Knowra Handgun Handgun A firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand. Handguns include pistols, which use a chambered barrel and often a magazine, and revolvers, which use a rotating cylinder.
Semi-automatic pistol : A pistol that uses energy from firing to cycle its action and load the next cartridge from a magazine. Its self-loading action distinguishes it from revolvers and manually operated pistols.
Cartridge (firearms) : A unit of ammunition containing a case, primer, propellant, and projectile, usually assembled as one package. Most modern handguns fire cartridges containing all components needed for one shot.
Concealed carry : The practice of carrying a firearm in public so it is not openly visible. Handguns are commonly chosen for concealed carry because of their compact form.
Rifle : A shoulder-fired firearm with a rifled barrel, generally designed to be aimed with both hands. Its stock and longer barrel distinguish it from a one-handed firearm.
Revolver : A handgun with a rotating cylinder that holds cartridges or, in some designs, separate powder and projectiles. Its cylinder presents successive chambers to the barrel without a detachable magazine.
Barrel (firearms) : A tube through which a firearm's projectile travels after firing. A handgun's barrel guides the projectile and can impart spin through rifling.
Police firearm : A firearm issued to or carried by law-enforcement personnel in the course of their duties. Handguns are widely used as officers' personal sidearms.
Shotgun : A shoulder-fired firearm typically designed to fire shotshells through a smoothbore or rifled barrel. Its usual shoulder-fired format contrasts with the handgun's compact, one-handed design.
Single-action firearm : A firearm whose trigger performs one main operation, typically releasing a hammer already cocked by another action. Trigger and hammer arrangements shape how some handguns are operated.
Firearm action : The mechanism that loads, fires, and removes ammunition in a firearm. The action distinguishes major handgun operating systems.
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