Pistols
The smallest of personal firearms, the pistol was one of the most prolific production weapons of World War II. Apart from a small selection of specialist, so-called spy weapons, with peculiar loading and firing methods, the majority of pistols fall into two categories: revolvers and automatics.
Revolvers carry their ammunition in a central drum magazine, which revolves to align fresh rounds with the action and barrel each time the weapon is fired. Automatic pistols carry their ammunition in a strip magazine, which is usually held within the handle of the weapon. Where the traditional revolver proved reliable and rugged, the automatic held the advantage of holding more ammunition and the ability to reload while a round was still in the chamber.
