his .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol that differed from Luger's 7.65 mm Luger (.30 Luger, 7.65 x 21 mm) cartridge. Browning also designed .25 ACP
ACP (ammunition)
Automatic Colt Pistol denotes various John Browning cartridge designs primarily used in Colt and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal pistols. All of these cartridges appear similar with straight sides...
, .380 ACP, and .45 ACP cartridges in addition to .32 ACP
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
cartridges for his semi-automatic pistol designs.
ACP (ammunition)
Automatic Colt Pistol denotes various John Browning cartridge designs primarily used in Colt and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal pistols. All of these cartridges appear similar with straight sides...
Colt M1911
M1911
The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S....
single-action semi-automatic pistol, which was adopted by the US military in 1911 (hence the Model 1911 designation) and which remained in service for over 70 years. The Model 1911 is still in active use with some US Special Forces and Marine Corps units.
Browning also co-designed the FN Browning Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
, announced in 1922, during the last years of his life, working on this design until his death in 1926. It was a 9 mm Para semi-automatic pistol and was the first high-capacity, semi-automatic pistol design to feature a staggered-column magazine capable of holding 13 rounds (plus one chambered) in place of the single column magazine that Browning had favored in designing the earlier .45 ACP Colt M1911
M1911
The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S....
. (The earlier, single-column magazine design is still used to today, however, especially for deep-concealment semi-automatic pistols such as the Kel-Tec P-32
Kel-Tec P-32
The Kel-Tec P-32 is a compact semi-automatic pistol using the short-recoil principle of operation. Chambered in .32 ACP, it is popular for concealed carry in the United States. It was designed by George Kellgren, the Swedish firearms designer associated earlier with the Husqvarna, Intratec, and...
.)
The next notable design was the 7.65 mm Luger by Georg Luger
Georg Luger
Georg Johann Luger was an Austrian designer of the famous Luger pistol and the 9 x 19mm Parabellum cartridge.-Early life and military service:...
, which although successful in its function, nonetheless failed to have adequate stopping power
Stopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
and failed to win widespread acceptance. In 1902, Georg Luger
Georg Luger
Georg Johann Luger was an Austrian designer of the famous Luger pistol and the 9 x 19mm Parabellum cartridge.-Early life and military service:...
's subsequent and similar 9 mm Luger Parabellum (9 x 19 mm) Pistole Parabellum
Luger pistol
The Pistole Parabellum 1908 or Parabellum-Pistole , popularly known as the Luger, is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The design was patented by Georg J...
design overcame the problem of inadequate stopping power and featured a greatly improved Borchardt
Borchardt C-93
The Borchardt C-93 pistol was designed by Hugo Borchardt in 1893. Ludwig Loewe & Company of Berlin, Germany, a manufacturer of machine tools, produced the C-93, a semi-automatic pistol that he had invented based upon the Maxim toggle-lock principle. He also developed the 7.65×25mm Borchardt...
-type Kniegelenk ("knee-joint") locking mechanism. Unlike Browning's locked-breech design, the barrel in a Kniegelenk design does not tip up and down while the gun is fired, thereby theoretically improving shooting accuracy. Luger's 9mm Pistole Parabellum
Luger pistol
The Pistole Parabellum 1908 or Parabellum-Pistole , popularly known as the Luger, is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The design was patented by Georg J...
design was adopted by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
military and served as their standard sidearm during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was the first nation to adopt a double-action pistol, the Walther P38 which could be carried loaded (with a cartridge chambered) and ready to fire without the risk of an accidental discharge if dropped. The P38 also used Luger's 9 mm Parabellum (9 mm Luger) cartridge.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
revolvers were still issued by various major powers, but their use was decreasing. Though the British firm Webley and Scott
Webley and Scott
Webley & Scott is an arms manufacturer based in Birmingham, England. Webley produced handguns and long guns from 1834 to 1979, when the company ceased to manufacture firearms and instead focused on producing air pistols and air rifles...
had developed several adequate self-loading pistols, one of which was adopted by the (normally unarmed) British police in 1911 and by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines before the First World War, revolvers were generally preferred by most British military. In the Soviet Union the TT pistol replaced the Nagant M1895
Nagant M1895
The Nagant M1895 Revolver is a seven-shot, gas-seal revolver designed and produced by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant for the Russian Empire. The Nagant M1895 was chambered for a proprietary cartridge, 7.62x38R, and featured an unusual "gas-seal" system in which the cylinder moved forward when...
revolver during the war. In the United States the Colt M1911A1 semi-automatic single-action pistol was adopted as the standard military sidearm. Both Colt and Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
produced revolvers chambered for the same .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
pistol ammunition used in the M1911A1, because of the great demand for handguns and the need to adopt a common cartridge for use in both semi-automatic pistols and revolvers.
After World War II most nations eventually adopted 9 mm Luger (9mm Parabellum) caliber pistols employing Browning's locked-breech design for their standard-issue military pistols. The most popular early choice was the previously mentioned FN Browning Hi-Power
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
, which was the first high-capacity pistol; another popular model was the locked-breech Walther P38 because of its many safety features. the U.S. military sidearm is a variant of the Beretta 92F/FS.
Ceská Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod
Česká zbrojovka a.s. Uherský Brod is a Czech firearms manufacturer.-History:CZUB was established in 1936 as a branch of the Česká zbrojovka armament firm in the small Moravian town of Uherský Brod in Czechoslovakia, now in the Czech Republic....
launched its CZ-75 in 1975. Beretta introduced the Beretta 92
Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
also in 1975. Glock introduced the groundbreaking Glock 17
Glock pistol
The Glock pistol, sometimes referred to by the manufacturer as Glock "Safe Action" Pistol, is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Glock Ges.m.b.H., located in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria. The company's founder, engineer Gaston Glock, had no experience with firearm design or...
in 1982, and SIG-Sauer introduced its model SIG P226 in 1983. Walther introduced their high-capacity P88
Walther P88
The Walther P88 was a semiautomatic pistol developed by the Walther company of Germany in 1988, hence the model name P88. Its main feature was a high-capacity double-stacked magazine designed for military and law enforcement use....
in 1988. In the early 1990s Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH is a German defense manufacturing company that produces various small arms. Some of their products include the SA80, MP5 submachine gun, G3 automatic rifle, the G36 assault rifle, the HK 416, the MP7 personal defense weapon, the USP series of handguns, and the high-precision...
combined what they considered to be the most desirable attributes of semi-autos in the HK USP pistol
Heckler & Koch USP
The USP is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.-History:...
. In 1995 Kel-Tec
Kel-Tec
Kel-Tec CNC Industries Inc. is a United States manufacturer of firearms. Founded in 1991 and based in Cocoa, Florida, the company has manufactured firearms since 1995, starting with small, affordable semi-automatic pistols and expanding to rifles. Kel-Tec is a privately-owned Florida corporation....
introduced their first compact 9mm Parabellum pistol, the Kel-Tec P11
Kel-Tec P11
The Kel-Tec P-11 is a compact, semi-automatic, short-recoil operated pistol chambered in 9 mm Luger. It has been manufactured by Kel-Tec CNC Industries of Cocoa, FL since 1995.-Design & Specifications:...
, designed for concealed carry. In 1999 Kel-Tec introduced their extremely popular .32 ACP
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
P-32
Kel-Tec P-32
The Kel-Tec P-32 is a compact semi-automatic pistol using the short-recoil principle of operation. Chambered in .32 ACP, it is popular for concealed carry in the United States. It was designed by George Kellgren, the Swedish firearms designer associated earlier with the Husqvarna, Intratec, and...
for deeply-concealed carry. Both of the Kel-Tec pistols are double-action-only (DAO) designs.
After the Second World War, the almost universal trend has been for self-loading, semi-automatic pistols to replace revolvers for military use, although the transition has been slower in police and civilian use. revolvers are mainly used in jurisdictions which permit their use for civilian self-defense, hunting, plinking
Plinking
Plinking refers to informal target shooting done at non-traditional targets such as tin cans, glass bottles, and balloons filled with water. The term is an onomatopoeia of the sound a bullet or other projectile makes when hitting a tin can, or other similar target, referring to the sharp, metallic...
, and target practice. Semi-automatic pistols are by far the most popular for deeply-concealed carry by civilians, for use as primary handguns for police and military use, for use as backup guns for police use, and for use where the 5 or 6 shots of a revolver are deemed inadequate.
See also
- RevolverRevolverA revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
- Submachine gunSubmachine gunA submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
- Machine pistolMachine pistolA machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
- Semi-automatic rifleSemi-automatic rifleA semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that fires a single bullet each time the trigger is pulled, automatically ejects the spent cartridge, chambers a fresh cartridge from its magazine, and is immediately ready to fire another shot...
- Laumman PistolLaumman PistolThe Schönberger-Laumann 1892 was the first semi-automatic pistol. It was invented by the Austrian inventor Joseph Laumann in 1892. The design is very similar to the Bergmann 1896 pistol.Caliber 7.8x19R FMJ...
- Service PistolService pistolA service pistol is any handgun issued to military personnel.Typically service pistols are revolvers or semi-automatic pistols issued to officers, non-commissioned officers and rear-echelon support personnel for self defense, though service pistols may also be issued to special forces as a backup...