As to the pistol and a handgun being different??? Nah, they are both handguns... I think that folks think of the pistol as having a cylinder like the guns in the cowboy movies but it is still a handgun... These days most folks have no interest in that kind of weapon because it's old technology... Everything is relative:

"My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt
Shoot fast as lightnin' but load a might slow
Loads a might slow, I soon found out
It'll get you into trouble but won't get you out

So then I went and bought me a Colt 45
Called a Peacemaker but I never knew why
Never knew why, didn't understand
Mama says "The pistol is the devil's right hand"

B~