ABSTRACT
The types of firearms currently available are summarized below.
These are weapons designed to be held in and fired with one hand (although accurate shooting requires the use of two hands).
Revolvers
The cartridges are held in firing chambers in a rotating cylinder. Single-action revolvers are fired by manually cocking the hammer and then pulling the trigger. Cocking the hammer both rotates the cylinder to place one of the chambers under the hammer and cocks the firing mechanism. Double-action revolvers are fired by a long trigger pull that raises the hammer, indexes a firing chamber under the hammer, and then allows the hammer to drop, firing the cartridge.
