...or shotgun start...or rocket launcher start...
I wrote a mod for ZDoom that makes pistol starting a level easier (No more typing "idclev##"!). You can either pistol start when respawning or at the start of a new level.
You can also decide what guns and how much ammo and health do you start with using a menu found under "Options". You can even ban certain weapons to create your own "Tyson mode". There's also a random map picker.
This mod is designed for hardcore