A service pistol is any handgun issued to military personnel.
Typically service pistols are revolvers or semi-automatic pistols issued to officers, non-commissioned officers and rear-echelon support personnel for self defense, though service pistols may also be issued to special forces as a backup for their primary weapons. Pistols are not typically issued to front-line infantry.
Before firearms were commonplace, officers typically carried swords instead.
Read more about Service Pistol: History, Modern Issue, See Also
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