The development of the handgun changed the face of warfare, albeit gradually. In a time when it was still common to fight with sword in hand, the single-handed pistol was becoming the weapon of choice amongst individuals for close-in fighting. From the muzzle-loading variety to the later magazine-fed alternatives, the hand gun has evolved into a selective fire weapon with the properties of some machine guns and the portability of the sword it replaced. As with other powder-form weapons early on, the pistol began as a single shot weapon. Somewhat unwieldy and inaccurate, the stopping power was realized far enough in advance to allow the gradual evolution of the firearm for its rightful purpose. The single shot limitation gave way to six-shot repeaters popularized by the cowboys of Hollywood's by-gone era. As technology progressed, so too did ammunition types and maximum cartridge-carrying capabilities. By the end of the 20th Century, the common 9mm could hold as many as 17 rounds in a pistol grip clip. Add to it the ability to mount scopes, lights and laser sights and the pistol as a sidearm has become evermore the lethal weapon that the sword use to be. The object of affection by many a general (think Patton's ivory-handled revolvers), the frontline infantryman relying on the man-stopping capabilities or the sporting man looking for some weekend target practice, the hand gun in any form is a concrete part of the arms surplus markets of the world.
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