Most firearm enthusiasts tend to use the terms “handguns” and “pistols” interchangeably. However, there is a subtle distinction between the two. Understanding the difference between handgun vs pistol can be advantageous to new gun owners or those who are looking to refine their marksmanship skills.
For instance, it helps to know if the laser cartridge you bought to use with your dry-fire laser training system is compatible with your handgun or your pistol.
This article explores the world of handguns and pistols, discussing their characteristics and how your choice may impact your shooting experience.
Understanding the Terminology: Handgun vs pistol
Handgun: This is a broad term used to describe any firearm designed to be held and operated with one hand. This category of weapons includes pistols, revolvers, derringers, and other single-handed firearms.
Pistol: A pistol is a specific type of handgun that uses a magazine for ammunition and a semi-automatic action. The term “pistol” is often used to describe modern firearms in which the single pull of a trigger fires one round, and the spent cartridge is automatically ejected, allowing follow-up shots without manually reloading them.
Key Differences
The primary differentiating factor between a handgun and a pistol lies in the mechanisms for loading and firing.
Here is a quick overview:
Handguns
This category contains various firearms with diverse loading and firing mechanisms. Revolvers, for example, have a rotating cylinder with chambers that hold individual cartridges. Derringers essentially have multiple barrels that are fired by a single trigger. Handguns like revolvers typically have multiple variants that work in slightly different ways than the regular revolver.
Pistols
Pistols, on the other hand, use a magazine for ammunition and a semi-automatic action. With each trigger pull, a round is fired, the spent case is ejected, and a fresh round is automatically chambered from the magazine, prepped, and ready for the next shot.
Common Handgun Types
Now that we have established that pistols are simply a specific type of handgun that operate in a certain way, let’s explore some other common hands you may encounter:
Double-Action Revolvers
Double-action revolvers allow you to fire one single bullet with one long trigger pull. Pulling the trigger cocks the hammer, rotates the cylinder, and then fires the round. This can be useful in self-defense situations where speed and simplicity are important.
Single-Action Revolvers
Single-action revolvers require you to manually cock the hammer of the gun before each shot. This allows for a lighter and more precise trigger pull, a feature that makes them ideal for target shooting or Western-style shooting disciplines. However, single-action revolvers can be slower to operate in situations requiring rapid fire.
Derringers
Derringers are compact handguns with multiple barrels stacked side-by-side while using a single fire to activate the shot. They are chambered for smaller calibers and are generally known for their concealability. They generally have low ammunition capacity and are not ideal for self-defense due to their complexity and limited firepower.
Single-Shot Pistols
These simple handguns require manual loading and cocking before each shot. They are quite scarce, but they can be used for target shooting or as a survival tool.
The Impact on Marksmanship
While the distinctions between most handguns are quite minor, the differences between general handguns and pistols can influence your shooting in certain ways:
- Grip and Control: Pistols generally have a more streamlined grip designed especially compared to revolvers, which are typically bulkier due to their rotating cylinder. This streamlined design structure makes pistols easier to handle for some shooters, especially people with smaller hands. However, the weight distribution of a revolver can sometimes offer more grip stability for those who prefer it.
- Trigger Pull: Pistols are known for having a lighter trigger pull than revolvers in single-action mode. This makes pistols great for precise shooting. However, double-action revolvers typically require a heavier trigger pull that is usually less ideal for rapid shooting.
- Reloading: The magazines used in pistols offer faster reloading capabilities compared to revolvers, which require the manual insertion of cartridges into the individual chambers. However, revolvers are known to excel in situations where immediate follow-up shots are not essential. Also, in some cases, reloading a revolver can be done more quickly with practice than reloading a magazine.
- Capacity: Pistols generally have a higher magazine capacity than revolvers, allowing for more rounds to be fired before reloading. This is especially advantageous in self-defense scenarios or competitive shooting.
Choosing the Right Handgun for You
The “right” handgun, in the end, is the handgun that suits your individual needs and preferences.
Here are a few factors to consider:
- Intended Use: Choose a handgun that suits your specific need, such as self-defense (pistol), target shooting (could be either), competition shooter (depends on the competition), or concealed carry (pistols).
- Comfort and Grip: You must choose a handgun that feels comfortable to hold in your hand and allows you to have a secure grip. A secure and comfortable grip is essential for accurate shooting.
- Caliber: Make sure you consider the stopping power and recoil of different calibers before settling for a handgun. Smaller calibers may have less recoil, but they also have less stopping power. Larger calibers, on the other hand, may provide more stopping power, but higher recoil tends to accompany that power as well.
- Trigger Pull: You should try to experiment with different handguns with different trigger pulls and find one that feels comfortable and predictable for you to use.
- Magazine Capacity: Try to balance the benefits of higher magazine capacity with the potential for increased bulk and weight.
- Safety Features: Choose a handgun with appropriate safety features, such as manual safety or trigger safety.
- Legal Restrictions: Depending on your location, some handgun types and capacities may be illegal to own due to local regulations.
Beyond the Handgun vs Pistol Debate: Mastering Marksmanship Regardless of Your Choice
Regardless of whether you choose to go with a pistol or another type of handgun, mastering marksmanship requires dedication and practice.
Here are a few key principles to consider when practicing with your handgun:
Safe Gun Handling
Gun safety is a non-negotiable aspect of owning a handgun. You must always prioritize safety by following the four cardinal rules of gun safety:
- Treat every firearm like it’s loaded
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot
- Never point your firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it
Proper Stance and Grip
A stable stance and a secure grip are essential elements of proper recoil control and consistent accuracy.
Sight Alignment and Sight Picture
You must learn how to properly align your front and rear sights on your target to achieve accurate shot placement at all times.
Trigger Control
Learning the art of a smooth and controlled trigger pull is crucial to minimizing trigger pull disturbance on shots. You must avoid jerking the trigger, as this may result in the sights moving off the target during the shot. The goal is to squeeze the trigger smoothly and steadily until the firearm discharges.
Breathing Control
Any professional marksman will tell you how important developing a proper breathing technique is to maintain a steady aim. The goal is to help you focus on exhaling slowly as you pull the trigger.
Follow-Through
Follow-through is the act of maintaining your sight picture and grip for a moment after firing to observe shot placement.
Practice Makes Perfect
The key to elevating your marksmanship to new heights, regardless of the handgun you choose, is regular practice. Find a safe shooting range and practice with proper form and focus. You can also practice effectively at home using dry-fire training systems specifically crafted to provide shooters with realistic firearms training simulations.
Additional Considerations
- Professional Instruction: For most people, there is only so much they can do by practicing alone by themselves. This is why we recommend that you consider taking classes from a qualified firearms instructor to learn proper handling, safety protocols, and advanced marksmanship techniques.
- Dry-Firing: Dry-firing is a great way to practice both basic and advanced firearms handling techniques at home without using live ammunition. Common skills practiced with dry-fire training include the development of muscle memory for trigger control and sight alignment.
- Different Shooting Disciplines: When you are ready to elevate your marksmanship to a whole new level, we recommend exploring various shooting disciplines such as target shooting, competition shooting, or self-defense-oriented courses that can help refine your skills and push you to learn from experienced tutors.
Conclusion
While a subtle difference exists between handguns and pistols, your choice of weapon should ultimately play a supporting role in your marksmanship journey. It should not define it.
The most significant factors critical to helping you become a proficient shooter are proper firearm safety practices, a deep understanding of fundamental shooting techniques, and consistent practice.
Speaking of regular practice, tools like the Strikeman X SIRT Dry-Fire Pistol, Strikeman laser cartridge, and Strikeman Advanced Dry-Fire Laser Training System are great for learning proper firearms handling techniques and performing regular practice without expending live ammunition.
Check out our website to learn more about our dry-fire laser training systems.