SERVICE PISTOL

Service Pistol comes to us from Australia, where it was first adopted as an Australian Nationals Championship Event in 1977 and shot with pistols and revolvers in calibres from 9mm to .45. It was introduced to NZ in 1982 as the first “Action” style event here.

Service Pistol was initially intended for more or less unmodified out-of-the-box handguns, which can or did have “target” features. However, as the rules did not prevent modifications and only imposed limited restrictions, the handguns became more specialised to the match.

These must weigh less than 1.4kg, fit the ISSF Standard Pistol Box, being 300 x150x50 (the ISSF box) have only iron sights, no compensators, a minimum 1.36kg (3lb) trigger pull, and a few other restrictions. Ammunition must meet 120 power factor (bullet weight x Speed / 1000).

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Service Pistol Unrestricted is for pistols from 7.62 mm to 9.65 mm (.32 to .38). There are no dimension or weight restrictions, though a minimum 1.36kg (3lb) trigger pull is still required. Otherwise, it is much the same as Service Pistol.

NZ Revolver Division is exclusively for revolvers 9×19 and above but is generally the same as Service Pistol.

NZ Pistol Division is exclusively for semi-autos 9×19 and above but is generally the same as Service Pistol.

NZ 22 Division is for pistols complying with Unrestricted rules but being rimfire handguns in the .22long rifle cartridge only.

Service Pistol, NZ Pistol, and NZ Revolver are shot from the holster, and the unrestricted classes from the 45° position (whether or not you are holster qualified). All pistols must be kept in a holster other than when engaging a target during the match.

Summary
Service pistols test your entire pistol shooting skills in a 90-shot match, and you don’t have to have a fancy pistol. It’s one of the best all-around pistol shooting tests, and the skills learned/honed can be transferred to just about any other disciplines currently shot in NZ.

The Classic Pistol Match was recently introduced to augment the Service Pistol and allow people to shoot some of their older firearms. The classic service pistol target only requires 48 rounds, no holster, and is only shot at the 10-yard and 25-yard lines. Approved pistols for the Classic match are listed on the PNZ website. Suitable as an introductory pistol match, it is used by many clubs to introduce and train their newer shooters.