Infantry Weapons

Handgun/pistol

Also known as
  • Handgun
  • Pistol
  • Sidearm
  • Revolver
  • Semi-automatic pistol

Handguns and pistols are compact small arms designed for one-handed or close-range use, including semi-automatic pistols fed from magazines and revolvers fed from rotating cylinders. Conflict sources sometimes identify only model-unspecified pistols or handguns, including FARC dissident seizures in Colombia, gang arsenals in Haiti, and handgun use by warring forces in Sudan.

Handgun/pistol, Handheld small arm / sidearm, Infantry Weapons
Image source: GLOCK 17 Gen 4 Pistol MOD 45160304

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Multiple countries
Type
Handheld small arm / sidearm
Service note
Modern military, police, and non-state use
Designer
Various designers
Designed
Modern handgun designs descend from 19th- and 20th-century revolver and self-loading pistol development
Unit cost
Varies widely by model, market, legality, and conflict trafficking conditions
Produced
19th century-present, depending on model
Number built
Millions across many handgun and pistol models

Specifications

Classification
Compact one-hand firearm class covering pistols and revolvers when model-specific identification is not available
Operation
Semi-automatic pistols commonly use recoil or blowback operation; revolvers use a rotating cylinder
Pistol chamber layout
ATF tracing guidance describes pistols as one-hand firearms with a chamber integral with the barrel
Feed system
Detachable box magazine for most semi-automatic pistols; multi-chamber cylinder for revolvers
Revolver cylinder
ATF tracing guidance describes revolvers as one-hand firearms with a breechloading chambered cylinder
Common calibers
Examples include 9x19 mm, .380 ACP, .45 ACP, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum depending on model
Typical role
Close-range personal weapon, sidearm, policing weapon, or concealable firearm
Crew
One operator
Model Identification Limits

Some conflict sources identify a handgun or pistol without enough detail to assign a specific model such as a Glock, SIG Sauer, M1911, or locally manufactured copy.

Legal and technical boundary

ATF tracing guidance separates pistols and revolvers inside the broader one-hand firearm category, while Britannica describes handguns as firearms intended for one-handed use.

Feed distinction

Typical semiautomatic pistols feed from magazines; revolvers use rotating cylinders. Conflict rows avoid assuming either mechanism unless the cited source is more specific.

Variants

Model-unspecified handgun references are grouped by action and service role rather than by a single manufacturer's model family.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Semi-automatic pistolsSelf-loading handgun family

Britannica distinguishes semiautomatic pistols from revolvers and describes detachable-magazine feeding for typical pistol designs.

Sources: Pistol

RevolversCylinder-fed handgun family

ATF regulatory definitions describe a revolver as a pistol-type projectile weapon with a chambered cylinder that rotates the next cartridge into line with the barrel.

Sources: 27 CFR 478.11 Meaning of Terms

Compact and subcompact pistolsConcealable handgun configurations

The broad handgun category covers compact one-handed firearms; exact dimensions and magazine capacities vary by model.

Sources: Handgun

Service pistolsMilitary or police sidearm configurations

This grouping covers model-unspecified sidearms documented in military, police, or conflict reporting.

Sources: Handgun, Pistol

Compatible Cartridges

Federal lists 380 Auto, 30 Super Carry, 9mm Luger, 38 Special, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, 45 Auto, and 44 Remington Magnum among its popular handgun calibers.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
380 Auto, Rimless centerfire pistol cartridge, Munitions380 AutoSemi-automatic pistol cartridge

Federal lists 380 Auto among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

9 mm Luger cartridge, 9x19 mm handgun cartridge, Munitions9 mm Luger cartridgeSemi-automatic pistol cartridge

Federal lists 9mm Luger among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

10mm Auto, Semi-automatic pistol cartridge, Munitions10mm AutoSemi-automatic pistol cartridge

Federal lists 10mm Auto among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

.40 S&W cartridge, Semi-automatic pistol cartridge, Munitions.40 S&W cartridgeSemi-automatic pistol cartridge

Federal lists .40 S&W among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

.30 Super Carry cartridge, Semi-automatic pistol cartridge, Munitions.30 Super Carry cartridgeSemi-automatic pistol cartridge

Federal lists 30 Super Carry among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

38 Special, Rimmed centerfire revolver cartridge, Munitions38 SpecialRevolver cartridge

Federal lists 38 Special among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

45 Automatic (45 Auto), Rimless centerfire pistol cartridge, Munitions45 Automatic (45 Auto)Semi-automatic pistol cartridge

Federal lists 45 Auto among its popular handgun calibers.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

.357 Magnum cartridge, Revolver cartridge, Munitions.357 Magnum cartridgeRevolver cartridge

Winchester lists .357 Magnum among its handgun ammunition calibers, so the general handgun and pistol page also links to that cartridge family.

Sources: Handgun Ammo - Winchester Ammunition

.44 Remington Magnum cartridge, Revolver cartridge, Munitions.44 Remington Magnum cartridgeRevolver cartridge

Federal lists 44 Remington Magnum among its popular handgun calibers, so the general handgun and pistol page also links to that cartridge family.

Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal

Media

Handgun/pistol Videos

Handgun/pistol Images

Handgun/pistol, Handheld small arm / sidearm, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: SIGSauerP226TacOps.JPG
Handgun/pistol, Handheld small arm / sidearm, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: Colt M1911 Pistol from 1912 Army manual
Related Weapon Systems
AK-47/AKM rifle family, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-47/AKM rifle familySelective-fire assault rifle familyAK-47/AKM-family rifles are Kalashnikov-pattern small arms derived from the Soviet AK-47 and 1959 AKM modernization, usually chambered in 7.62 x 39 mm. In the post-2015 catalog they appear with FARC dissidents in Colombia, gangs in Haiti, PKK fighters, GNA scouts in Libya, insurgents in Mali, Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, militants in Sinai, RSF units in Sudan, Hamas fighters in Gaza, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, Boko Haram-linked militants in the Lake Chad basin, and Houthi-linked supply chains in Yemen.
Galil assault rifle, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsGalil assault rifleSelective-fire assault rifle familyThe Galil is an Israeli Kalashnikov-derived assault rifle family originally produced by Israel Military Industries and later modernized by Israel Weapon Industries as the Galil ACE line. Recent conflict reporting places Galil or Galil ACE rifles in irregular small-arms stocks from the Lake Chad Basin to FARC dissident operations in Colombia and trafficked gang arsenals in Haiti, where they appear as portable infantry weapons rather than heavy support systems.
Craft-produced firearm, Locally fabricated small arm, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsCraft-produced firearmLocally fabricated small armCraft-produced firearms in Nigeria are locally fabricated small arms made outside formal industrial production, ranging from muzzle-loading Dane guns and break-action shotguns to self-loading pistols, sub-machine guns, and AK- or G3-style rifle copies. Small Arms Survey documented craft-produced weapons in a Boko Haram cache captured in 2018, and UNIDIR reports their wider use by community-security actors in northeast Nigeria during the 2009 Boko Haram Insurgency.
.308-caliber precision rifle, Bolt-action or semi-automatic precision rifle class, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons.308-caliber precision rifleBolt-action or semi-automatic precision rifle class.308-caliber precision rifles are scoped small arms chambered in .308 Winchester, 7.62x51mm NATO, or closely related .30-caliber service cartridges, depending on the model and markings. The class spans law-enforcement, military, sporting, and long-range precision roles. In the 2022 Haitian Gang Conflict entry, the sourcing supports illicit trafficking of .308 rifles into Haiti and gang-linked demand for higher-powered rifles, but it does not identify a specific model or prove a documented firing incident.

Sources

HandgunPublisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica | Note: Supports general handgun background, including one-handed use and magazine or revolving ammunition mechanisms. | Accessed: 2026-07-04PistolPublisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica | Note: Supports background and specifications for semi-automatic pistols and revolvers as handgun types. | Accessed: 2026-07-0427 CFR 478.11 Meaning of TermsPublisher: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives | Note: Supports technical definition context for pistols and revolvers as handgun-type projectile weapons. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Properly Identify a Firearm for the Purpose of TracingPublisher: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives | Note: Supports ATF tracing distinctions between pistols and revolvers, including one-hand design, pistol chamber layout, and revolver cylinder features. | Accessed: 2026-07-04En combates: Fuerzas Militares neutralizan a nueve integrantes de las disidenciasPublisher: Comando General de las Fuerzas Militares de Colombia | Note: Supports 2016 Colombian FARC Dissident Conflict direct use: a pistol was fielded by FARC dissident groups and seized by Colombian forces after combat in Narino. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Fuerzas Militares dieron de baja a nueve miembros de las disidencias de las Farc en NarinoPublisher: Noticias RCN | Note: Supports 2016 Colombian FARC Dissident Conflict direct use: reporting on combat with FARC dissidents in Narino says the Army seized nine rifles, one pistol, communications equipment, a boat, and ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Haiti is under a UN arms embargo. So why are 500,000 illegal weapons in gangs' hands?Publisher: United Nations Geneva | Note: Supports 2022 Haitian Gang Conflict direct use: handguns were used by armed gangs as part of illegal weapons believed to be in gang hands during the conflict. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Sudan: Constant flow of arms fuelling relentless civilian suffering in conflictPublisher: Amnesty International | Note: Supports 2023 Sudan War direct use: handguns were used by warring forces in Sudan after the SAF-RSF conflict escalation. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Shop By Caliber | Handgun | FederalPublisher: Federal Premium | Note: Supports background context that Federal lists 380 Auto, 30 Super Carry, 9mm Luger, 38 Special, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, 45 Auto, and 44 Remington Magnum among its popular handgun calibers. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Handgun Ammo - Winchester AmmunitionPublisher: Winchester Ammunition | Note: Supports Winchester's handgun ammunition lineup and the explicit inclusion of .357 Magnum among its popular handgun calibers. | Accessed: 2026-07-04GLOCK 17 Gen 4 Pistol MOD 45160304Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a Crown copyright / Open Government Licence image of a Glock 17 Gen 4 service pistol. | Accessed: 2026-07-04SIGSauerP226TacOps.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a Creative Commons image of a SIG Sauer P226 TacOps 9x19 mm pistol. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Colt M1911 Pistol from 1912 Army manualPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army manual illustration of the Colt M1911 pistol. | Accessed: 2026-07-04