Handguns

Handguns are firearms designed to be held and fired with one or both hands without the support of a shoulder stock, encompassing the broad categories of pistols and revolvers in an enormous range of sizes, calibers, actions, and intended applications. As the most widely owned category of firearm in the United States and among the most significant in military, law enforcement, and civilian markets globally, handguns represent the most commercially active and product-diverse segment of the firearms industry.

The handgun category is fundamentally divided into revolvers, which use a rotating cylinder to present successive cartridges to a single fixed barrel, and pistols, which feed from a detachable magazine and use a reciprocating slide or other action to chamber successive rounds. Within the pistol subcategory, the dominant modern configuration is the striker-fired polymer-framed semi-automatic, as exemplified by the Glock, Smith & Wesson M&P, and SIG Sauer P320, though traditional double-action/single-action designs, single-action designs such as the 1911, and various specialty configurations remain popular across different market segments.

Handguns serve an extraordinarily diverse range of purposes. For law enforcement and military personnel, the handgun functions as a secondary weapon, a sidearm carried as backup to a primary long gun and available when circumstances make a rifle or shotgun impractical. For civilians, handguns are the most common choice for home defense and concealed carry, where their compact size makes them manageable to carry while their stopping power provides meaningful defensive capability. Competitive shooters use handguns across dozens of organized disciplines, from precision bullseye shooting to dynamic action sports. Collectors pursue handguns for their historical significance, mechanical interest, and aesthetic appeal across virtually every period of firearms history.

The handgun market spans the full price spectrum, from budget-oriented defensive pistols to exotic custom builds costing tens of thousands of dollars, ensuring that handguns remain accessible and relevant to virtually every type of shooter.