ISSF 25 meter center-fire pistol
25 metre center-fire pistol is one of the ISSF shooting events, and is normally a men-only event. Its origin lies in competitions with military-style service pistols, and as such its history dates back to the 19th century.
25 metre pistol is essentially the women's equivalent of this event, the only difference being the smaller rimfire caliber handguns used.
Handguns
Caliber
The name center-fire describes the type of cartridges used distinguishes this event from other ISSF events shot with handguns chambered for small caliber rimfire cartridges.The rules specify that matches are to be shot with handgun of any caliber between 7.62 mm and 9.65 mm, but the most popular cartridge is the.32 S&W Long Wadcutter, because it has good performance characteristics. Many countries also have laws restricting civilian ownership of firearms chambered for cartridges also used by military forces which would not apply to the rather obscure.32 S&W Long.
Type
Using a revolver is not a disadvantage because the "rapid-fire" stage is not as demanding or fast as the true rapid-fire event of 25 metre rapid fire pistol. The current record is set with a revolver. The most popular handgun choices however are larger caliber versions of rimfire semi-automatic pistols originally designed for 25 metre standard pistol. Many of these pistol can be changed from one caliber to the other by simply changing the barrel and magazine. Examples of such firearms are usually from companies specializing firearms for ISSF events like Pardini Arms, Benelli, Morini, Walther and Hämmerli and include:- Hämmerli SP20
- Pardini HP
- Morini CM32M
- Walther GSP
- Benelli MP-90 and Benelli MP-95
Course of fire
- A precision stage where 5 shots are to be fired during a 5-minute period.
- A rapid-fire stage where, for each shot, the shooter has 3 seconds to raise his arm from a 45 degree angle and fire.
- As with all ISSF pistol disciplines, all firing must be done with one hand, unsupported.
Popularity
The event has not made it into the Olympic Games, and so gains little attention. It is part of the ISSF World Shooting Championships however, as well as the CISM World Championships. It is also notable for being the inspiration for the 25 metre pistol event, which is an Olympic event for women.World Championships, Men
| Year | Place | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1947 |  Stockholm | |||
| 1949 |  Buenos Aires | |||
| 1952 |  Oslo | |||
| 1954 |  Caracas | |||
| 1958 |  Moscow | |||
| 1962 |  Cairo | |||
| 1966 |  Wiesbaden | |||
| 1970 |  Phoenix | |||
| 1974 |  Thun | |||
| 1978 |  Seoul | |||
| 1982 | Caracas | |||
| 1986 |  Suhl | |||
| 1990 | Moscow | |||
| 1994 |  Milan | |||
| 1998 |  Barcelona | |||
| 2002 |  Lahti | |||
| 2006 |  Zagreb | |||
| 2010 |  Munich | |||
| 2014 | Granada |
World Championships, Men Team
| Year | Place | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1947 | Stockholm | Finland Kallio M. Mauri Kuokka Jaakko Eliel Rintanen Vaeinoe Villiam Skarp | Sweden Helmisalo A. Holmberg E. Sven Lundquist Torsten Elis Ullman |  Great BritainBennett R. Staton B. Henry Albert Steele Willott B. |
| 1949 | Buenos Aires |  United StatesHuelet Leo Benner Hancock W. Logie C. Harry Wendell Reeves | Switzerland Heinz Ambuehl Gaemperli H. Heinrich Keller Beat Rhyner | Finland Kallio M. Leonard Ravilo Jaakko Eliel Rintanen Eino Antton Saarnikko |
| 1952 | Oslo | United States Huelet Leo Benner William Mc Millan Harry Wendell Reeves Walter Rudolph Walsh | Sweden Fagerholm E. Holmberg E. Roback C. Schoett G. |  MexicoRafael Bermejo Pedro Avilés Jose Reyes Carlos Rodriguez |
| 1954 | Caracas |  Soviet UnionAnton Jasinsky Konstantin Martazov Makhmud Umarov Lev Vainshtein | United States Huelet Leo Benner John Jagoda William Mc Millan Harry Wendell Reeves |  CubaTomas Cabanas Rafael Antonio Cadalso Fernandez Dediot L. Rodriguez C. |
| 1958 | Moscow |  CzechoslovakiaKarel Mucha Frantisek Maxa Vladimir Kudrna Vaclav Trojan | Soviet Union Anton Jasinsky Vassili Sorokin Makhmud Umarov Lev Vainshtein | United States Huelet Leo Benner David Carter William Mc Millan Aubrey Smith |
| 1962 | Cairo | Soviet Union Efim Haydurov Igor Bakalov Vladimir Stolipin Albert Udachin | United States William Blankenship Franklin Green William Mc Millan Cecil Wallis | East Germany Joachim Fichtner Johann Garreis Lothar Jacobi Gottfried Wehle |
| 1966 | Wiesbaden | United States William Blankenship John Ditmore Franklin Green Emil Heugatter | Soviet Union Igor Bakalov Renart Suleimanov Vladimir Stolipin Albert Udachin | Czechoslovakia Ladislav Falta Lubomir Nacovsky Josef Svab Jaroslav Vesely |
| 1970 | Phoenix | Czechoslovakia Ladislav Falta Hynek Hromada Vladimir Hurt Lubomir Nacovsky | United States William Blankenship Jimmie Dorsey Elmer Hilden Francis Higginson | Soviet Union Igor Bakalov Grigori Kosych Afanasij Kuzmin Vladimir Stolipin |
| 1974 | Thun | Soviet Union Grigori Kosych Victor Torshin Georgi Zapolskich Mikhail Ziubko | United States Bonnie Harmon Francis "Frank" Higginson Bobby Tiner Milo Vlasin | Finland Eino Kohvakka Seppo Makinen Vaino Markkanen Lassi Riitinki |
| 1978 | Seoul | Finland Olavi Johannes Heikkinen Seppo Makinen Hannu Paavola Seppo Saarenpaeae | Switzerland Marcel Ansermet Philippe Klay Reinhard Ruess Alex Tschui | Sweden Ove Gunnarsson Boo Levin Staffan Oscarsson Ragnar Skanåker |
| 1982 | Caracas | Soviet Union Afanasij Kuzmin Igor Puzirev Sergei Rysev Vladas Turla | Switzerland Marcel Ansermet Reinhard Ruess Sigisbert Schnyder Alex Tschui | Finland Seppo Makinen Hannu Paavola Paavo Palokangas Jouni Vainio |
| 1986 | Suhl | Soviet Union Igor Basinski Afanasij Kuzmin Oleg Tkachyov | Switzerland Hans Buerkli Anton Kuechler Alex Tschui |  AustriaDieter Aggermann Hermann Sailer Karl Pavlis |
| 1990 | Moscow | Soviet Union Miroslav Ignatiuk Afanasij Kuzmin Sergei Pyzhianov | Finland Seppo Makinen Asko Makinen Reijo Paerepalo | United States Don Nygord Eduardo Suarez Darius Young |
| 1994 | Milan |  RussiaSergei Poliakov Sergei Pyzhianov Valentin Osipenko |  UkraineMiroslav Ignatiuk Taras Magmet Oleg Tkachyov | South Korea Lee Sang-Hak Lee Ki-Choon Park Byung-Taek |
| 1998 | Barcelona | South Korea Park Byung-Taek Lee Sang-Hak Kim Sung-joon | Russia Sergei Pyzhianov Mikhail Nestruev Sergei Alifirenko |  BelarusIgor Basinski Siarhei Yurusau Kanstantsin Lukashyk |
| 2002 | Lahti | South Korea Park Byung-Taek Lee Sang-Hak Kim Sung-joon | Norway Petter Bratli Paal Hembre Erik Baekkevold | Ukraine Oleksandr Petriv Oleg Tkachyov Roman Bondaruk |
| 2006 | Zagreb | Russia Mikhail Nestruev Sergei Poliakov Sergei Alifirenko | South Korea Park Byung-Taek Hong Seong-Hwan Lee Sang-Hak |  North KoreaKim Hyon-ung Ryu Myong-yon Kim Jong-su |
| 2010 | Munich |  BrazilJúlio Almeida Emerson Duarte José Carlos Batista |  FranceSebastien Blachouin Franck Dumoulin Thierry Riedinger | South Korea Hong Seong-hwan Park Byung-taek Jang Dae-kyu |
| 2014 | Granada | Oleksandr Petriv Roman Bondaruk Pavlo Korostylov | Leonid Ekimov Alexei Klimov Anton Gourianov | Brazil Emerson Duarte Júlio Almeida José Carlos Batista |