Quote Originally Posted by ccdjg View Post
Good point, when is a prototype not a prototype? I suppose you could say that if it has all the main structural features of the final commercial product, it is a prototype, and if it still lacks key features, then it is an experimental prototype. So in the Hy-Score development story, pistol (C) would be an experimental prototype and (D) would be a prototype for the final Hy-Score (minus the breech cap unfortunately.)

A prototype is only that when it has been made by the original producer or designer and it's manufacture pre-dates the finished article.
In this case neither has been established beyond any reasonable doubt.