Pistole P35 (P): the Radom

[Adrian Stevenson]

Otherwise known as the wz 35 VIS, adopted in 1935, this pre war Polish 9mm semi auto pistol was popular with the Germans and continued in production after the 1939 invasion. The German designation was P35 (p). Over 300,000 were produced under the Germans.

Here is my example, which is deactivated, but is nicely done. The inert 9mm rounds in the magazine are all German and wartime dated.

Serial numbers to the frame, slide and barrel all match.

Cheers, Ade

[Joey L]

Hi Adrian, I like your pistol, it is exactly like my Radom 9mm with the exception mine hasn't had to be deactivated because I live in the States. Though mine also has a nasty little import mark on the bottom of the barrel. Mine has a serial number beginning with L then four numbers, what is the significance of the letters? How many of these pistols were produced? I have seen where later versions didn't have the take down lever on the left side as well. One other question, what was done to deactivate the pistol, I noticed on some that the slides are still operational?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Joey, welcome to the forum!

These guns are numbered, like many other German firearms, in blocks of numbers, each of which has a letter prefix. Production estimates vary between 312,000 to 380,000 guns. An exact figure is hard to place, due to so many guns being assembled from parts at the Steyr plant in Austria late war.

The deact work comprises of cutting off the firing pin, milling a slot down the barrel then welding in place a steel rod in the barrel. The ramp leading to the chamber is sometimes milled away too. But the gun will still cock and strip.

They are an interesting pistol which went through a few changes during German production. Each version got more simplified of course to speed up production. Some info from the net here:

Type I:

All parts except the recoil spring and recoil spring guide are blued with high quality commercial type blue finish. Barrel, recoil spring, and recoil spring guide are polished white. Grips are checkered hard rubber. A shoulder stock slot and a lanyard ring may or may not be present.


Slide Legend:

F.B. RADOM VIS MOD. 35 PAT NR. 15567 P.35(p)


Type II:

All parts except the barrel, recoil spring, and recoil spring guide are blued over an improperly polished surface. Barrel, recoil spring, and recoil spring guide are polished white. Grips are checkered black plastic, checkered brown plastic, fine checkered hardwood, or coarse checkered hardwood. Lanyard ring and disassembly lever are present, shoulder stock slot omitted.


Slide Legend:

F.B. RADOM VIS MOD. 35 PAT NR. 15567 P.35(p)

The " P.35(p)" was eliminated from the slide legend of late grade II pistols.


Type III:

The frame, slide, and magazine are parkerized. Rear sight, hammer, hammer release, magazine release catch, slide stop, and grip screws are blued over a roughly or poorly polished surface. Barrel, recoil spring, and recoil spring guide are polished white. Lanyard ring is present, shoulder stock slot and disassembly lever are absent. Grips are checkered black plastic, checkered brown plastic, fine checkered hardwood, coarse checkered hardwood, or grooved hardwood.


Slide Legend:

F.B. RADOM VIS MOD. 35 PAT NR. 15567 P.35(p)


I hope to get to shoot one of these one day. Do you shoot yours and what is your impression of it?

Cheers, Ade.

[Frogprince]

Adrian,
That looks like a nice example of a relatively early Type II version of the pistol in the "M" block. I have a little earlier Type I with the stock slot. But am sorry to say that I have never shot it, although I have shot a lot of different 9mm pistols. I especially like the way that the Radom fills my hand. And would imagine that it is relatively pleasant to shoot because has the weight of a steel frame to help soak up the recoil.
Best Regards, FP

[Michael Kuligowski]

great gun Ade !! I love them - VIS are very handsome guns.. :001_wub: