Definition

Noun: A machine pistol is a type of fully automatic firearm that is designed to be fired with one hand, like a pistol, but is capable of continuous, automatic fire like a machine gun. It is essentially a small, compact submachine gun.

Usage

The term "machine pistol" is used to describe a specific class of compact automatic weapons. It is a technical term used in military, law enforcement, and firearms contexts. * A machine pistol is often used for close-quarters combat due to its small size and high rate of fire. * The defining feature of a machine pistol is its ability to fire in fully automatic mode.

Examples

• The special forces operator carried a as his primary weapon for the room-clearing operation.
• Some can be fitted with a shoulder stock to improve stability during automatic fire.
• The museum's collection included a historical from World War II.

Advanced Usage

• Legal and Regulatory Context: In many jurisdictions, are heavily regulated or prohibited for civilian ownership due to their automatic fire capability.
• Technical Distinction: While similar, a is typically distinguished from a submachine gun by its original design intent (pistol format) and sometimes by the cartridge it fires, often being pistol-caliber.

Variants and Related Words

• Submachine gun (SMG): A lightweight automatic firearm that fires pistol-caliber ammunition. A is often considered a subset or a specific type of submachine gun, with the key difference being that a is designed to be fired one-handed like a pistol, whereas an SMG is typically designed for two-handed use from the shoulder.
• Automatic pistol: This is a broader term that can sometimes be used interchangeably with , but it can also refer to semi-automatic pistols. "Machine pistol" specifically denotes full-auto capability.

Synonyms

• Automatic pistol
• Compact submachine gun

Antonyms

• Semi-automatic pistol (a pistol that fires one round per trigger pull)
• Revolver
• Bolt-action rifle

Related Phrases

• Select-fire: A capability of some to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic firing modes.
• Pistol-caliber carbine (PCC): A related but distinct firearm; a carbine (short rifle) that fires pistol ammunition, but is typically semi-automatic and designed for two-handed shoulder fire, not automatic one-handed fire like a .

Noun

1. a fully automatic pistol; a small submachine gun