Polish P35 Vis Radom

[mp40man]

Late war two lever Radom and period holster. Nice ones are getting hard to find at a decent price. Being new here I thought I would post a pic of a nice original WWII weapon. The best to all. Rich

[Shooter5]

Neat! Polish - and Czech arms, for that matter - don't get the recognition they deserve, IMO.

[dave]

They are now, especially if German used. I bought and sold dozens of Radom's back in the 70's-80's for 30-35 bucks. Thay are several hundred now, may be higher, I have not seen any for sale in years. I have one I kept, never have seen a Polish eagle, what I really wanted! Jan 66 ad in AR had them, Ex. 29.95, Like new 34.95.

[Tuna]

Years ago I bought a Radom from a local dealer. The slide didn't match the frame number wise but the slide was an early one with the Polish eagle on it. I sold the slide and got a later slide as part of the payment with more then enough to cover the purchase price of the pistol. The pistol was very accurate and they are a basic John Browning design with the added features. Hard to find an early nice one today.

[dave]

That J.B. design is not quite true, I understand. Designed by a Pole or two and entirely different then a US 1911, for instance. Looks like J.B. but internal is not.

[John Sukey]

I wish I could find one WITHOUT the nazi chicken on the slide! (it's an ethnic thing)

[John Sukey]

I wish I could find one WITHOUT the nazi chicken on the slide! (it's an ethnic thing)

[Shooter5]

That J.B. design is not quite true, I understand. Designed by a Pole or two and entirely different then a US 1911, for instance. Looks like J.B. but internal is not.
Browning designs (1911 and P35) inspired the Vis from an engineering and design perspective.

[dave]

"This pistol is based on the Browning short recoil design----", "Its grip saftey at rear at rear of reciever and left positioned magazine release and slide stop are similar to those of the US 1911 Colt .45 pistol", (Ludwig Olson, A.R.) which could be said of a lot of pistols. It has a cam to unlock slide/barrel, not a toggle link. And a hammer drop feature, something a Colt could use! There are several other differences.
So it seems to be 'based on a Browning system' and thats really about it. Oh, it sort of looks like a 1911 (grip shape is very different) but several other pistols do also.

[Tuna]

It also has some roots to Browning's Hi-Power design too. So as I said before a basic Browning design with added features.

[Shooter5]

It should also be mentioned the P35 itself was actually modified and completed extensively from JB's original:

Dieudonné Joseph Saive (1889–1973) was a Belgian small arms designer who designed several well-known firearms for Belgian armsmaker Fabrique Nationale, including the FN Model 1949[1] and the FN FAL (Fusil Automatique Leger or Light Automatic Rifle). He is also known for modifying several of John Browning's firearms designs, including the 1931 Baby Browning and Hi Power pistol as well as the Browning .30 cal machine gun.

[jgaynor]

It also has some roots to Browning's Hi-Power design too. So as I said before a basic Browning design with added features.

+1

[NuJudge]

Years ago I bought a Radom from a local dealer. The slide didn't match the frame number wise but the slide was an early one with the Polish eagle on it. I sold the slide and got a later slide as part of the payment with more then enough to cover the purchase price of the pistol. The pistol was very accurate and they are a basic John Browning design with the added features. Hard to find an early nice one today.

Many of the last ones made by the Poles had the slide serial number several hundred digits off from the frame. It is not matching, but it may well have been the way it left the Polish factory. The books on the Radom talk about this. I have one made in 1939 that is this way.

[John Sukey]

Hate to be picky, but the pistol is a VIS, manufactured at Radom Arsenal.

You wouldn't call an Ithaca a Colt 45 unless it was made by Colt or a 1917 S&W a colt because it was chambered for the same round