Pistols and Rifles are two common types of guns. Pistols can also be classified as handguns because they are small and can be easily held with one hand. Rifles, on the other hand, can also be classified as long guns, you can't control them with a hand, most times you need to hold them properly even with both hands so that you can aim properly. You can't carry them around due to their long size. The technology behind pistols is a bit higher than that of riffles.
For pistols, you just need a little pressure to force the bullet out of the gun, whereas more pressure is needed by riffles before a bullet can be fired. When you use a pistol, you can fire as many bullets as you want to depend on the number of bullets you have inside the gun, but it is not always easy for riffle users. You need to exact more pressure before a bullet can come out. Pistols, unlike riffles, can be seen very easily, this is because people can carry them around for self-defense.