Engineering:Tip-up barrel

Short description: Type of semi-automatic pistol design that facilitates loading

Tip-up barrel on a .32 ACP Beretta pistol

Tip-up barrel on a .25 ACP Beretta Jetfire pistol

A tip-up barrel is a type of semi-automatic pistol design in which the barrel can be swung up and away from the firing pin, pivoting around a hinge set into the frame near the muzzle. Such a design allows a round to be inserted directly into the chamber, rather than from a magazine. Shooters who lack the hand/arm strength needed to chamber the first round by racking the slide on a conventional pistol can take advantage of the tip-up barrel to begin firing.

Tip-up pistols

• JO.LO.AR.
• Taurus PT22
• Beretta 3032 Tomcat
• Beretta 950
• Beretta 21A Bobcat
• Beretta Cheetah (certain models)
• Le Français (pistol)
• Girsan MC 14T Tip-Up