
Pistols
- In StockKIMBER Sapphire Ultra II 9mm 3in 8rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (3200273)3" stainless steel barrelTactical Wedge 3-dot tritium night sightsAmbidextrous thumb safetySolid aluminum, match grade triggerBlue/Black ball-milled G-10 thin gripsBright Blue PVD coating ...$1,525.99
- In StockKIMBER 1911 Stainless Ultra Carry II .45 ACP 3in 7rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (3200330)Match Grade 3in BarrelForged Steel SlideForged Lightweight Aluminum Alloy FrameBeveled Magazine Well - Allows Quick ChangesDouble Safety System - Extended Thumb + High Ride Beavertail GripMatch ...$855.99
- In StockRUGER LCP 380 Auto 2.75in 6rd Blue Pistol with Red Laser (3752)Viridian E-Series Red (635-650 nm) LaserRugged construction with through-hardened alloy steel slide and black, one-piece, high-performance, glass-filled nylon grip frameDesigned to fit a variety ...26% off$274.90$369.00★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockSIG SAUER P320 Compact .45 ACP 3.9in 9rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (320C-45-BSS)Striker-fired modular service pistolSmooth, crisp triggerIntuitive, 3-point takedownUnmatched modularity to fit any shooter and any situationM1913 Picatinny railComes with two 9-round Steel magazinesClearance$649.99
- In StockSIG SAUER P938 Black Nitron 3in 9mm 7rd Pistol (938-9-BRG-AMBI)1911-Inspired ContoursSingle-Action OnlySlim, Microcompact FrameSIGLITE Night SightsAmbidextrous safetyBlack rubber wrap around gripBeavertail style frame7 Round extended magClearance$699.99★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockSMITH & WESSON M&P .380 ACP 3.675in 8rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (11663)Easy to rack slideCrisp, light trigger with tactile and audible trigger resetIncludes (2) easy to load 8-round M&P380 Shield magazinesGrip safety - grip pistol to fireCan disassemble without ...$424.99
- In StockSMITH & WESSON M&P9 M2 No Thumb Safety Flat Dark Earth Pistol (11989)Low barrel bore axis makes the M&P pistol more comfortable to shoot reducing muzzle rise and allowing for faster aim recoveryOptimal 18-degree grip angle for natural point of aimFour ...$541.99
- In StockSPRINGFIELD ARMORY 1911 Mil-Spec .45 ACP 5in 7rd Semi-Automatic Pistol, CA Compliant (PB9108LCA)Fixed 3-Dot combat sightsStandard spur hammer & grip safetySingle-sided non-extended thumb safetyFull-size frame & slide with slanted rear serrationsForged steel frame & ...$759.99
- In StockTAURUS G2C 9mm 3.2in 12rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (1-G2C931-12)Ideal concealed carry handgunLightweight polymer frameThin profileAggressive, textured gripTwo 12-round magazinesBlack Finish9% off$249.99$275.00★★★★★3 review(s)
- In StockGLOCK G45 Gen5 FS 9mm 4.02in 10rd Semi-Auto Pistol (PA455S201)Chambered in 9mm with a 4.02-inch barrelBlack rough texture interchangeable backstrapsSerrated black nDLC steel slideBlack Polymer flame with Picatinny rail and serrated trigger guardCombines a ...$539.00
- In StockRUGER EC9s 9mm 3.1in Barrel 7Rd Black Oxide Pistol (03283)Striker-fired featuring a short, light, crisp trigger pull for faster, more accurate shootingSlim, lightweight and compact for personal protectionRugged construction with through-hardened slide ...$248.99
- In StockSMITH & WESSON M&P45 Shield 45 ACP 3.3in Barrel 6/7Rd Pistol (11531)New aggressive grip texture for M&P45 SHIELDFront cocking serrationsIncorporates the design features of the M&P Shield line of firearmsExtremely thin and lightweight - can be comfortably carried ...$472.99★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockTAURUS G2S 9mm 3.25in 7rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (1-G2S939)Semi-automatic single action with a 7+1 capacityPolymer frame with a 3.25-inch barrelFixed white-dot front sight and an adjustable white-dot rear sightIncludes a 7-round magazine and a cable ...$235.99
- In StockKIMBER 1911 Custom Covert .45 ACP 5in 7rd Charcoal Gray/Urban Camo Semi-Auto Pistol (3000235)Tactical Wedge tritium 3-dot night sights30 lines-per-inch front strap checkeringBumped and grooved beavertail grip safetyAluminum, match grade triggerIntegrated lanyard slot in the mainspring ...16% off$1,057.99$1,257.60
- In StockBERSA Thunder 380 ACP 3.5in 8rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (T380M8)3-dot sight systemCombat style trigger guardExtended finger restDecocker for safer concealed carryIntergral Locking SystemMicro-polished boreMatte Black Finish$272.99★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockBERSA Thunder 380 ACP 3.5in 8rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (T380NKL8)3-dot sight systemCombat style trigger guardExtended finger restMicro-polished bore with sharp, deep riflingExtended finger rest magazine bottomIntergral locking systemFired CaseNickel Finish$278.99★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockGLOCK 19 Semi-Automatic 9mm Compact Pistol (PI1950203)Fixed SightsIncludes Two Magazines The GLOCK G19 Auto Pistol, 9mm, 4.0in, Black, Fixed, 2x 15 Rd Mag (PI1950203) is ideal for a more versatile role because of its reduced dimensions when compared ...Clearance$507.99★★★★★3 review(s)
- In StockGLOCK 17 Semi-Automatic 9mm Standard Pistol Made in USA (UI1750203)Fixed SightsIncludes Two Magazines$499.00★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockKIMBER 1911 Pro Carry II ( Two-Tone) .45 ACP 4in 7rd Semi-Auto Pistol (3200320)4in Match-grade barrelFixed, low profile sightsBeavertail grip safetyLightweight aluminum frameSkeletonized hammerSmooth/checkered rosewood gripsStainless beavertail grip safetyBrush-polished ...$801.99★★★★★1 review(s)
- In StockKRISS Vector SDP Gen II 9mm 5.5in 17rd Semi-Automatic Pistol (KV90-PBL20)Patented KRISS Super V Recoil Mitigation SystemSmooth Trigger with Audible and Tactile ResetQuick Detach Sling SwivelFull Length MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny Top RailLow Profile Folding SightsFits ...$1,425.00★★★★★1 review(s)
Size isn’t everything, especially in the world of firearms. Even though some rocket launcher will naturally cause massive damage, a gun doesn’t need to be big to be effective. Handguns are indispensable if you cannot afford to walk with a heavyweight rifle over your shoulder. No other firearm is suitable for concealed carry and can be easily operated with one hand. While there are two major types of handguns, this page is dedicated to pistols in particular.
A pistol is a handgun in which the chamber is an integral part of the barrel. In the modern world, this word is mostly associated with semi-automatic handguns. Obsolete single-shot pistols usually make an appearance only during historical reenactments, lever-action pistols tend to be parts of classic gun collections, and automatic pistols are exclusive to law-enforcement and military officers. So, a semi-automatic pistol is the only type left. What does this ‘semi-automatic’ part mean? It implies that after the shot is made, this pistol will automatically insert another cartridge into the chamber but will need you to pull the trigger once again to discharge another shot. So, one pull, one shot. In contrast to semi-automatic pistols, automatic ones will keep discharging while the trigger is pulled. Since actual automatic pistols hardly ever appear on the market, the word ‘automatic’ became a synonym to semi-automatic and any self-loading pistol in colloquial speech, but we are all gun experts here and will use the proper terminology, right? Right..?
Anyway, pistols are as varied as people. They are distinguished by the type of action, caliber, cartridges, and triggers. They come in dozens of combinations, and it might be challenging to tell one from the other. We offer a brief guide to let you know what kind of pistols you can find on Gritr Sports.
Hammer-fired vs. Striker-fired
Hammer-fired pistols are older than strikers, and they haven’t changed much since the moment of their invention. Not because they are too obsolete and not even worth it, but because they don’t really need it. Hammer-fired pistols are as good today as they were several generations ago. What sets them apart is, unsurprisingly, a hammer. It’s a part of the triggering mechanism and is often visible at the rear of the slide. In such pistols, the hammer strikes the firing pin once released by the trigger. After that, the firing pin is driven into the cartridge primer, beginning the ignition process.
Striker-fired pistols lack the hammer part, so the firing pin is not stricken by any component. Instead, it is released when the trigger is fully pulled. Simply put, these pistols release the firing pin without any middleman, which makes pulling easier and the overall weight lighter.
Single-action vs. Double-action
Those are two types of hammer-fired pistols. In single-action handguns the trigger does one thing: drops the hammer. Single-action revolvers need to be cocked after every shot, but semi-automatic pistols are more convenient in that regard. The hammer needs to be manually cocked only before the first shot, after which recoil will let the slide recock the hammer for the next shot automatically.
Double-action pistols are different in that the trigger does two things: cocks the hammer and then drops it, all in one pull. Here, the hammer doesn’t need to be cocked manually, as the trigger does all the work. However, as the trigger does two actions at a time, the pull is heavier than in single-action pistols. To combine the best features of two action types, a Double-Action to Single-Action pistol was invented. That is the most common type of modern pistol. The first round fired is a double-action, which cocks and releases the hammer, but all follow-up shots are single-action, as the hammer is cocked by the slide, reciprocated by recoil.
There are double-action-only pistols, in which every single shot is a double-action, but they are relatively rare.
Rimfire vs. Centerfire
That is a division according to the cartridge type, which is closely connected with a caliber. Rimfire cartridges require a firing pin to crush their base to ignite the primer, whereas centerfire cartridges have an external primer at the base of the case. Rimfire cartridges are compatible with lower caliber firearms only, and due to their lightness are more suitable for training rather than for self-defense and long-distance shooting or hunting. Centerfire cartridges, on the other hand, are utilized in pistols of all calibers.
Caliber
.22 Long Rifle is the only type of rimfire caliber found in handguns. The 22 caliber pistols are an excellent option to introduce someone to firearms, and .22 ammo is by far the cheapest one. The most popular centerfire calibers include 9mm pistols, .45 Auto pistols, .40 S&W pistols, and .380 Auto pistols.
.380 Auto pistols are probably the lower margin of self-defense calibers. Of all mentioned calibers, this one utilizes the lightest bullets. 9mm pistols are by far the most popular choice among shooters. That is a standard of U.S. military and NATO forces. .40 S&W and .45 Auto produce more energy when fired but have heavier recoil.
That concludes our summary on types of pistols found on Gritr Sports. As you can see, the choice is pretty varied, not to mention all the brands whose products you can pick from. The renowned Glock pistols, Sig Sauer pistols, CZ pistols, Smith & Wesson pistols and many more. We have hundreds of pistols for sale.