The .32 S&W Long, also known as 7.65x23mm, is a straight-walled, centerfire, rimmed handgun cartridge, based on the earlier .32 S&W cartridge. It was introduced in 1896 for Smith & Wesson's first-model Hand Ejector revolver. Colt called it the .32 Colt New Police in revolvers it made chambered for the cartridge.
.32 S&W Long (left) in comparison with .32 H&R Magnum and 7.62×38mmR Nagant
Modern High velocity loadings of the .32 S&W Long/Colt New Police
Above: Iver Johnson Safety Automatic* Below: Colt Police Positive -both chambered for .32 Smith and Wesson Long/ Colt New Police *Automatic refers to automatic, simultaneous ejection of cartridges and/or cases
A handgun is a firearm designed to be usable with only one hand. It is distinguished from a long gun which needs to be held by both hands and braced against the shoulder. Handguns have shorter effective ranges compared to long guns, and are much harder to shoot accurately. While most early handguns are single-shot pistols, the two most common types of handguns used in modern times are revolvers and semi-automatic pistols, although other handguns such as derringers and machine pistols also see infrequent usage.
Modern handguns (clockwise from top left) Glock 22 * Glock 21 *Kimber Stainless Raptor II* Dan Wesson Commander Classic Bobtail * Smith and Wesson 340PD * Ruger Blackhawk* Ruger SP101* SIG Sauer P220 Combat.
Hand cannon from the Chinese Yuan dynasty (1271–1368).
Early German musket with serpentine lock
A wheellock pistol or Puffer, Augsburg, c. 1580