Pistol (Left 4 Dead 2)

The SIG Sauer P220 Pistol is the backup weapon of the Survivors in Left 4 Dead 2. It is one of the weapons they can use when knocked down, although with a slower rate of fire and greatly decreased accuracy. The pistol(s) is one of the only weapons that has infinite ammunition. However, they are still limited to a magazine capacity of 15 rounds.

Even though they are meant as emergency weapons, the pistols make great secondaries, or even primaries for Hunting Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Grenade Launcher and any shotgun users. They pack a punch slightly greater than that of the assault rifle, and possess above average accuracy. Pistols will usually spawn on the first level of each campaign. This occurs most frequently on easy and normal. However, on advanced and expert, they are often not available during the first level.

In Left 4 Dead 2 Demo, upon picking up a melee weapon, Survivors drop their pistol (if they are dual wielding, they will drop both pistols). However, when they are incapacitated, they still pull out a pistol, and once revived, the pistol is no longer part of their inventory and the melee weapon is still in the pistol slot. While illogical, this is due to the fact that a survivor downed with no pistol is a sitting duck. Additionally, it would be impossible to defend the team mate reviving you. This would be very frustrating for many players and make the melee system very unpopular.

Dual-Wielding
If a second pistol is found, they can be dual-wielded. Once you equip another Pistol you will have a Glock 17. Second pistols are placed periodically by the Director and can also be picked up if dropped by a teammate who has picked up a magnum, melee weapon, or has died. This allows for twice the ammo capacity, as well as the rate of fire being increased from 300 RPM to 600 RPM. The downside of having two pistols is that it takes slightly longer to reload, but this delay is marginal and doesn't effect gameplay much. When dual-wielded, the pistol in the left hand will not have a light. It is not possilbe to dual wield a magnum; instead one sacrifices that ability for extra power.

Trivia

 * The P220 actually appears to have been modeled after the real-life Sig-Sauer P226.
 * Currently, the P220 doesn't have a walking animation; it stays completely still on your screen.
 * Unusually, if you pick up a P220 that another survivor drops when they pick up a melee weapon or the magnum, it changes to a Glock. In addition, if you pick up a Glock when you have a melee weapon or magnum, it changes to a P220.
 * When a survivor using a melee weapon is downed and pulls out a pistol, once they are revived, the pistol quite simply disappears. It is not in the holster, nor present anywhere else on their person.