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Here is a circa 1950 F.B.Radom VIS Model P.35 9mm East German Police Pistol. This wartime pistol was manufactured in Poland by the Germans in 1942 and bears WaA77 inspection markings. It was later refurbished by the DDR Volkspolizei in Suhl and has a VP police armory inspection star on the left trigger guard.
Radom Pistol Serial Numbersclevervia Mankan
Largely considered as one of the best engineered pistols of the European WWII era, the VIS 35 was Poland's ultimate small arms achievement. Though it is uniquely patented, the pistol's design borrows heavily from the Belgian Browning Hi Power. Pre-war production (1936-1939) featured a prominent Polish Eagle on the left slide, and the guns were meticulously buffed and finished.
When the Germans overran Poland in late 1939, they resumed production at the Radom Arsenal utilizing existing inventory. By mid to late 1940, they began making new product. The Polish Eagle was discontinued, and the Germans renamed the gun as the P35(p). Early occupation production had the new designation stamped on the slide, and the pistol retained its features such as the quality finish, the shoulder stock slot in the rear grip frame, and the takedown lever. Serial numbering was changed to the typical German alphabet prefix style. The Nazis assigned the Waffenamt inspection of WaA77 (later Eagle over 77). Final assembly and acceptance was assigned to the Steyr Arsenal in Austria, with Waffenamt WaA623. Magazines featured the inspection of E/189.
As the war progressed, the Germans sought to speed production and cut costs. The stock slot was discontinued. The takedown lever was eliminated, and instead incorporated with the decocking device. The P35(p) was discontinued on the slide, the relief recesses were no longer milled behind the trigger on the frame, grip screw pillar escutcheons were eliminated, telescoping guide rod replaced with a solid rod, and the plastic grip panels were replaced with wood. Outward appearance was no longer a concern, and the polished finish yielded to the rough machined finish. The latest guns were parkerized instead of blued.
For identification purposes of war-time pistols, some collectors will follow a system of Grades I-IV to denote the feature elimination progression. Others identify by the First Alphabet and Second Alphabet serial number series. And still others call them Slotted and Non-Slotted, or Three Lever and Two Lever.
By mid to late 1944, the Soviets were advancing toward Poland, and the Germans began moving the entire VIS 35 production from the Radom Arsenal in Poland to the Steyr Arsenal in Austria.
Can't really say that I absorb all the Grade Types and Sub-variants, so I'll call mine a two lever, d-prefix from the second alphabet, no stock slot, non P35(p) legend, E/77 slide and frame, WaA623 slide, telescoping guide rod, E/189 mag, and nice black plastic grips without screw pillars.
It is an early 1944 gun and has some light high edge wear, a small rub on the right slide, a light scratch or two, and some moderate grip strap thinning. Bore is bright and sharp.
Although the lighting and exposure don't always pick up proper hue in the pics, it's a very nice dark blue with 90-plus% coverage. Machining is crude and rough, just like it should be, and just the way I like it!
My holster is extremely interesting. It began life as M1898 Austrian Rast Gasser revolver holster. It was likely modified in WWI to incorporate a shoulder harness. In WWII, the shoulder harness was eliminated, and the large trigger guard section was reduced to accept the smaller frame of the VIS 35.
This is a very uncommonly found holster design, and I have only found reference to three others with similar alterations.
The rest of the pics, and thanks for looking.
-Matt
- Borrowing design characteristics and features of pistols designed by John Browning and Dieudonne Saive such as the M1911 and the Hi-power, the Radom wz. 35 VIS was first tested in 1931 in Poland. Originally referred to as the WiS (an acronym of the Polish designers' names), the pistol was renamed VIS, meaning 'power' in Latin.
- Radom Model 35 Serial Numbers 05 Looking much like a Model 1911, the Radom is. German production serial numbers typically are grouped in.
Sold
LSB#: 170120BB04
Make: Fabryka Broni (Arms Factory), in Radom, Poland
Model: VIS 35 (Vis is Latin for “force”) 2nd Variation (http://www.tague.at/pistolen/en_index.htm?/pistolen/pages/en_cz27.htm)
Serial Number: K0891
Year of Manufacture: 1940-41
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto Pistol with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “F. B. RADOM VIS MOD.35. Pat. Nr.15567 / “P.35(p.)””, an Eagle holding a globe with Swastika, “Eagle / WaA77” (Waffenamt Used in Poland at Radom) and “Eagle / 623” (Waffenamt for Final Acceptance at Steyr). The left side of the frame is also marked with an “Eagle / WaA77”. The right side of the frame is marked “K0891” and with an “Eagle / 77”. The right side of the trigger is marked “f” and the front face of the slide is marked “N”. There are inspection marks on the right front of the trigger guard, the right side of the slide below the port and on the slide release. The left side of the barrel lug is marked “891” and with an Eagle holding a globe with Swastika. The right side of the lug is marked “2” and with an “Eagle / 623”. The underside of the barrel in front of the lug is marked “8 82”. The left slot in the underside of the slide is marked “K0891”.
Barrel Length: 4 11/16”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short narrow blade fixed to the rib on the slide. The rear sight is a “V” notch dovetailed into the slide. There is a thin narrow rib running down the center of the entire length of the slide with a finely checkered finish.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered black plastic with “FB” in an inverted triangle on the left grip and “VIS” in an inverted triangle on the right grip. The checkering shows moderate wear with two mars in the left grip. The smooth borders and triangles show several light handling marks. The grips are in about Very good condition.
Radom Vis 35 Serial Numbers
Type of Finish: The pistol has a blued finish with very light wire wheel marks under the finish indicative of a wartime finish.
Finish Originality: The finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is a mottled bright/gray with sharp pronounced rifling. There is extremely light erosion scattered throughout the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 65% of its metal finish. There is pinprick surface erosion scattered over the top of the slide and sides of the slide and frame. There is thinning in all areas, with a few light handling marks on the slide. There is also a tiny disfigured spot on the bottom left edge of the slide at the back edge of the slide retaining notch. The hammer and slide serrations show light wear ant eh knurling on the small parts is sharp. The screw heads are sharp and the markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp and the slide is tight to the frame. There is a de-cocker on the slide and a grip safety. The Grade II variant included a dismounting lever on the left rear of the frame, and a lanyard ring on the bottom of the mainspring housing. It does not have the groove in the back of the mainspring housing for attachment of a shoulder stock. To disassemble the gun, the slide is pulled back and the dismounting lever is raised into a notch on the bottom edge of the slide. This allows the slide release to be pushed out from the right side and the gun disassembled much like a Browning High Power. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol come with a total of two magazines and a brown leather top-flap holster. The magazines are blued and show thinning. The magazine in the pistol is the correct magazine for this pistol and is marked with an “Eagle / 189” on the floorplate. It is in about Good to Very Good condition. The spare magazine is marked “77” on the bottom of the floorplate and with an inspection mark at the bottom of the spine. It is also in about Good to Very Good condition. The holster is made from a single piece of leather that is folded over at the front and sewn along the rear edge, and folded over at the top to form the top flap. The top flap has a steel stud on it for securing to a strap sewn to the outside of the holster. There are two belt loops sewn to the back of the holster and an intact pull strap on the inside of the holster. The holster appears identical to the Steyr holster shown at http://www.tague.at/pistolen/en_index.htm?/pistolen/pages/en_cz27.htm for a 2nd Variation Radom, but the makers markings on the inside of the top flap are too faint to read. The leather is still supple but shows spots of oil staining on the magazine pouch, top flap and the back of the holster. There are a few light handling marks in the holster with crazing around the toe, and along the front edge of the holster and the edges of the top flap. The stitching is intact. The holster is in about Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: This is a Radom VIS Model 35 Grade II pistol made near the beginning of WWII under German occupation. It has Waffenamts from Poland and from Suhl where it underwent final inspection. The design is roughly based on John Browning’s M1911 with a slide release, de-cocker, grip safety and a dismounting lever. This pistol is in about Very Good condition with about 65% of its original finish remaining. The bore is a mottled bright/gray with sharp pronounced rifling and extremely light erosion scattered throughout the bore. The pistol is correctly marked for a 2nd Variation Radom, and has matching serial numbers on the slide, frame and barrel. It comes with two magazines (the one in the pistol is correctly marked with a German acceptance stamp, but the spare magazine appears to be from an earlier pistol) and a vintage brown leather top flap holster identical to that made by Steyr for the Radom pistols. The holster appears authentic in all regards, but the makers mark on the inside surface of the top flap is too faint to read. This is a very nice package that will be of interest to collectors of German weaponry as used during WWII.