Traditionally, Service Pistols were considered to be the standard issue sidearm distributed to the regular military forces of various nations. These handguns primarily consisted of revolvers and were gradually replaced with semi-automatic pistols as technology improved.
The idea of a service pistol has evolved over time and now not only encompasses military issue pistols, but those carried by federal and local law enforcement agencies as well. Very few law enforcement and military units now carry anything other than semi-automatic pistols during daily operations and any wheel guns that have been issued in the past are included in the service revolvers section.
Service Pistols share a lot in common with other categories of pistols such as the compact, sub-compact, and pocket pistols typically available for purchase today. The identifying characteristics that separate a service pistol from its peers include:
Popular Service Pistols
2) Higher Capacity Magazine - the average service pistol today feature a double-stack magazine that carries, on average, 14 rounds. This extra firepower is made possible because the grip of the gun is not shortened and thus allows for a full load out to be integrated into the finished design.
3) Larger Barrel Length - typical service pistols feature a barrel length that is between 4 and 5 inches in length. Over 100 years of experience has taught gun smiths that barrels that fall within these dimensions have the best combination of accuracy, reliability, and cost accountability without the overall size of the pistol becoming awkward or troublesome for the shooter who ends up carrying it far more than he does shooting it.
4) Durability - handguns are typically issues to officers, non-commissioned officers, and staff non-commissioned officers in military units. They are expected to be placed in the hands of men who are going to subject them to ritual abuse. As such, these guns are vetted extensively prior to acceptance by most government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the guns can withstand extremely harsh environments with less-than-adequate maintenance for years at a time. This being the case, most service pistols are found to be comprised of extensively strong components purpose built to meets these demanding criteria.
5) Safety - the average service pistol will see countless hours use. It will be carried virtually everywhere in a number of different environments. The guns must be extremely safe and typically go through a series of torture test to ensure that the guns will not fire under any circumstance other than when the trigger is pulled. Of course there is no cure for operator error, and negligent discharges can only expect to be avoided through proper training and discipline.
The newest Service Pistol reviews can be found below. A link to a complete list of reviews compiled in an alphabetical index is found at the very bottom of this page.
