Pistol Muzzleloaders:
 The first handheld muzzleloaders "pistols" were made as early as the 15th century. By the 18th century, the term pistol came to be used often to refer to handheld firearms. Single-shot pistols are the simplest possible form of pistols. The earliest handguns were single-shot, muzzle-loading guns with ignition provided by inserting a smoldering match cord into a touch hole.

 Improvements followed in subsequent centuries, as various types of ignition systems were invented.
 The matchlock, the separate match cord was affixed to a spring-loaded pivot which could be tripped by a trigger.
 The wheellock, replaced the smoldering match cord.
 In the 17th century, the flintlock appeared.
 In the 19th century, percussion caps were developed, followed shortly by modern integrated-primer cartridges.

Black Powder Pistol / Revolvers.
 Black powder revolvers were developed using the flintlock ignition system but were far from satisfactory. The small charge of loose priming powder used in the flintlock ignition system had to be prevented from falling out as the cylinder revolved, this problem was never adequately solved.

 It wasn't until the percussion cap was perfected that a reliable revolver could be used effectively. The percussion cap, snugly fit on the nipple of a cylinder and the nipple was fitted directly behind the powder charge in the cylinder creating a near perfect in-line ignition system, the cap would not fall off when the cylinder was rotated or held in any position.

 Other improvements like rifled barrels made these revolvers and other pistols accurate and very effective to a range of 50 to 75 yards, depending on the caliber and projectile.

 When the Civil War broke out, there were at least 60 pistol manufacturers in the United States most of which were located in the New England states, with Colt, Remington, and Smith and Wesson dominating the market.

 Both Colt and Remington were in business during the early and mid 1800's and by 1847, the Colt six shot revolver had already been adopted for military use by mounted troops. During the Civil War, the U.S. Government purchased 373,077 percussion pistols.