Handguns Handguns are guns which can be held and operated by one hand only. They can be carried easily and are small in size. They are differentiated into many different subtypes like: revolvers, pistols, Derringers, semi-automatic pistols, single-shot pistols, machine pistols, and pepperboxes.
Handguns were first developed in the 15th century, but it is not known who created them in the first place. Handheld firearms were first developed in China where gunpowder was first developed. Revolvers were developed in the 19th century, and “pistols” and “revolvers” developed with different mechanisms. In general language, people use the term “pistols” for almost all handguns.
Pistols Pistols and handguns are often synonymous, but technically pistols are those handguns which have one chamber only. Revolvers, however, are those handguns which have a cylinder which revolves and has multiple chambers. Stevens Maxim developed them in 1885. Pistols are of many different types:
Single-shot pistols Semi-automatic pistols Machine pistols Multi-barreled pistols