This is mostly semantics. Strictly speaking a double-action revolver is not "semi-automatic" but in practice it acts like a semi-automatic as each trigger pull results in a shot being fired. Single action, pump action, and bolt-action are fundamentally different in that more than a trigger pull is required. There are many semi-automatic guns out there and most do not look like AR-15s. For example, any clip-based pistol is a semi-automatic: just chamber the first round and each trigger pull fires a shot.
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Originally Posted by Bonnevie
I stand corrected. However, apparently all semi-automatic requires is to just re-pull the trigger--the quickest part of re-shooting I would think. So as long as there's enough ammo....they can fire away pretty quickly.
While all basic firearm actions require the action to be cycled manually before the first shot, semi-automatic, as well as automatic and selective-fire actions, are differentiated from other forms such as single-action or double-action revolvers, pump-action, bolt-action, or lever-action firearms by eliminating the need to manually cycle it after each shot. For example, to fire ten rounds from a semi-automatic or a selective-fire firearm set to fire semi-automatically, the action would initially be cycled to load the first round and the trigger would need to be pulled ten times (once for each round fired).
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