What’s the Difference Between a Pistol and a Revolver?

/ Ben
pistols and revolvers

Don’t use “pistol” and “revolver” interchangeably when writing fiction. Pick one and stick to it. (Photo via Gun Digest)

TLDR: Pistols are handguns with one or more stationary chambers. Revolvers are handguns that use multiple rotating chambers. Don’t use them interchangeably.

Aaaaaand I can already hear my inbox filling up after posting the TLDR up top. But before you fire off a sternly worded letter through the contact form, give me a chance to explain.

Revolvers Are Not Pistols, Pistols Are Not Revolvers

A pile of novels I’ve read described the same handgun as a “pistol” in one sentence and a “revolver” in the next. I’d say this is one of the most common mistakes in written fiction, but I’d only be half right (or half wrong, if you’re already sending the hate mail).

That’s because there’s an historic usage that dictates a “pistol” is any firearm designed to be held in the hand and fired (as opposed to being shouldered, like a rifle or shotgun), and that “revolvers” are a type of pistol. Likewise, Thesaurus.com lists “revolver” and “pistol” as synonyms.

That’s not the way I see it. Writing those two terms as synonyms in a story won’t do you any favors, and might even confuse readers. Revolvers and pistols are both handguns, but they belong in different categories.

I think of these things in visual terms, so here’s what I mean.

How Some People See It (Boo)

Revolvers are Not Pistols

(Image by Benjamin Sobieck)

How I See It (Thumbs Up)

Note that this isn’t an exhaustive list of pistol and revolver types. It’s just an example.

Differences Between Revolvers and Pistols

(Image by Benjamin Sobieck)

Why the Confusion? Historic vs. Common Usage

Dictionaries, thesauri and encyclopedias are correct that revolvers are a subset of pistols – if this was hundreds of years ago. In the same way that certain English words and usages are considered archaic, so too went that firearm definition over time. First came pistols, which were handguns. Then came revolvers, a type of pistol.

Colt-Single-Action-Army

The Colt Single Action Army debuted in 1873 and never went out of production. This iconic Old West gun, available most notoriously as a .45 caliber, is still a great pick for characters in fiction. (Shutterstock photo)

It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that revolvers decreased in price and increased in popularity to the point where they started to shape their own category. If there was any doubt, the Colt Single-Action Army, aka the “Colt 45” or “Peacemaker,” which debuted in 1873, cemented revolvers as more than just a type of pistol. It was, for better or worse, the “Gun that Won the West.”

The Real Difference Between Pistols and Revolvers

The big difference between pistols and revolvers can be found in their respective chambers (the spot near the base of the barrel where ammunition is seated to be fired).

  • Pistols use one or more stationary chambers.
  • Revolvers use several chambers inside a cylinder that rotates.
1911 pistol chamber

The chamber on this .45 caliber Colt Model 1911 is circled. The chamber is actually located inside the firearm, so it’s not visible here. That chamber doesn’t move as the firearm is operated. Therefore, this handgun is a pistol. By the way, the Model 1911 is an excellent choice for characters in settings from 1911 through today. (Gun Digest photo)

Semi-auto pistol chamber

The stationary chamber is exposed on this semi-automatic pistol. (Shutterstock photo)

Revolver Cylinder Chambers

The five chambers in this handgun are loaded with ammunition. Those chambers sit in a cylinder, highlighted by the arrow, that rotates. This handgun is a revolver, not a pistol. (Shutterstock photo)

That difference means if you walk into a gun shop and ask to see a pistol, you probably won’t be directed to the revolvers, despite what the dictionary says. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (aka BATFE or ATF) would agree. Here’s how the ATF defines pistols:

The term “Pistol” means a weapon originally designed, made, and intended to fire 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).

And here’s how it defines a revolver:

The term “Revolver” means a projectile weapon of the pistol type, having a breechloading chambered cylinder so arranged that the cocking of the hammer or movement of the trigger rotates it and brings the next cartridge in line with the barrel for firing.

Takeaway: Don’t Use “Pistol” and “Revolver” Interchangeably in Fiction

Because the way laws are executed depends on these definitions, the ATF wouldn’t use “pistol” and “revolver” interchangeably. I’d argue the same should go for writing fiction. To me, it’s like using “car” and “truck” as synonyms. They’re not the same thing, even though there are similarities.

Decide what kind of handgun a character is using and stick to it. If you’re not sure, just write “handgun” and move on with your life.

“Revolver Pistol?”

I watched a TV crime documentary not long ago where an expert referred to a handgun as a “revolver pistol.” Not sure where that came from. It’s like saying “ass butt.” I wouldn’t recommend this term for writing fiction, although how you describe your character’s hindquarters is up to you.

Pop Quiz: Is This a Pistol or a Revolver?

This style of handgun is called a “pepperbox.” It uses four stationary barrels. This is a side view, so you’re only able to see two barrels stacked on top of each other. It’s the same on the other side. Is it a pistol or a revolver?

Pepperbox pistol

(Gun Digest photo)

It’s actually a pistol. Pistols can have multiple barrels so long as the chambers at the base of them don’t move.

The Bottom Line

Even if you disagree with me, and I’m sure there are people who do, it makes sense from a practical perspective to keep pistols and revolvers separate in fiction. If a character is using a “pistol” one minute and a “revolver” the next, then fires 15 shots, there’s going to be some confusion. Firearm history is full of exceptions, but I’d be surprised if a revolver ever held 15 rounds. A semi-automatic pistol, on the other hand, is well within reach of 15 shots.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Get the Book

The Writers Guide to WeaponsThe Writer’s Guide to Weapons: A Practical Reference for Using Firearms and Knives in Fiction (Writer’s Digest Books) comes with everything but the ammo. Pick up a print or digital copy from these fine retailers:

54 thoughts on “What’s the Difference Between a Pistol and a Revolver?”

  1. I fully agree, especially on distinguishing the pistol from the revolver, even while both are handguns! The quiz shows a revolver, much like the famous Derringer it is one without the drum or cylindrical chambers, as it seems to have only one-shot (or two, if both barrels fire one bullet).

    😉 It is a nice article, which makes it easy for newbies. Bye!

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  2. The Pepperbox is a cool-looking pistol, Ben. I look forward to your posts–excellent information with a dash of humor. In fiction I’ve also used “firearm” rather than “gun,” but never “revolver” interchanged with “pistol.” Because I know you and my cop buddies would kill me. 😉

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  3. Good post. I knew there was a common usage difference, but had been unaware of the historical change, or how that change has been made “official.” This is good for me to know on multiple levels, as I’m considering writing a Western and now know I can use pistol and revolved interchageably there, so long as it’s not confusing.

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        • I’d draw the line at 1873 as when revolvers became their own category of handguns. But you’re close enough that people probably called them pistols still. Just don’t call them pomegranate toupees, it’ll be fine.

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          • I’m thinking I may split the difference. Older guys–and I plan to have a few–may call them pistols, since that’s the term they learned as young men. Younger guys won’t. That can also be a nice way to help keep the characters separate in the readers’ minds.

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          • Bill J.
            May I ask why you say 1873? There were percussion revolvers around since the 1840 ie, Colt Patterson and later the 1851, 1860, 1861 and 1862 Colt models. The percussion revolvers were made by Colt, Remington, Savage, Starr, etc. Many carried the percussion revolver even after the self contained cartridge was patented and made…

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          • also known as a Gat, a Rod, a Heater, a Piece, and my favourite, a Roscoe..as in you could see from the light behind him as he stood in the doorway, Wilmer was toting a Roscoe! But not just 1, he had 2 .45s tucked poorly under arms, as Sam watched him quietly from his bar stool, while he waited for the Fat Man to show up.

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    • Magazine – Yes….
      & CLIP – – – YES !

      Beauty of A Pistol, from The Digest, Ben !!

      Great, Danaking – I’ll B in Line, at Your ‘Book Signing’! 😉

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  5. Wonderful article, Ben. I was a combat Marine during the Vietnam War. Our squad leaders, corpsmen, and most officers carried the M1911 semi-auto. There were a few jamming issues, but not nearly as many as our early issue M16s. We had the old ones with the open flash suppressor (three-pronged). They would snag in brush, but the worst part was jamming. Often it was like having a single shot weapon. Those things caused a lot of hurt among the grunt units. We got blamed for not keeping them cleaned, but that wasn’t the real problem. We were ALWAYS cleaning the damn things. I hear now they are reliable, but I wish I would’ve had the old reliable M14.
    Thanks again for an informative post, and I agree, Sue Coletta has a great site!
    –Michael

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  6. It seems that I am a little late to the party, but I see that one or two are still lingering, so I’ll add my two cents.

    I have to respectfully disagree with the author. I submit that it is entirely appropriate to use “Pistol” and “Revolver ” interchangeably. Although, I will agree that writing a character who fires 15 shots from a revolver, without reloading, is a bad idea.

    Sam Colt originally marketed his revolver as a type of pistol, Webster’s 1913 dictionary references a revolver in its definition of pistol, and references a pistol when defining the revolver. As noted, more modern reference books do the same, or similar.

    As one who appreciates firearms in general, I can tell you that many shooting enthusiasts still regard the revolver as a type of pistol. (Although, there are those that don’t, as well)

    More important, in my opinion, would be to give your character a specific weapon. For example, a Ruger Security Six, with a 4″ inch barrel, and a blued finish. And research the thing, before you write about it! If I were to have my character “rack the slide” on that Security Six, I’d come off as a dunce, as the Security Six, being a revolver, has no slide.

    Actually, depending on the length of the scene being written, and how big a presence the weapon may have within it, using the two words, Pistol and Revolver, interchangeably may add a bit of color, or texture, to the scene.

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  7. Good info – writers take note if you want to be taken seriously. A very senior UK Police Officer recently described in a TV statement that a victim had been shot and killed with a semi-automatic revolver. Terrible…..likened to describing a getaway car as being a four wheel drive 3 wheeler!

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  8. Thanks for going over the differences between a revolver and a pistol. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that the chamber is where the biggest difference is, and that pistols usually have one stationary chambers while revolvers use several. Honestly, it would be interesting to learn more about the development of these guns, especially over the years. I think it would be cool to see them being made, and all the different parts that are inside of them, besides the ones we generally see.

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  9. The distinction you make between
    pistols and revolvers is very clear
    and makes complete sense. If the chamber in a handgun ‘revolves’, it’s a revolver, if it doesn’t, it’s a pistol.

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  11. A senior police officer was a guest speaker on a famous UK crime programme. He described a gun murderer as being armed with a semi-auto revolver. The UK has little gun savvy, even the police…….Apparently this gunman got away in a four wheel drive three wheeler!

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  12. An editorial suggestion: The picture of the Colt 1911 in battery would be better if it were of the right-hand side. Then you could point to the [outside of] the actual chamber. Related: The next picture, of the pistol “in recoil”, shows the cavity behind the chamber and above the magazine, not the chamber.

    There is such a thing as a semiautomatic revolver. Many experiments have been tried. (I seem to recall one that was even select-fire, but I can’t find evidence.) The Webley-Fosbery was a “personal choice” sidearm for British officers in the early 20th Century. In modern times, Mateba has made them in several calibers, but those are extremely expensive “prestige” weapons. That said, such are not at all likely to be found in the hands of a random common criminal.

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  13. I went to Google to find out the difference between a handgun and pistol and your article nailed it precisely! Better than the top search result.

    I now can say I have 2 pistols, a revolver along with 2 rifles !!!

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  14. “I watched a TV crime documentary not long ago where an expert referred to a handgun as a “revolver pistol.” Not sure where that came from. ”
    Probably from Samuel Colt, who introduced his early models as “revolving pistols.”

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    • Revolvers and semi-auto hand guns can both be referred to as pistols. The revolver employs a cylinder that revolves on a cam. They normally have 6 chambers; thus the western term, “six shooters”. They can be single or double action. Single action requires the hammer to be cocked for each shot. Revolvers don’t eject the spent cartridges. Semi-auto’s holds a magazine in the pistol hand grip. Variety of capacities 6-17. Each round fired recycles the mechanism using inertia or gas to eject spent round, re-cock and feed a new round in the chamber. Faster. Revolver has become an incorrect generic term. Analogy- skis and snowboards. There are single shot pistols!

      On Mon, 8 Apr 2019, 20:05 The Writer’s Guide to Weapons, wrote:

      > R_r commented: “”I watched a TV crime documentary not long ago where an > expert referred to a handgun as a “revolver pistol.” Not sure where that > came from. ” Probably from Samuel Colt, who introduced his early models as > “revolving pistols.”” >

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  15. I just wanted to thank you for going over some considerations to keep in mind when buying a revolver or pistol. It’s good to know that you should try to get a brand new gun because you don’t have a lot of experience with them. I wonder if there could be some firearms that would be ideal to get for someone who is new to guns to help them get familiar with them.

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    • Zayn Karim –
      I would def. Get enrolled in Some Classes !
      Good Instructors, can introduce you to A Variety, of Firearms – and most importantly, be involved with Your Training, to Use Them….
      ….I am Confident You Will find what Works the Best for You – SO Important. !

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  16. Part of my life is being an owner and collector of guns. Another part of my life is being a student of language, particularly the history of the English language. So, while I appreciate the desire of people writing technically about firearms to corral words and make them stay in their place, and while I taught composition students they had a duty not to confuse their audiences, still nobody owns the English language. I have been noticing that in early writing, people used “revolver” in referring to semi-automatics. I wish they hadn’t done so, but it is a fact of language. P. G. Wodehouse in writing a novel involving New York gangs used revolver and automatic synonymously. Judge Thayer presiding over the Sacco-Vanzetti trial referred to the defendants’ 1905 Browning and 1907 Savage as “revolvers.” In answer to charges that Judge Thayer was disqualifyingly ignorant, others have said it was common usage. Similarly, one of the defendants referred to the 38 H&R in his possession as a “six shooter,” although it only held five rounds. He was using a general term. I have read that during this period Europeans referred to all semi-autos as “Browning’s” regardless of their manufacturer. I don’t want to go down the road of the character in Alice in Wonderland who said, “A word means what I say it means. What matters is who is in charge.”

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    • Language can indeed piggyback the error. Throughout the trial of Bosnian, Gavrilo Princip who assassinated the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914 the transcript referred to the FN semi-auto murder weapon as a revolver.

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      • Thanks for the reference to the weapon carried byPrinceps, and the identical ones carried by his fellow conspirators. It is common to hear it referred to as 32 ACP though it was the 380 model. I asked the do ent in the museum on the corner which of the two FN Brownings displayed was the actual weapon. He said they were merely representative examples and the actual firearm was in the Austrian Military Museum in Vienna. I had been in Vienna only weeks before and was not going back.

        Sent from my iPhone

        >

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    • Yep a pistol can describe any handgun but a revolver is a mechanism and very specific. The term revolver is sometimes wrongly used to describe any handgun. That’s as daft as referring to all small aircraft as helicopters.

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  18. “Pistol” historically has included revolver. Interesting that the Gun Control Act on one hand defines a pistol as having either an integral chamber to the barrel or one permanently aligned with the barrel, yet it goes on to define “revolver” as being “of the pistol type.”

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  19. Pistol certainly included revolvers in the 19th century. While today we distinguish the two, contemporary advertisement, billboards and signs, show that the term ‘pistol’ was used to describe any handgun, but in the old west, primarily revolvers.

    When writing historical fiction it’s important to keep in mind the argot of the time.

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  20. Isn’t there something more sensible to argue about or agree on than whether you call a pistol only an automatic or a single shot and not a revolver !
    ps when a man pulled pistol on me i didn’t ask him is that an automatic a Derringer or a revolver 🙄 When he was trying to rob the two if us he got a little careless and i grabbed the pistol (could have been a revolver), and it went off we both fell down I lost the grip on the gun I got up and ran one direction and he got up and ran another direction. That was 1970. I am not writing a book, but it sounds like I’m reading a bunch nonsense posts from liberal dummy Democrat’s.
    ps if fits in your hand just call it a pisto as compared to a rifle. Good grief Charlie Brown 🙄

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  22. Hey Jack ass, they ARE synonyms. If you read a story which refers to a hand held firearm as a pistol for half the GD book, then it later refers to it as a revolver it’s because their just giving a better description of the type of pistol it is. Guess what, 6 chapters back when they were writing the word as pistol, it was a revolver then aswell, you just did not realize it. Maybe the narrator is not gun savy maybe you missed hints that it was a revolver.
    Unless there loading magazines in the handle one minute and flipping out the cylinder to load up 6 shots the next,
    Try reading some non fiction, it will help you think a little deeper, even in the shallow ass pool your in.

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  23. As far as I am concerned, ‘pistol’ purely means ‘hand held’, as it originally meant. The old ‘Pistoleros’ were not carrying glocks. Old Dueling pistols ranged from flintlocks to revolvers. No auto loading pistols invented yet. But I get the common usage thing. Like ’45 long colt’ instead of just ’45 colt’ cartridges. I don’t lose sleep over those modern usages, but I like to know the origins of things.

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  24. Pingback: Pistols vs Revolvers: What Are the Differences? - Times Of Paper

  25. Of course, the .45 calibre Colt 1911 and similar firearms uses a locked breech system in which the recoil force sends the slide back when cocked manually or fired. This action causes the rear of the barrel to hinge down using a short link which rotates to unlock the breech. Several locking grooves near the chamber end of the barrel engage with corresponding grooves in the slide. The statement that the barrel does not move is incorrect.

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  26. Pingback: What Is The Difference Between a Pistol and a Revolver?पिस्तौल और रिवॉल्वर में क्या अंतर होता है? - crazyinfo360.com

  27. It really helped when you said that the respective chambers a pistol and revolver have would be the biggest difference they got. I really need to know about these things if I plan on buying handguns this year. It is the gift that I plan to get for my husband, because he wants one for self-defense and another one for recreational purposes to practice the skill.

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  28. Well this is the second blog post of yours that I’ve read today. After the first post I just had to check if my suspicions were correct, and sadly they seem to be so.

    You did at least couch this post as being your opinion, and of course you are welcome to your opinion as is anyone of their own.

    Unfortunately your opinion is incorrect on the very face of it.

    The emergence of the semi-automatic pistol did not in some fashion render the revolver as not a pistol, any more than it did so to the flintlock pistol, the pepperpot, or the derringer.

    They are all designed for, and intended for one-handed function. Thus they are pistols, whether you want them to be or not.
    Your erroneous classification only serves to extend ignorance when it comes to firearms.

    It would be more helpful for aspiring writers were you to explain the differences between a revolver and a semi-automatic, and then advise them that if they choose a specific type (such as a revolver), to then be consistent in their reference to the type of firearm chosen.

    That you would not consider a revolver a pistol because it has revolving chambers rather than a receiver (not a fixed chamber) doesn’t make your opinion on the matter correct.

    You see, there are different terms for firearms due to differences in function…

    The preloaded chambers of a revolver are either rotated by the cocking of the hammer, as in a single-action pistol, or can be rotated by either the cocking of the hammer or squeeze of the trigger as seen in double-action pistols.

    Without the hammer being cocked back on a single-action pistol like an 1851 Colt Navy, or an 1860 Colt Army you can squeeze the trigger all day long, and the gun will not fire. This is because on a single-action pistol, the only thing the trigger does is release the hammer to hit the chambered round.

    On the double-action pistol like a Colt Python, Smith & Wesson Model 10, etc. When you squeeze the trigger it performs the, wait for it, double-action of rotating the cylinder and cocking the hammer back/releasing it to fire the round presented in the chamber.

    Funny thing about the action type? those pesky semi-automatic handguns have them too. I kid you not, you can actually purchase single-action versions of magazine-fed handguns, just the same as you can double action versions.

    It’s not just me that is in disagreement with you about this subject Ben, but the entire firearms world; from the gun makers to the gun sellers, to the gun owners. Yet I get the strong impression that you fact-checked this with no one.

    The BATF has many definitions that they have come up with themselves, much in the way you have, but that doesn’t make them correct either. After all they consider rubber washers parts for a suppressor rather than parts for plumbing.

    And were I to go into a gun shop and ask to see the pistols they are going to take me to where the pistols are, and then ask wether I am interested in a revolver or semi-automatic.

    Having gone through this post of yours I am dismayed that you felt qualified to write a book about firearms when you are apparently so uneducated about them. I wish I could have come across your site back in 2015 so I could have assisted you.

    I hope you have improved your knowledge on the subject since.

    Cheers

    Shawn

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