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- small arm
- semiautomatic pistol
- pistol
- revolver
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Semiautomatic handgun
Smith & Wesson semiautomatic handgun.
handgun
weapon
handgun, any firearm small enough to be held in one hand when fired. It usually fires a single projectile or bullet, and additional ammunition may be available in a revolving mechanism or magazine. Handguns may be used for target shooting, hunting small game, or personal self-defense.
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Automatic handguns are illegal in many countries, and private ownership of any handgun is restricted in most of the world.
See also automatic pistol; pistol; revolver.
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
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