A series of about 3,000 pistols, all dated “1939” on the slide and stamped with the highest serial numbers recorded, holds one of the many mysteries in the history of the Vis 35. 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.

I've been looking for one of these in good condition for a while now. I was bidding on one but it wound up going for more than I was willing to spend but I made sure the other guy really-really wanted it. I had this one sitting as my backup in case i lost the auction. She might have been 2nd place but I'm more than happy with it.Took it to the range today and it shot very well when i did everything on my side right. The front blade is pretty small and against a black target gets lost pretty easily. I'll have to find some brighter targets to shoot at. I ran 100 rounds through the old girl and she operated perfectly, no malfunctions at all.

The weight of the pistol kept recoil down and it was a really fun gun to shoot.Left side of the pistol shows typical early stamping of 'F.B.Radom VIS Mod35.Pat.Nr15567'. Also present are the correct German proof markings.Right Side of the pistol has the serial number on the frame.Overall the blueing is in about 92-93%. The main place where it's worn down is on the rear and front of the grip area.All of the serial numbered parts are matching.Serial number in side of the slide.Matching numbers on the mainspring housingHammer and hammer spring, numbers matching.Also matching serial number stamped on the barrel as well. The color of the barrel is interesting, all the photos I've seen are just in the white.

Apr 23, 2008 The first pistols, made before the German takeover, were marked on the left side of the slide with a fairly large Polish eagle; on either side of the eagle are two line markings - F.B.Radom over the date on the left, and 'VIS-wz 35' (name of pistol and 'Wzor' (model) 35) over the patent number. 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. Shop for Radom 1935 (P-35) Schematics with Numrich Gun Parts.

Need to do a bit more reading and see if there's anything mentioned.Underside of the barrel stamped 882Recoil spring assemblyThe grips appear to be original and other than a small chip, are in very good condition.The pistol came with one magazine, no serial number on it.It is marked with the German stamps though.Polish Family Photo. From the right, (11) Tokarev, Mag98, Vis 35 & P64. Pretty much done with the Polish pistols at this point. Unless a Polish Nagant comes up for dirt cheap, this is probably going to be it. The Wanad is out there and available but I just really don't care for the looks of that one.

It's cheap enough that I might grab one but I'm not in much of a hurry to do that.Last edited by Lotema; at 07:50 PM. Nice example. Most 1st D blocks are slotted, but not all.

Is yours?You can add some white out of something of color as a temporary high light to the front sight. They are amazing shooter.Nope not slotted unfortunately. Looking at the photos online and in all the different books, seems like it was pretty hit or miss as to whether the D block ones got the slotted main spring housing. Would love to know the actual reasoning but I'm sure it's just as simple as supply.I'll have to find some whiteout to put on the front sight.

My near sight is pretty bad after having done lasik a couple years ago. My distance vision is great but anything less than 2 or so feet in front of me is hard to focus. Add in poor lighting at our ranges pistol stations and a black target. All of that considered and yet I was still able to shoot some pretty respectable groups. I might have to try the whiteout and hit the range again tomorrow! I have a three lever Radom also. They do shoot nice as they have the weight of a 1911 but with a 9mm cartridge.

The locking is like a browning High Powere but the grip safety is like a 1911. The sights do suck.VladThe weight and feel of the pistol is just fantastic. It comes on to the target more naturally then my 1911's and of course much less recoil as well. This one will be getting some good time in at the range for sure!The only thing about this one that I don't understand is the coloring on the barrel. It has that odd gold coloration to it that I just can't quite figure out. At first I thought it was just old dried grease but it isn't.

I haven't seen any photos of other barrels that have that coloration to them. Just leaves me wondering about that.

This is a picture of a F.B. RADOM VIS Mod.35.Pat.Nr.15567 per the slide marking the left side. It’s design was “influenced” by John Browning’s 1911 and Hi Power designs. There’s also a touch of the Spanish Ruby.It takes a 9mm Parabellum or Luger round. It came with a single magazine, with a capacity of 8 +1 rounds.It has a dark rust blued finish, but the surface is rough low polished and there are some production marks, a plus a little pitting and minor wear.

The 4.53” barrel is shiny, there’s no rust and she’s tight. The grips are wooden with grooves. 85-90% would be appropriate.In 1935 Fabryka Broni, the Polish National Armory at Radom started manufacturing these for use by their cavalry. Later that year Germany and Russia invade and split Poland down the middle. The Radom plant was in the German sector. Supervisors from the Steyr-Daimler-Puch factory in Austria were sent to supervise further production in 1940.VIS in the stamped ID is Latin for Power.

There pistols are often identified as being the VIS-35 Polish Radom Pistol, the Polish Radom P-35 or if you’re selling them at an online gun auction you call them Late World War II Nazi Marked Occupation Radom 35 9mm Pistols.Here’s a photo of the left side. The serial number, along with the absence of a slot to attach a stock and a takedown catch located where the thumb safety would be on a 1911 indicate that it was manufactured in 1943. So she’s what some folks would call a “2 lever” gun.Things were going downhill fast for the Germans in 1943; they’d failed in their invasion of Russia. There had been an uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto. So production at Radom has been increased and standards lowered. By August 1944 production had moved to Austria. When the Russian Army took Radom they burned the plant, in 1945.The slide marking identifying the make and manufacturer is accompanied by a Nazi Eagle over a Swastika and a Eagle over 623 Stamp, with no WaA.

These stamps were also found on the barrel, which was also marked with the last three numbers of the serial number. They’re called Waffenamt acceptance marks, indicating that they had been inspected (proofed) and fired by Inspector 626. 626 could have been either a team or an individual, who was usually at the Steyr Factory. 626’s stamp under an eagle is also on the magazine. Some folks contend that later the barrels were only being made at the plant in Austria and that when they received the lowers from Poland they were accepted and proofed there.

Since this one was made in 1943, 71 years ago, history has faded away.The German Radom Model 35’s were issued to SS, Paratroopers and Police (The Secret Gestapo Kind) who participated in some rather nasty atrocities during the war. Some were specially produced and marked as Mariner Models; they were issued to “U” Boat types. They are rare, since most wound up on the bottom of the Atlantic.I acquire this one through a private sale and have no available history as to how it wound up in America. Based upon its condition and the markings it was reasonable at $460.00. Some of these especially the original Polish ones and specific later models bring a pretty price.Here’s an interesting link to some more history on the VIS-35 Polish Radom Pistol. She's a beaut! Thanks for posting and are you going to post a range report?LOL.

Actually I'm feeling rather obligated to give it a range trip. I bought it from a gunsmith and it's sound. I spent some time doing the research and during the disassembly confirmed early reports that the spring in this puppy is a real bear. Some folks have reported that they have had problems, since apparently back in the war the 9mm rounds had more velocity than todays modern manufactured ammunition. Which resulted in their having to use close to +P ammunition to get it to work right. So that remains to be seen.Part of the test firing requirements for the ammunition back in the day for acceptance of use by military personnel was that it be capable of penetrating the standard steel helmet worn by opposing military forces. Originally the Polish Military was considering acquisition of a.308 caliber semiautomatic designed by FN.

Several Radoms were produced in.45 ACP Caliber and even the odd.22LR caliber.The earlier models had three levers, one which was a take down lever. In the two lever models the Decocker lever is used also as a disassembly tool to lock the slide back on a notch in the hammer. You rack the slide back and use the lever to hold the slide back.

Then pull and hold the guide rod (under the barrel) forward, the slide latch is then pulled out from the left side. When reassembling the slide, with the barrel and internal parts inserted, the slide goes back on and gets locked into place at the rear by using the lever. The guide rod has to be pulled forward and held, I used a cord to pull it forward and then reinserted the slide latch. It was loads of 'fun'.So I'm really going to put a few down range with her when I get to feeling better. Yesterday and today I've been dealing with some icky type flu.

The earlier versions of this pistol were rated as superior and renown for their quality and handling. This one's what some folks call a Mid War version which even though it was roughly made still maintained some of those characteristics. Later models were notoriously poorly manufactured and some folks warn that the slave laborers being used to make them weren't below a little sabotage. Another part of the dark heritage that surrounded this weapon. As I recall, Lugers were said to be problematic with the old 9mm you could get in the states, too.

Gotta run that NATO stuff at least! That said, I also recall Lugers were about $35 at the time. Lots of 'em were converted to.45 ACPs.Wasn't a hotter WW II 9mm used in pistols so the ammo was interchangeable with SMGs?Hope you feel better soon.I know several folks that own Lugers and some shoot anything and others can be picky.LOL. Legend says that the Germans had several different load types for their 9mm caliber weapons.Earlier in the war they supposedly had separate boxes or crates marked as what weapon they were appropriate use for.

For Lugers, the case was marked For P-08 Pistol. It was 16 sharp pointed bullets in a brass case. “Service Loads for Pistols” marked boxes contained 16 rounds, with a rounded bullet and brass case that were for P-38, Hi-Powers, Radoms and other weapons being manufactured in occupied countries. “Achtung For Submachine Use Only” boxes contained 64 rounds, with a blackened cases and round bullets. If you fired one in a pistol there would be damage. So it must have been a hot load.

Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers By Year

Radom Vis Pistol Value

Radom Vis Pistol For Sale

SMGs had open bolts and could handle higher pressure ammunition. So if you run across any 'good' deals on old military surplus ammunition, keep that in mind.By the end of the war soldiers on the front were receiving large wooden, tin lined crates with 500 loosely packed pointed rounds with aluminum or light steel cases. Like the Japanese with their Last Ditch Arisaka Rifles and Nambu Pistols production, standards got tossed out the window.I’m just going to have to wait and see how this old gal handles modern 9mm.