25 meter 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.

This article does not cite any sources. (December 2009)

25 meter pistol (formerly called sport pistol) is essentially the women's equivalent of this event, the only difference being the smaller rimfire caliber handguns used (often the same models only chambered for the smaller caliber).

A center-fire match consists of two parts of 30 shots each, both shot at 25 m:

• 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.

The score zones of the targets are different for the two stages, but scores are usually similar for the two courses. In the precision stage, the target is the same as in 50 meter pistol (although at half the distance), with a 10-zone of 5 cm diameter, and in the rapid-fire stage, the target is the same as in 25 meter rapid fire pistol, with a 10-zone of 10 cm diameter.

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 meter pistol event, which is an Olympic event for women.