Radom VIS 35 / P-35(p)

[bas]

For Herrmannek:

Arguably the best pistol of WWII the Radom VIS 35 (continued as the P-35(p) in German service), is one of my favourite items in my collection.

Radom 35's are usually identified as 3 grades:

Grade One for the pistols manufactured prior to German occupation, these are of the best quality with the highest standard of finish.
Grade Two are the first series of Radom's produced under German occupation and are of the same quality but with a lesser quality finish
Grade Three these are pistols produced in Austria from parts that were taken from the Radom factory before it was overrun by the Red Army. These are of the lowest quality of finish and don't have the takedown leaver installed.

This pistol is one of the last Grade 2 Radoms that followed the original design. As production progressed, the Germans took steps to simplify the process.

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom7.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom8.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom9.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom10.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom11.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom12.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom13.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom14.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom15.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom16.JPG

http://www.gunpics.net/german/p35p/essay/radom17.JPG

[Catch22]

Thank you bas! Preety pics! :hug: woot

"VIS" is a specyfic weapon. I've never shot orginal one - as close as I got was the II'nd grade of your descryption so it was a P35(p). There's actually a IVth grade of "Vis" that can be spoken of - numberless copies, mostly cheap and ugly. I fired one Albanian copy - it was challenging both esthetically (laquered glossy black!) and in terms of safety (some non-working decocking, which almost caused an accident.

What can we say - clever but demanding construction. Heavy, stable, ergonomic, short trigger travel - very accurate. SA with decocking lever, two independent safeties. Feels just like good 1911 - but just better ;)

And what's your "shooter" impression like, bas?

[LeMat]

Is it german version? I can't see an eagle on the gun.

[bas]

Is it german version? I can't see an eagle on the gun.

The waffenampts are to the left of the patent details, both on the slide and frame, the nazi proof mark is on the right of the patent, but is obscured because it overstamps the last number.

Under the patent is stamped P.35(p.)

[perdurabo]

Thank you bas! Preety pics! :hug: woot

"VIS" is a specyfic weapon. I've never shot orginal one - as close as I got was the II'nd grade of your descryption so it was a P35(p). There's actually a IVth grade of "Vis" that can be spoken of - numberless copies, mostly cheap and ugly. I fired one Albanian copy - it was challenging both esthetically (laquered glossy black!) and in terms of safety (some non-working decocking, which almost caused an accident.

What can we say - clever but demanding construction. Heavy, stable, ergonomic, short trigger travel - very accurate. SA with decocking lever, two independent safeties. Feels just like good 1911 - but just better ;)

And what's your "shooter" impression like, bas?
there is also new VIS produced by Łucznik/Radom very high-end sold for colectioners in wooden boxes for 5 000 zł (?? 1$ = ~3,5zł)

[Brzeczyszczykiewicz]

there is also new VIS produced by Łucznik/Radom very high-end sold for colectioners in wooden boxes for 5 000 zł (?? 1$ = ~3,5zł)

Todays exchange rate is 3.1912zl per 1$, so the gun would cost 1566$ :lol:

[Marmot1]

I put my hands on orginal one this year... the guy who owned it has around 60 of them- diferent versions...

Here is photo of part of his collection...

http://img44.exs.cx/img44/7060/HPIM0204.jpg
All rifles are Polish PRE war production...

http://img44.exs.cx/img44/1770/HPIM0211.jpg


And... :-D


http://img110.exs.cx/img110/1271/HPIM0203.jpg
]
VIS , lot of them...

[Herrmannek]

ORGASM

[mr.x]

Cool!
Those are the most Radoms I have ever seen at one time...nice collection

[Howie Kaluha]

ORGASM

Yes!!

[CMEPTb]

Is it a 9mm copy of colt?

[Maciek]

Is it a 9mm copy of colt?

VIS was patterned on COLT 1911 but is not a copy.
VIS has some improvments.
VIS was produced in a small series in .45(11.43mm) calibre

[perdurabo]

ORGASM
x2!!
OMG so sweet babies i have seen few prewar mausers but all of them deactivated :( f* polish law f* F* F* !!
for all Polish firearms lovers:
http://hem.passagen.se/dadkri/

acording to this site:
Reissue Vis: Like Reissue prototype but with square sight notch instead of triangle and walnut grip instead of plastic. This model was offered by Z.M. Lucznik on custom basis. With a lined wooden presentation box, spare magazine and cleaning kit it's price was around $2,500

[Javehn]

Cool .
It kinda looks like Browning High Power . It has the same name as well :) .

[CMEPTb]

Found some info on it at http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg61-e.htm

"WiS vz35 stand for "Wilniewczyc i(and) Skrzypinski, model of 1935". Originally, it was manufactured in Poland by F.B.Radom factory.
WiS vz35 externally is very similar to famous Colt/Browning M1911 design, but internally it is different. WiS vz35 is a recoil operated, locked breech pistol that used Browning linkless (Hi-Power style) locking principle. Gun has no manual safeties: instead it has grip automatic safety (like the 1911) and the frame-mounted decocker. The lever on the rear of the left side of the frame is a disassembly (takedown) latch. Guns made for Polish military in 1935-1939 also had shoulder-stock mount on the rear of the grip. During WW2, some WiS vz35 were manufactured for German Military in Austria using original Poland made parts.
Original WiS vz35 were standart issue handguns for the Polish military. In 1992 the manufacturing of the WiS vz35 in Poland was re-started on custom basis (for collection purposes).
According to some sources (incl. Guns & Ammo magazine), WiS vz35 is one of the best handguns ever built. "

[LeMat]

Oryginally name of the pistol was WIS but was changed into VIS which means POWER in latin.
Like all polish prewar guns VIS was made with extreme good quality. I heard that VIS is still in use by mercenaries around the world!

[Levan]

I dont think yhat Radom was the best pistol in WW2.
The best pistols where M1911 and FN High Power. IMHO

[firefighter from the moon]

Thank you bas! Preety pics! :hug: woot

"VIS" is a specyfic weapon. I've never shot orginal one - as close as I got was the II'nd grade of your descryption so it was a P35(p). There's actually a IVth grade of "Vis" that can be spoken of - numberless copies, mostly cheap and ugly. I fired one Albanian copy - it was challenging both esthetically (laquered glossy black!) and in terms of safety (some non-working decocking, which almost caused an accident.

What can we say - clever but demanding construction. Heavy, stable, ergonomic, short trigger travel - very accurate. SA with decocking lever, two independent safeties. Feels just like good 1911 - but just better ;)

And what's your "shooter" impression like, bas?

are you sure that Albania copied this pistol? If yes, please give me any information and possibly images. Thanx.

[noswal123]

how can i tell what generation mine is?

[REMOV]

Send us a picture of it with the serial numbers.

[Basillicus]

Appears to be a very nice pistol, I was just digging some information about that couple of days ago.

Can some expert here compare Vis with Browning HP? Both were and are very good pistols but are there some clear differences that make either one better than the other?

[noswal123]

this is a picture of what it looks like, with some other things i added, it also has the shoulder stock slot aswell. and this shows where the markings that are on it.

[REMOV]

You know, a bigger one with the marking clearly show should be better.

[noswal123]

You know, a bigger one with the marking clearly show should be better.

i do not have an actuall picture of the gun itself, that iswhat it looks like from all the pics ive found on the net. it matches that one perfectly.
except it has the swastika, and some other markings on it aswell.

[bolas]

how can i tell what generation mine is?

Grade I: Pre-war polish grade have a signature on a left side of frame "F.B. RADOM" + year of production under it (1935-39). Close to it there is a polish national eagle and on its right side there is a second signature: "VIS wz.35" and "pat. Nr.15567". If there are no nazi stamps on a pistol and number is under 42000-45000 there is a strong chance that this is pure polish classic. LEGEND !


Pre-war pistols ussually have a signature in oval (K/2 or D/2 or few other) close to trigger:
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/7661/rdp0011gv8.jpg

Grade II pistols (german production 1939-41) were manufactured mostly from original pre-war parts - so there could be also a polish markings present but close to them supposed to be german Waffenamts, like on picture below. Quality is also very high but there is a difference between this and a prewar Vis.

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1443/viskriegs3qz2.jpg
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/5717/viskriegs4ep1.jpg

Grade III: manufactured by germans 1941-43. Quality much lower then in grade II. On the frame there are usually no polish marking. New german signature apears in one verse: "FB RADOM VIS Mod.35. Pat nr. 15567". In some late pistols the grips are brown (not any more black). Also no shoulder-stock mount on the rear of the grip. In some of them dissasembly latch on a left side of frame is also missing.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/9441/wm608526ph2.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5300/rdp0033aha4.jpg

Grade IV: Late 1943-1945. Worst of all, very low quality of finishing. Production was moved to Steyr in Austria. Grips are brown (or even ... wooden), no stock-mount, no dissasembly latch.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/9233/nazivisgo4.jpg


There is also few other differences which allows to recognize what kind of Vis is this:

1) Shape of this part (sorry, dont know the proper words in english):
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7944/20676114ga6.jpg

2) Serial number - polish pre war were only numbers, german use also letters prior the number (for example: "P7119" or "Z1818")

3) Of course MARKINGS/SIGNATURES