Why is it called a colt automatic pistol if its only semi-auto?

Answer 1

It is still auto loading and cocking.

Answer 2

Auto refers to autoloading. Almost every handgun at the time was a revolver, and Browning's design basically worked better than the other designs. The action on an autoloader automatically loads the next round into the chamber after each shot, which is what the auto part of the name means.

The term is also derived from the name for the round developed, which was the .45 ACP, or .45 caliber Auto Colt Pistol. So a handgun chambered to fire .45 ACP got the nickname of a .45 Auto.

The answers that have been given that basically amounts to "it shot so fast when it was invented that it was called that at the time" are inaccurate, and represent a common misconception about the firearm. John Browning was an extremely innovative firearms designer, and his term comes from, as I stated, the fact that the handgun is an autoloader. Many folks misunderstand the nickname for the gun, but the speed with which it fires has nothing to do with the "automatic" part of the name.

Answer 3

Jett boy guessed right. It's an autoloader, and the terminology comes from a time when that was a new and exciting concept. At the time, the idea of automatic fire in a pistol wasn't there. If you put yourself back in time a century or more, you'll see it makes sense.

Answer 4

This cartridge was developed by/for Colt pistols Then it became popular with other companies and became a standard designation.

Automatic was what they called it then. They could have called it self-loading as some companies did but there it is.

Answer 5

Automatic simply meaning that the firearm will reload it's self automatically after each shot. There are two forms of Automatic fire;

Semi-Automatic- meaning that each time the trigger is pulled one round will be fired and the will automatically load another round.

Fully-Automatic- meaning that rounds will fire as long as the trigger is depressed and there are rounds in the magazine.

Answer 6

You are talking about a pistol/cartridge which was introduced in 1911. In 1911 anything that could shoot as fast as the new Colt 1911 was called... Automatic.

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Answer 7

"Automatic" was a fully apt descriptive term that was and still is perfectly accurate. The "semi" part came later and was thought up by the "experts" who wanted to try to set the firearm type aside in a classification by itself.

"Automatic" was perfectly apt at that time.....but then "automatic" in terms of continuous fire arrived so the old term was redefined.

You see the same thing in dozens of different things in life today. "Pistol" vs "revolver", "single shot shotgun", "non-filter cigarette", "steel" vs "iron", "target shotgun ammo" (lol) etc.

If any of those need explaining, anyone feel free to ask.

Answer 8

Mabey, because the Colt automatically chambers/loads a round each time you fire a round? That's my guess.

Answer 9

Just SLANG.................