Genitron.com?

[Legman688]

So I recently discovered this website:

http://www.genitron.com/Default.html

which offers detailed measurements, capacities, weights, etc. of... um, pretty much every handgun ever made. Did everyone else already know about this and I was just totally out of the loop, or have I discovered something new? It's been incredibly useful to me so far.

[Rumpshot]

Sorry it leaves out my carry piece. I have an "antique" S&W model 39-2. Not listed.

It is a classic pistol. Was used by many PD's for a long time.

[308Mike]

They don't list my S&W 586 either.

Also, they're using the term 'pistol' to refer to semi-autos. Their handgun database search drop-down has 'revolver' or 'pistol'. Pistol = handgun, a revolver is a type of pistol, just like a semi-auto is a type of pistol, so is a single-shot.

[Darrell]

They don't list my S&W 586 either.

Also, they're using the term 'pistol' to refer to semi-autos. Their handgun database search drop-down has 'revolver' or 'pistol'. Pistol = handgun, a revolver is a type of pistol, just like a semi-auto is a type of pistol, so is a single-shot.

Now you've gone and done it, Mike... I posed the question "are revolvers pistols?" at one of the iterations of this forum in the past. John Wayne called his revolver a pistol, and on more than one occasion! I seem to remember hearing that Smith & Wesson did something or other in their advertising back in the '70s or '80s to help drive the change in nomenclature. I think someone said semi autos and single shots are considered pistols because the chamber is part of the barrel. Enlightenment, anybody?

[308Mike]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pistol

pistol
- 5 dictionary results
pis·tol
   /ˈpɪstl/ Show Spelled [pis-tl] Show IPA noun, verb,-toled, -tol·ing or (especially British) -tolled, -tol·ling.
–noun
1.
a short firearm intended to be held and fired with one hand.
–verb (used with object)
2.
to shoot with a pistol.
Use pistol in a Sentence
See images of pistol
Search pistol on the Web
Origin:
1560–70; < MF pistole < G, earlier pitschal, pitschole, petsole < Czech píšt’ala lit., pipe, fife, whistle (presumably a slang term for a type of light harquebus employed during the Hussite wars), akin to pištět to squeak, peep

—Related forms
pis·tol·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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Link To pistol
pis·tol (pĭs'təl)
n. A firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand.
tr.v. pis·toled, pis·tol·ing, pis·tols
To shoot with such a handgun.

[French pistole, from German, from Middle High German pischulle, from Czech píšt'ala, pipe, whistle, firearm, from pištěti, to whistle, of imitative origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

pistol
"small hand-held firearm," c.1570, from M.Fr. pistole "short firearm" (1566), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be from Ger. Pistole, from Czech pis'tala "firearm," lit. "tube, pipe," from pisteti "to whistle," of imitative origin, related to Rus. pischal "shepherd's pipe." But earlier form pistolet (1550) is from M.Fr. pistolet "a small firearm," also "a small dagger," which may be the literal sense; though some connect this word with It. pistolese, in reference to Pistoia, town in Tuscany noted for gunsmithing. Pistol-whip is first recorded 1942.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

pistol definition

1. n.
a person who is bright, quick, or energetic. (Implying hot as a pistol or quick as a pistol.) : Ask that pistol to step over here for a minute, would you?

[Darrell]

Oh, I agree with you. Many people won't call a revolver a pistol, though.

[Lokidude]

They don't have my carry gun, either. S&W 4043. And none of the 40 series in non-TSW format. I think it may be current production guns only.

[Legman688]

Wow. You know, I posted this in the hope that I had stumbled upon something that would be a useful resource for new shooters, or even experienced shooters, looking for information to make an informed decision about purchasing a new handgun/carry gun. But by all means, fight about semantics instead.

They don't have my carry gun, either. S&W 4043. And none of the 40 series in non-TSW format. I think it may be current production guns only.

I think actually it is guns that were in production or have gone into production since the website started. My bad. They do have some Tauri that are no longer in production but were a few years ago, for example. Historical pieces do seem to be left out, although there is a page for unusual guns like the Beretta 93 and the Gyrojet (they even have a page for the Frommer Stop!)

[308Mike]

But by all means, fight about semantics instead.

We're not fighting about semantics, just pointing out that many new databases and/or sites on the Internets need to grow and add to their data collection efforts to make them REALLY useful. As I'm sure you're aware, MANY of us shoot older firearms, some of which are older than the shooters are, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be included in a comprehensive database of this type (for handguns).

I applaud the site for even making an attempt to do so. That's a SERIOUS undertaking and will be CONSTANTLY growing and ALWAYS a work in progress. THAT'S a given.

And I (for one) appreciate you pointing this site out to us, 'cause I (for one) made it one of my bookmarks for information based upon YOUR pointing it out to us. Otherwise, I would have never known about the site.

For that, *I* thank you!

Sometimes, the problem with new websites is they go online stating they have COMPREHENSIVE information before they are ready and without any kind of disclaimer regarding the nature of growing such an enormous database, one that's ALWAYS in the works. Frequently, such issues can be taken care of by simple disclaimers or notices (PLEASE, NO POP-UPS). New web designers frequently run into these problems as they do with scripts and the various browsers (PLEASE no IE-specific websites!!), since it only shows laziness on the part of the web developer (or the release of an immature website to let the public debug it and submit error reports and/or using the site's error logs to troubleshoot).

I sincerely hope they are able to fill their database because I can CERTAINLY foresee MANY people and even government agencies taking advantage of such a site.

Once again, thanks for the site link!!

[Lokidude]

I've always just used World Guns, personally. However, I'm not opposed to more resources, and hopefully as they go, they'll expand Genitron and keep improving it.