What makes an airgun a pistol or a rifle? Done to death I know but a poll would be interesting

[nikvanorton]

I know this topic has been hammered on the forum, but since the definition is somewhat ambiguous, I'd be interested to see numbers as to where most people stand. The options below cover the three most popular schools of thought, you can vote for more than one if you think it's applicable. There's also an option for individual theories as well.

 

[Cozzamec]

I originally voted "If you shoot it from your shoulder it's a rifle, if you shoot it in your hand it's a pistol"

But thinking about it, I've recently acquired an original shoulder stock for my Hw45 and wouldn't class that as a rifle.

I'll get some supplies in and wait for the ensuing Friday night bun fight and people boring us to death by copying and pasting endless home office shite etc....

 

[binxkeys]

Ah yes! Been off the forum for a few years and only back in the last week. Good to see that man has made no progress whatsoever

 

[mac74]

A rifle cannot be made into a pistol unless its under 6ft lbs, and if you make a pistol into a rifle, the 6ft lbs still applies.

 

[Fatbob 59]

This subject always leads to a bun fight so I'll pass

 

[Ian Cartmell]

If it's got a cock it's a male.
If it ain't it's a female.

 

[Sak]

Psitol ??
Someone else would have spotted it.

 

[Bren]

This

If it was originally sold as a rifle it's a rifle, if it was sold as a pistol it's a pistol​

 

[binxkeys]

This

If it was originally sold as a rifle it's a rifle, if it was sold as a pistol it's a pistol​

Until the law asks the question.....

 

[Wing Commander]

Before and after.

Believe it or not this began life as a Snowpeak PP800R pistol
And it's still the same pistol.... it just has a 3D printed stock added to it. Nothing else has been done to it but it now looks completely different and handles differently too.
Power it just under 4ft.lbs.

 

[binxkeys]

Before and after.

Believe it or not this began life as a Snowpeak PP800R pistol
And it's still the same pistol.... it just has a 3D printed stock added to it. Nothing else has been done to it but it now looks completely different and handles differently too.
Power it just under 4ft.lbs.

View attachment 749028
View attachment 749029

It's on a rifle rest - not a pistol rest, in both pictures. Therefore definitely a rifle, surely? Now I'm really confused

 

[That hurts]

If it's got a cock it's a male.
If it ain't it's a female.

... if it ain't and it shoots .177 it's a ladyboy

 

[Wing Commander]

It's on a rifle rest - not a pistol rest, in both pictures. Therefore definitely a rifle, surely? Now I'm really confused

Ahhh, but the "rifle" rest is turned round 180 degrees... it has to be because it is too big for the pistol to sit on it.

 

[Inca]

it's a ladyboy

This day and age things aren’t always obvious until you’ve had a good fondle.

 

[binxkeys]

Ahhh, but the "rifle" rest is turned round 180 degrees... it has to be because the pistol is too big for it.

I like it! And I think that right there constitutes as good (or probably better) a definition of rifle or pistol than anything else that exists.

Rifle rest, in correct orientation - rifle
Rifle rest, backwards - pistol
No rest at all.... Gun

 

[ninja9]

What makes a pistol a pistol a rifle a rifle . Common sense.

 

[tac]

Apparently, in Law, there is no such thing as a 'long-barreled revolver' - this thing - my own, if that matters - has been referred to a a 'short rifle'.

 

[Sweep]

I'm staying out of this one!

 

[nikvanorton]

Looks like 1 & 2 are almost neck & neck.

 

[Neptune]

Life really is too short to concern yourself with this