Editing Semi-automatic firearm (section)

==Fully automatic compared to semi-automatic==

[[File:Walther P99 9x19mm.png|thumb|right|[[Walther P99]], a [[semi-automatic pistol]] from the late 1990s]]
[[File:Glock 18C.jpg|thumb|[[Glock#Glock 18|Glock 18]], a [[Fully-automatic firearm|fully-automatic]] [[machine pistol]] from the mid-1980s (The picture shown is the Glock 18C)]]

The usage of the term ''automatic'' may vary according to context. Gun specialists point out that the word ''automatic'' is sometimes misunderstood to mean [[Automatic firearm|fully automatic fire]] when used to refer to a self-loading, semi-automatic firearm not capable of fully automatic fire. In this case, ''automatic'' refers to the loading mechanism, not the firing capability. To avoid confusion, it is common to refer to such firearms as an "autoloader" in reference to their loading mechanism.

The term "automatic pistol" almost exclusively refers to a semi-automatic (i.e. not fully automatic) pistol (fully automatic pistols are usually referred to as [[machine pistol]]s). With handguns, the term "automatic" is commonly used to distinguish semi-automatic pistols from revolvers. The term "auto-loader" may also be used to describe a semi-automatic handgun. However, to avoid confusion, the term "automatic rifle" is generally, conventionally, and best restricted to a rifle capable of fully automatic fire. Both uses of the term "automatic" can be found; the exact meaning must be determined from context.