Gents, Do we know when the Radom Model 35 pistols with E prefix serial numbers (with WaA77) were manufactured? The early E prefix pistols seem to be mixed into those with shoulder stock cuts while later ones without cuts still have slide legends without the added P.35(p) markings. The Vis 35, or Radom, proved itself one of the top 9mm service autos of World War II. One of the first orders of business was to get the military going again. Though many non-endemic arms were adopted by Polish forces out of necessity, arms design did continue apace, resulting in one of the best auto pistols of all time, the Vis 35 Radom. Radom Pistols are semi automatic pistols are WW2 Era Handguns that were made by both the Polish and the German. This handgun was normally manufactured by the Polish, and these models will have an engraving of the Polish Eagle. During the war, the Nazi Army took over the F.B. Radom factory and manufactured them for their troops.
- Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers 222
- Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers History
- Radom Pistol Serial Numbers
Slide markings: 'F.B. Radom VIS Mod 35 Pat. 155567' on early ones and 'bnz' on late ones. Serial numbers: Kxxxx. Resistance Vis: Small numbers of Vises were assembled by the resistance from parts stolen from the Radom factory.
I thought you might be interested in seeing a Polish P.35 9mm Radom pistol. At first glance it might appear homely, but the Radom is considered by many experts as one of the best pistols to come out of the WWII period. It was well made and robust. Poland produced this pistol, which had a blend of features from the M1911 pistol and the Belgian 9mm High Power. It has a grip safety like the M1911, and the barrel is unlocked via a cam like the High Power. The lever on the slide is a decocker - it retracts the firing pin into the slide and drops the hammer on the hammer retaining plate.
The lever to the rear of the grip frame is not a safety - it's a slide retaining latch to aid in disassembly. The slide release is just above the trigger on the left side.
There is no manual safety; the design relies solely on a half-cock notch or the floating firing pin which allows safe carry with the hammer down. The decocker was put on the gun in response to a request by the Polish cavalry to help in operating the pistol one-handed; the other hand had to control the reins of a horse.
Men on horseback wielding pistols were not a good match for German tanks, however. When Germany overran Poland in 1939, it took over the Radom plant and began to produce the pistol for its armed forces, including the Navy, fallschirmjaegers (paratroopers), police and the SS. The native Polish workers promptly began smuggling parts of the pistol out of the plant to arm resistance forces.
When the Germans found out about this practice, they executed a dozen plant workers in front of their co-workers. Later, to stop sabotage, the Germans started making barrels for the pistols in Austria, and later moved all the machinery to Austria.
This particular pistol was made in Poland in 1942, and bears the German waffenamt acceptance stamps. Later guns dispensed with the takedown latch. Earlier ones were slotted for a shoulder stock. The 'VIS' on the right grip panel is Latin for 'power' or 'force.' The 'FB' on the left grip panel stands for Fabryka Brony (Weapon Factory), the Polish government manufacturing facility in Radom, Poland. This gun is in excellent shape for being 70 years old, and could still give good service.
Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers 222
It will fire any commonly available 9mm Luger ammo. Luckily for collectors, Germans have always been meticulous about marking their firearms, both military and commercial. It's fun to 'read the marks' that can tell you a lot about firearms made in or accepted by Germany. Here are the marks on a Polish P.35 Radom pistol made in 1942.
In this picture you will see the 'Eagle over WaA77' mark on both the slide and the frame. This waffenamt codes the pistol as being made at the Polish weapons factory in Radom. The next mark (somewhat indistinct) 'P.35(p)' is the official German designation for the Radom P.35. The (p) stands for polnische, the German word for 'polish'. The Eagle over Swastika indicates ownership by Nazi Germany.
The 'Eagle over 623' stamp indicates that the pistol was given its final acceptance at the Steyr plant in Austria. From there it was likely shipped to the German armed forces, likely paratroopers, police or SS. The markings on the barrel camming lug are fairly straightforward. At the top are the last three digits of the serial number, insuring that the proper barrel is mated with the proper slide and frame. Next are two 'Eagle over 623' acceptance stamps by the Steyr plant in Austria. Vw rcd 200 manual download. Probably dimension checks and a proof load. And finally, the 'Eagle over swastika' ownership stamp of Nazi Germany.
Again, the history of a German firearm can be read if you know their marking customs and codes. Although this is a Polish-made firearm, if the Germans used it, it was marked per their protocols. Hope you found this as interesting as I did. Luckily for collectors, Germans have always been meticulous about marking their firearms, both military and commercial. It's fun to 'read the marks' that can tell you a lot about firearms made in or accepted by Germany. Here are the marks on a Polish P.35 Radom pistol made in 1942. In this picture you will see the 'Eagle over WaA77' mark on both the slide and the frame.
Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers History
This waffenamt codes the pistol as being made at the Polish weapons factory in Radom. The next mark (somewhat indistinct) 'P.35(p)' is the official German designation for the Radom P.35. The Eagle over Swastika indicates ownership by Nazi Germany. The 'Eagle over 623' stamp indicates that the pistol was given its final acceptance at the Steyr plant in Austria. From there it was likely shipped to the German armed forces, likely paratroopers, police or SS. The markings on the barrel camming lug are fairly straightforward. At the top are the last three digits of the serial number, insuring that the proper barrel is mated with the proper slide and frame.
Radom Pistol Serial Numbers
