Service Pistol
Welcome to the Service Pistol web page. As part of the Sporting Shooters Pistol Club of the ACT, we enjoy some of the best facilities in the country. The Service Pistol match is a challenging centrefire match that will test not only a shooter’s marksmanship, but a variety of shooting skills. The standard match comprises 90 rounds and is shot over four distances – 50, 25, 10 and 7 yards. Essentially the closer you get to the targets, the quicker you need to shoot. A shooter can elect to shoot the “Service” match which requires drawing from a holster and a minimum power factor of 120, or shooting the “Unrestricted” match which has no minimum power factor and commences with the pistol held in the hand at the 45° ready position. New shooters will shoot the “Unrestricted” match until they receive their holster accreditation.
Service Pistol also includes two other Pistol Australia sanctioned matches –
- 25 Yard Service Pistol
- WA1500
Service Pistol/Service Pistol (Unrestricted) Matches
Service Pistol and Service Pistol (Unrestricted) are shot using exactly the same course of fire.
50 Yards
The first stage is shot at 50 yards and is limited to 2 minutes 45 seconds. In the first part the shooter must lie prone and fire 6 shots on target 4, unload, assume the sitting or kneeling position, reload, fire 6 shots on target 3, unload, move to the right side of the barricade, reload, fire 6 shots on target 2, unload, move to the left side of the barricade, reload and fire 6 shots on target 1.
25 Yards
The second stage is shot over a distance of twenty-five yards and has a total of thirty-six rounds in it. The first timed series is 15 seconds in which to fire the next six rounds on the right side of the barricade (T4). The second series is the same except from the left side of the barricade (T3). The final series is a total of twelve shots, this time, 6 shots from each side of the barricade with reloading in the middle. 35 seconds is allowed for this final series.
After the targets are scored, another twelve rounds are shot from the twenty five yard distance. First three shots each at targets 1 and 2 in 6 seconds, then 2 shots each at targets 2, 3, and 4 in 6 seconds. This section is shot standing free from the barricade.
10 Yards
This stage involves 3 separate sequences, the first being to fire 6 shots in only 4 seconds on target 4. The second sequence is harder, requiring the shooter to fire 3 shots with the right hand only, followed by 3 shots with the left hand only (or vice versa) on target 3 in 8 seconds. The final sequence requires the shooter to fire 3 shots on target 1 followed by 3 shots on target 2 in just 4 seconds.
7 Yards
In the last stage the shooter is only 7 yards away from the target and must fire 6 shots on target 1, reload and fire 6 shots on target 2, in 15 seconds. This must be done instinctively with the gun not raised above the shoulder. That is, no sighting is allowed.
25 Yard Service Pistol Match
The 25 yard service match is similar in many respects to the Service Pistol/Service Pistol (Unrestricted) matches, but is shot from 25, 10 and 7 yards, and utilises a shorter barrel gun, generally a 4” barrelled revolver. A total of 65 rounds are fired. No speed loaders are allowed, and all reloading must be done from ammunition carried loosely in a pocket. The minimum power factor for this match is 60.