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Pistol

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A pistol is a type of handgun , characterised by a barrel with an integral chamber . The word "pistol" derives from the Middle French pistolet ( c.  1550 ), meaning a small gun or knife, and first appeared in the English language c.  1570 when early handguns were produced in Europe. In colloquial usage, the word "pistol" is often used as a generic term to describe any type of handgun, inclusive of revolvers (which have a single barrel and a separate cylinder housing multiple chambers) and the pocket-sized derringers (which are often multi-barrelled ).

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67-560: The most common type of pistol used in the contemporary era is the semi-automatic pistol , while the older single-shot and lever-action pistols are now rarely seen and used primarily for nostalgic hunting and historical reenactment , and the fully-automatic machine pistols are uncommon in civilian usage because of their generally poor recoil -controllability (due to the lack of a buttstock ) and strict laws and regulations governing their manufacture and sale (where they are regarded as submachine gun equivalents). Technically speaking,

134-428: A projectile ( bullet ) from one or more barrels when held in one hand, and having: a chamber(s) as an integral part(s) of, or permanently aligned with, the bore(s) ; and a short stock designed to be gripped by one hand at an angle to and extending below the line of the bore(s) ", which includes derringers but excludes revolvers. Commonwealth usage, for instance, does not usually make distinction, particularly when

201-505: A "fully automatic" or machine pistol, which continues to fire as long as the trigger is held or until all rounds have been fired. The Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer (German for "rapid fire"), a modified Mauser C96 pistol, is a notable example of a true machine pistol. 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

268-399: 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. Typically, the first round is manually loaded into

335-513: A fully-loaded one. In blowback -type semi-automatics, the recoil force is used to push the slide back and eject the shell (if any) so that the magazine spring can push another round up; then as the slide returns, it chambers the round. An example of a modern blowback action semi-automatic pistol is the Walther PPK . Blowback pistols are some of the more simply designed handguns. Many semi-automatic pistols today operate using short recoil. This design

402-651: A machine pistol, in contrast, this can be accomplished by blowback , or, less commonly, by gas operation , harnessing gases produced when the gun is fired. The Desert Eagle is a rare example of a semi-automatic pistol that siphons off some of the gases instead of relying on short recoil operation. A revolver , which uses multiple chambers and a single barrel, and a derringer , which uses multiple chambers and multiple barrels, also fire one round per trigger pull, but achieve this in different ways and as such are not classified as being semi-automatic. A semi-automatic pistol will fire only one shot per trigger pull, in contrast to

469-488: A round is chambered, each trigger pull cocks the hammer, striker, or firing pin, and additionally releases 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-11 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

536-533: A screw-on wooden stock, the C-93 served well as a small pistol carbine . In 1896, Paul Mauser introduced the first model of his Mauser "Broomhandle" semi-automatic pistol, the C96 . This was the first mass-produced and commercially successful pistol to have a large-capacity, staggered-column magazine holding 10 or 20 rounds. Its original cartridge was called 7.63 mm Mauser , which was more powerful but otherwise identical to

603-461: 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 a burst mode , typically for a three-round burst with 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 bodyguards for heads of state. In

670-485: A separate permit is required for each individual animal taken (tags). In some parts of Africa , wild animals hunted for their meat are called bushmeat ; see that article for more detailed information on how this operates within the economy (for personal consumption and for money) and the law (including overexploitation and illegal imports). Animals hunted for bushmeat include, but are not limited to: Some of these animals are endangered or otherwise protected, and thus it

737-524: A single pull of the trigger, although in popular American usage it is also used as a synonym for any self-loading pistol, the vast majority of which are semi-automatic. In colloquial usage, because machine pistols are very rare on the market, an "automatic pistol", a "semi-automatic pistol" or a "self-loading pistol" usually all imply a semi-automatic handgun that is fed by a removable magazine, which discharges one round for each trigger pull. Semi-automatic pistols use one firing chamber that remains fixed in

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804-501: A sliding magazine. The sliding magazine contained pinfire cartridges or speedloaders. The magazine needed to be moved manually in many designs, hence distinguishing them from semi-automatic pistols. Lever action pistols are very rare, the most notable of which is the Volcanic pistol and Pistola Herval . Semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol , autopistol , or autoloading pistol )

871-654: 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 calibers was produced; the Spanish Astra 400 in 9 mm Largo and the similar Astra 600 in 9 mm Parabellum. U.S. manufacturer Hi-Point also produces a line of blowback-operated pistols in several calibers, including 9 mm and .45 ACP. Virtually all other service-caliber pistols are locked-breech designs After Hiram Maxim introduced his recoil-powered machine gun in 1883, several gunsmiths set out to apply

938-448: Is a handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridges in its chamber after every shot fired. Only one round of ammunition is fired each time the trigger is pulled, as the pistol's fire control group disconnects the trigger mechanism from the firing pin /striker until the trigger has been released and reset. A semi-automatic pistol recycles part of the energy released by the propellant combustion to move its bolt , which

1005-417: 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. The Taurus PT145 is an example of a DA/SA weapon, as it has no decocker and thus has its striker primed from the moment of chambering and only enters double-action mode if a round fails to fire upon

1072-407: Is condition 1, popularly known as cocked and locked. Condition 1 (a term popularized by 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

1139-401: Is cooked in the same ways as farmed meat. Because some game meat is leaner than store-bought beef, overcooking is a common mishap which can be avoided if properly prepared. It is sometimes grilled or cooked longer or by slow cooking or moist-heat methods to make it more tender, since some game tends to be tougher than farm-raised meat. Other methods of tenderizing include marinating as in

1206-533: Is generally used to describe a weapon that is more compact than a typical submachine gun. Multi-barreled pistols, such as the pepper-box , were common during the same time as single shot pistols. As designers looked for ways to increase fire rates, multiple barrels were added to pistols. One example of a multi-barreled pistol is the COP .357 Derringer . Around 1850, pistols such as the Jarre harmonica gun were produced that had

1273-751: Is illegal to hunt them. In Africa, animals hunted for their pelts or ivory are sometimes referred to as big game . Also see the legal definition of game in Eswatini . South Africa is a famous destination for game hunting, with its large biodiversity and therefore impressive variety of game species. Many creatures have returned to former areas from which they were once taken as a result of being killed for big-game hunting . Commonly hunted species include: South Africa also has 62 species of gamebirds, including guineafowl , francolin , partridge , quail , sandgrouse , duck , geese , snipe , bustard and korhaan . Some of these species are no longer hunted, and of

1340-578: Is often coupled with the Browning type tilting barrel. A machine pistol is a pistol that is capable of burst-fire or fully automatic fire . The first machine pistol was produced by Austria-Hungary in 1916, as the Steyr Repetierpistole M1912/P16 , and the term is derived from the German word maschinenpistolen . Though it is often used interchangeably with submachine gun , a machine pistol

1407-439: Is quickly field-dressed by removing the viscera in the field, while very large animals like moose may be partially butchered in the field because of the difficulty of removing them intact from their habitat. Commercial processors often handle deer taken during deer seasons, sometimes even at supermarket meat counters. Otherwise the hunter handles butchering. The carcass is kept cool to minimize spoilage. Traditionally, game meat

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1474-604: Is the Glock range of 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,

1541-447: Is typically taken from a wild animal that has been shot with a gun or bow . Hunters must be absolutely certain of their target before shooting and should make every effort to get the animal down as quickly and painlessly as possible. Once obtained, game meat must be processed to avoid spoiling. The method of processing varies by game species and size. Small game and fowl may simply be carried home to be butchered . Large game such as deer

1608-418: Is usually housed inside the slide . After a round of ammunition is fired, the spent cartridge casing is extracted and ejected as the slide/bolt moves rearwards under recoil , the hammer /striker is cocked by the slide/bolt movement, and a new round from the magazine is pushed into the chamber when the slide/bolt returns forward under spring tension. This sets up the following shot, which is fired as soon as

1675-430: The 7.65 mm Borchardt cartridge, had been designed in 1893 and made its public debut in 1894. Borchardt based the principle of the C-93's mechanism in large part upon Maxim's toggle-lock. The C-93 featured a locking mechanism modeled after the human knee, which is called Kniegelenk in German (knee joint). The C-93 proved mechanically reliable but was too large and bulky to receive widespread acceptance. Equipped with

1742-587: The 7.65 mm Borchardt . The Mauser was one of the first self-loading pistols used extensively in battle, notably the Second Boer War of 1899–1902. These pistols were made in 7.63 mm Mauser , or 9×25mm Mauser, along with some models eventually being made in 9 mm Parabellum and a small number in .45 ACP for China. 1898 saw the Schwarzlose Model 1898 , a semi-automatic pistol invented by Prussian firearm designer Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose . It

1809-738: The Deer Act 1991 ). Deer hunted in the UK are: Other animals which are hunted in the UK include: Capercaillie are not currently hunted in the UK because of a recent decline in numbers and conservation projects towards their recovery. The ban is generally considered voluntary on private lands, and few birds live away from RSPB or Forestry Commission land allegedly. In Iceland game includes: Game in Norway , Sweden , Denmark and Finland includes: In Poland , legal game includes: Big game Small game Game meat

1876-677: The 16th century, when early handguns were produced in Europe. The English word was introduced in c.  1570 from the Middle French pistolet ( c.  1550 ). The etymology of the French word pistolet is disputed. It may be from a Czech word for early hand cannons , píšťala ("whistle" or "pipe"), used in the Hussite Wars during the 1420s. The Czech word was adopted in German as pitschale , pitschole , petsole , and variants. Alternatively

1943-475: The 20th century has been for semi-automatic pistols to replace revolvers for military use, although the transition has been slower in police and civilian use. As of 2011 , revolvers are mainly used in jurisdictions that permit their use for civilian self-defense, hunting, plinking , and target practice. Semi-automatic pistols are by far the most popular for concealed carry by civilians, primary handguns for police and military use, backup guns for police use, and where

2010-527: The 44 indigenous gamebirds that can potentially be utilised in South Africa, only three, namely the yellow-throated sandgrouse , Delegorgue's pigeon and the African pygmy goose warrant special protection. Of the remaining 41 species, 24 have shown an increase in numbers and distribution range in the last 25 years or so. The status of 14 species appears unchanged, with insufficient information being available for

2077-681: The Belgian firm of Fabrique Nationale (FN) and later by Colt in the U.S. Browning's first successful design was the Browning M1900 . Like Georg Luger 's work conducted around the same time in Germany, it was designed alongside a in 7.65 mm cartridge, but the 7.65 mm Browning (aka .32 Auto) differs substantially from Luger's 7.65 mm Parabellum . Browning went on to design .25, .38, .380, and .45 ACP cartridges for his semi-automatic pistol designs. Browning must be given credit for developing

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2144-592: The FN Browning Hi-Power , announced in 1922, during the last years of his life, working on this design until his death in 1926. This was a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol capable of holding 13 rounds in the magazine (plus one chambered). 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, Luger's subsequent and similar P08 in 9 mm Parabellum overcame

2211-500: The United States, selective-fire weapons are not legally available to civilians unless they live in a state that allows civilian ownership of National Firearms Act or Title II weapons. Self-loading automatic pistols can be divided into "blowback" and "locked breech" categories according to their principle of operation. The blowback operating principle is suitable for smaller, lower-powered calibers, such as .32 ACP and .380 ACP , as

2278-465: The chamber by pulling back and releasing the slide mechanism. After the trigger is pulled and the round is fired, the recoil operation 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. Some modern semi-automatic pistols are exclusively double-action (DA or DAO) trigger function; that is, once

2345-405: The chambers revolve about the cylinder's axis. After the revolver, the semi-automatic pistol was the next step in the development of the pistol. By avoiding multiple chambers—which need to be individually reloaded—semi-automatic pistols delivered faster rates of fire and required only a few seconds to reload, by pushing a button or flipping a switch, and the magazine slides out to be replaced by

2412-418: The development of the revolver , short for revolving pistol, in the 19th century, gunsmiths had finally achieved the goal of a practical capability for delivering multiple loads to one handgun barrel in quick succession. Revolvers feed ammunition via the rotation of a cartridge-filled cylinder , in which each cartridge is contained within its own ignition chamber and is sequentially brought into alignment with

2479-406: The dish Hasenpfeffer , cooking in a game pie or as a stew such as burgoo . The Norwegian Food Safety Authority considers that children, pregnant women, fertile-aged women, and people with high blood pressure should not consume game shot with lead -based ammunition more than once a month. Children who often eat such game might develop a slightly lower IQ, as lead influences the development of

2546-420: 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 recocked automatically during each firing cycle. In double-action 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

2613-413: The magazine inserted separately from the grip. 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 fully automatic machine pistol , which is capable of continuously firing multiple rounds with

2680-431: The natural diet of the animal, which usually results in a lower fat content compared to domestic farm-raised animals. In some countries, game is classified, including legal classifications with respect to licenses required, as either "small game" or "large game". A single small game licence may cover all small game species and be subject to yearly bag limits . Large game are often subject to individual licensing where

2747-406: The other types of handgun, such as the revolver , which has multiple chambers within a rotating cylinder that is separately aligned with a single barrel; and the derringer , which is a short pocket gun often with multiple single-shot barrels and no reciprocating action . The 18 U.S. Code § 921 legally defines the term "pistol" as "a weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire

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2814-410: The pin's impact; at other times, it operates as a single-action striker-fired firearm. 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 M1911 is an example of this style of action. All SA semi-automatic pistols exhibit this feature and automatically cock the hammer when

2881-420: The pistol and is easily accessible only for those who are holding the pistol in the right hand. 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. Many SA semi-automatic pistols have a hammer position known as " half-cocked ". Squeezing

2948-477: The pistol was loaded with a lead ball and fired by a flint striker, and then later a percussion cap . The handgun required a reload every time it was shot. However, as technology improved, so did the single-shot pistol. New operating mechanisms were created, and some are still made today. They are the oldest type of pistol and are often used to hunt wild game . Additionally, their compact size compared to most other types of handgun makes them more concealable . With

3015-495: 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 P.08 was adopted by the German military and served as their standard sidearm in World War I . During World War II, Germany

3082-575: The remaining three species. The gamebirds of South Africa where the population status in 2005 was secure or growing are listed below: In Australia , game includes: Game in New Zealand includes: In the United States and Canada , white-tailed deer are the most commonly hunted big game. Other game species include: In the PRC there is a special cuisine category called ye wei , which includes animals in

3149-408: 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 calibers such as the 9 mm Parabellum (9 mm) and .45 ACP , some form of locked-breech is needed to retard breech opening, as an unlocked blowback pistol in these calibers requires

3216-456: The same .45 ACP 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 Parabellum caliber pistols employing some variant of Browning's locked-breech design for their standard-issue military pistols. The most popular early choice

3283-481: 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 Salvator Dormus was the first semi-automatic pistol followed closely by the Schönberger-Laumann 1892 . The first model to gain any commercial success was Hugo Borchardt 's C-93 , which, together with

3350-430: 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. It is generally not a good idea to load a round manually as this can cause excessive wear on the extractor as semi-automatic firearms were designed to have cartridges loaded from the bottom via the magazine. The normal mode of carrying an SA semi-automatic pistol

3417-413: The term "pistol" is a hypernym generally referring to a handgun and predates the existence of the type of guns to which it is now applied as a specific term, that is: in colloquial usage it is used specifically to describe a handgun with a single integral chamber within its barrel . Webster's Dictionary defines it as "a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel". This makes it distinct from

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3484-801: The terms are used by the military. For example, the official designation of the Webley Mk VI revolver was "Pistol, Revolver, Webley, No. 1 Mk VI". In contrast to the Merriam-Webster definition, the Oxford English Dictionary (a descriptive dictionary) describes "pistol" as "a small firearm designed to be held in one hand", which is similar to the Webster definition for "handgun"; and "revolver" as "a pistol with revolving chambers enabling several shots to be fired without reloading", giving its original form as "revolving pistol". The pistol originates in

3551-399: 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 was accidentally dropped. The half-cock

3618-417: The trigger is pulled again. Most pistols use a short recoil operation to perform this, but some pistols use simple blowback or gas operation mechanisms. Most types of semi-automatic pistols rely on a removable box magazine to provide ammunition, which is usually inserted into the grip. However, some pistols are based on receiver -style designs similar to existing semi-automatic rifles , and thus have

3685-525: 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 World War II , in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater , an unofficial and unapproved carry mode for the SA M1911 by left-handed U.S. soldiers in combat was carrying the gun with the magazine full, a round chambered, the action in half-cocked position, and

3752-535: The type of locked-breech action which is commonly used by the vast majority of modern large caliber semi-automatic pistols. One of Browning's most enduring designs was the Colt M1911 , which was adopted by the U.S. military as its service pistol and is in active use since 1911 within some U.S. special forces and Marine units, albeit in modernized forms (the M45A1 Pistol is a prime example). Browning also co-designed

3819-572: The usual five or six shots of a revolver are deemed inadequate. Game (food) Game or quarry is any wild animal hunted for animal products (primarily meat ), for recreation (" sporting "), or for trophies . The species of animals hunted as game varies in different parts of the world and by different local jurisdictions, though most are terrestrial mammals and birds . Fish caught non- commercially ( recreational fishing ) are also referred to as game fish . The range of animal species hunted by humans varies in different parts of

3886-418: The weapon's barrel by an indexing mechanism linked to the weapon's trigger ( double-action ) or its hammer ( single-action ). These nominally cylindrical chambers, usually numbering between five and eight depending on the size of the revolver and the size of the cartridge being fired, are bored through the cylinder so that their axes are parallel to the cylinder's axis of rotation; thus, as the cylinder rotates,

3953-575: The wild. In the UK game is defined in law by the Game Act 1831 ( 1 & 2 Will. 4 . c. 32). It is illegal to shoot game on Sundays or at night. Other non-game birds that are hunted for food in the UK are specified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 . UK law defines game as including: Deer are not included in the definition, but similar controls provided to those in the Game Act apply to deer (from

4020-492: The word originated from Italian pistolese , after Pistoia , a city renowned for Renaissance-era gunsmithing, where hand-held guns (designed to be fired from horseback) were first produced in the 1540s. However, the use of the word as a designation of a gun is not documented before 1605 in Italy, long after it was used in French and German. Single-shot handguns were mainly used during the era of flintlock and musket weaponry where

4087-441: The world. This is influenced by climate , faunal diversity, popular taste and locally accepted views about what can or cannot be legitimately hunted. Sometimes a distinction is also made between varieties and breeds of a particular animal, such as wild turkey and domestic turkey . The flesh of the animal, when butchered for consumption, is often described as having a "gamey" flavour. This difference in taste can be attributed to

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4154-418: Was hung until "high" or "gamey", that is, approaching a state of decomposition . However, this adds to the risk of contamination. Small game can be processed essentially intact, after gutting and skinning or defeathering (by species). Small animals are ready for cooking, although they may be disjointed first. Large game must be processed by techniques commonly practiced by commercial butchers. Generally game

4221-695: 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 M1911A1 was adopted as the standard military sidearm. Both Colt and Smith & Wesson produced revolvers chambered for

4288-785: Was chambered for the 7.65×25mm Mauser, but could also shoot the weaker Borchardt ammunition. The Schwarzlose design was most advanced and far ahead of its time, but not widely adopted with less than 1000 pieces being manufactured. Small lots were sold to members of the Russian Social-Democratic Party who were plotting insurrection but were confiscated at the Russian border and issued to the Imperial Russian Frontier Guards. In Belgium , in 1896, American gun designer John Browning developed self-loading semi-automatic pistols. His models were first manufactured in Europe by

4355-406: 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. 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 operation. In

4422-584: Was the FN Browning Hi-Power mentioned above; another popular model was the locked-breech Walther P38 because of its many safety features. Over the course of the postwar 20th century, additional popular semi-automatic pistols were introduced, including the Smith & Wesson Model 59 , Beretta 92 , CZ 75 , Glock , SIG Sauer P226 , Walther P88 , Heckler & Koch USP , Kel-Tec P-11 , and Kel-Tec P-32 , among many other models. The almost universal trend since

4489-562: 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 cartridge. Revolvers were still issued by various major powers, but their use was decreasing. Though the British firm Webley & Scott had developed several adequate self-loading pistols, one of which

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