When is a gun a pistol and when a rifle ?

[Traumkater]

I'am asking for Perk Optimization.
i was working with pistols but learned the hard way that they're useless later on.
they don't make enough Damage.
so i was thinking about to avoid the use of pistols and focus on the rifles and their perk instead.
but:
when is a gun a pistol and what upgrade will make it a rifle (and vice versa) ?

[76561198162727631]

Rifle - Character holds that thing by a foregrip and it has a stock
Pistol - Neither of those

[Traumkater]

so i can swap every pistol into a rifle by changing the handle ? (and vice versa ) ?

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Originally posted by Raumelch:

so i can swap every pistol into a rifle by changing the handle ? (and vice versa ) ?

Some guns do not convert into pistols.

Combat Rifle, Combat Shotgun, Assault Rifle, Hunting Rifle all can have the stock cut, but will still be rifles and used in rifle grip.

As a general rule, it tends to be the Pipe, Laser and Plasma guns that can be quickly converted from Pistol to Rifle just by a grip change.

[Traumkater]

that make sence.
noone can fire a shotgun singlehanded without to knockout himself by the recoil XD

[chinese_hackers]

Don't write off pistols so quickly! Plenty out there that can be used to dispatch hostiles with deadly efficiency.

[BlazeD]

My pistol build in survival mode was plenty powerful. I imagine you built your character wrong for pistols. Deliverer alone can see one through the entire game with no problems if one so chooses...

[Xyzzy]

comfort grip, pistol. Marksmans grip rifle. [laser gun].
you see the change as it happens in gun name while you in weapons bench.

[Traumkater]

hmmh so i can't make a rifle version out of the 10 mm pistol ?
no long barrel no grip ...

[Doombringer]

10mm, .44, western revolver, and Deliverer are pistol only.
.44 works for VATS/crit hit builds due to its high damage and low AP cost.
Most people go with rifles though.