The Polish Radom pistol - a fascinating history
- Thread starter PALADIN85020
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Dominus_Lex
Member
Great post, thanks Paladin, does anyone know where I can get my hands on a set of grips for one? I have one with hand made wood grips, after seeing the originals I think I need a set.
OP
You might try Gun Parts Corporation (Numrich), or Jack First. Both have web sites.
John
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Recovered Vis 35
Looks like I found the experts here. I've attached a photo of a 1937 Vis 35...serial 6081. My police department recovered the firearm in the possession of a foreign national. I'm trying to locate an owner. I was very surprised to find this firearm when most of the people I deal with carry Jennings, Phoenix, or Bryco pistols. The photo on the handle is very interesting and appears to be a 1940's era photo.
Looks like I found the experts here. I've attached a photo of a 1937 Vis 35...serial 6081. My police department recovered the firearm in the possession of a foreign national. I'm trying to locate an owner. I was very surprised to find this firearm when most of the people I deal with carry Jennings, Phoenix, or Bryco pistols. The photo on the handle is very interesting and appears to be a 1940's era photo.
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BJoe
Member
My girlfriend is VERY Polish, her last name is the ONLY family in the Country with that name. She has me on the lookout for one for her father.
OP
You have a treasure there. It's an early Radom with the Polish Eagle on the slide, made in 1937, before the German invasion in 1939. These pre-war examples have the best finish and are highly desirable collectibles. The photo under the plastic (non-standard) grip piece does appear to reflect some 1940s-era women. If only the gun could talk! The magazine appears to be one from a German P.38.
John
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mkk41
US Veteran
There's an article on the Radom on the back page of the current American Rifleman.
Double-O-Dave
US Veteran
Scoutwookie: I recently read a book about a young American officer in WW-II who took a piece of plexiglass off of a downed aircraft and made grips similar to yours for his issued 1911. He then placed a photo of his wife and child under the plexiglass grips and carried it that way throughout the remainder of the war. If I can find the book again (it was from the public library) I will post a reference to it. To me, I think the original or previous owner of your Radom did a very similar thing.
Regards,
Dave
OP
Further info on the Radom pistol...
For those interested in the Radom/VIS Polish pistols, I want to alert you to a fine article on these guns in the current (December, 2013) issue of Man at Arms - for the Gun Collector magazine. This is the official NRA journal for the American arms collector. It spans 5 pages, and is well illustrated with the several variations. Authored by Gordon Bruce, the article begins on page 38 of this issue. Highly recommended for more information. While not as extensive as William York's excellent book VIS Radom, it has useful further information on these guns.
John
For those interested in the Radom/VIS Polish pistols, I want to alert you to a fine article on these guns in the current (December, 2013) issue of Man at Arms - for the Gun Collector magazine. This is the official NRA journal for the American arms collector. It spans 5 pages, and is well illustrated with the several variations. Authored by Gordon Bruce, the article begins on page 38 of this issue. Highly recommended for more information. While not as extensive as William York's excellent book VIS Radom, it has useful further information on these guns.
John
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My Radom had the black grips and came with the holster with
a second magazine on the side. It was in very good shape and shot well for a older auto.
I did buy a newer barrel for it to improve its accuracy and it
did ok with the 115gr but the 124gr was the bullet weight that
it preferred with either Bullseye or Unique powder.
Fun pistol in the desert going after jack rabbits.
a second magazine on the side. It was in very good shape and shot well for a older auto.
I did buy a newer barrel for it to improve its accuracy and it
did ok with the 115gr but the 124gr was the bullet weight that
it preferred with either Bullseye or Unique powder.
Fun pistol in the desert going after jack rabbits.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
One of my biggest regrets is selling or trading a radom that I inherited that my uncle brought back. He was 82nd AB and said they found a case of them, 12 or 14 I think, and he and his buddys split them up. They all were new with the holsters, tools and extra magazines. I shot it a few times but at the time also had a bunch more guns he brought back etc. I really regret that as the rest of his handguns were later stolen. His had the redish brown grips.
OP
The one with an "eagle over a 77" was made later than the first one; it's really just a shortened form of the previous "eagle over WaA 77" mark. I don't have data on when the changeover was made, but it was sometime late in the first alphabet series of which there were 2; the second series ran through "K". Each letter prefix covered about 10,000 pistols, with some letters omitted to avoid confusion with digits.
John
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"Some Radoms show a depression in the frame where the property or proof mark was stamped.
Does that indicate soft steel, especially on later guns?"
Texas Star, I have a very early German occupation A prefix serial number VIS P35(p) that doesn't show the Waffenamt stamp depression. The frame also exhibits some Polish marking so it was most likely assembled from pre occupation parts on hand. I think that the German made frames weren't made to the same specs as the Polish ones but even if a bit softer they're still quite serviceable.
My pistol does have the slotted mainspring housing. Back in the 1990's someone in Poland made some copies of one of the experimental shoulder stocks that were of excellent quality. Sadly it would have required doing SBR paperwork and paying the $200 tax stamp to get one. It would have made a great set.
Does that indicate soft steel, especially on later guns?"
Texas Star, I have a very early German occupation A prefix serial number VIS P35(p) that doesn't show the Waffenamt stamp depression. The frame also exhibits some Polish marking so it was most likely assembled from pre occupation parts on hand. I think that the German made frames weren't made to the same specs as the Polish ones but even if a bit softer they're still quite serviceable.
My pistol does have the slotted mainspring housing. Back in the 1990's someone in Poland made some copies of one of the experimental shoulder stocks that were of excellent quality. Sadly it would have required doing SBR paperwork and paying the $200 tax stamp to get one. It would have made a great set.
A friend of mine inherited one from his father, who was a US Army intelligence officer in WW II. His father had relieved a German officer of the gun when said German officer tried to draw and fire during capture. A butt stroke to the face ended that and my friend's dad ended up with the gun while the German ended up with a broken face.
When his dad died, he inherited the gun. When my friend got his firearms license, he invited a couple of us to the range to shoot it.
I found it to be an easy to shoot, accurate weapon.
When his dad died, he inherited the gun. When my friend got his firearms license, he invited a couple of us to the range to shoot it.
I found it to be an easy to shoot, accurate weapon.
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Interesting and informative article.
A coworker carried one as his duty gun until the Dept. nixed SA semi-autos in the mid-80s. Last seen in a pawn shop, as the gun was just a tool to him.
A coworker carried one as his duty gun until the Dept. nixed SA semi-autos in the mid-80s. Last seen in a pawn shop, as the gun was just a tool to him.
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Random parts
I am looking for the sear take-down lever, to finish my P35
any help wound be help full.
Jerry Cook F Troop Gunsmith
I am looking for the sear take-down lever, to finish my P35
any help wound be help full.
Jerry Cook F Troop Gunsmith
As the OP pointed out the words Fabryka Bronyi Radom which translates to Radom Arms Factory appear on the pistol. The VIS designation is from the initials of the designers Wilniewczyc and Skrzyipinski. (yes, I have noted Wilniewczyc starts with a 'W' - don't ask me)
According to Ian Hogg's 'Military Small Arms of the Twentieth Century' (1973 edition) it is acceptable to refer to the pistol as either a Radom or a VIS. W.H.B. Smith just flat out calls it a Radom.
I haven't held one of these in 20 odd years but they appear to have the VIS insignia on the right grip panel and FB on the left. I'd be interested to find out if this is in fact correct.
According to Ian Hogg's 'Military Small Arms of the Twentieth Century' (1973 edition) it is acceptable to refer to the pistol as either a Radom or a VIS. W.H.B. Smith just flat out calls it a Radom.
I haven't held one of these in 20 odd years but they appear to have the VIS insignia on the right grip panel and FB on the left. I'd be interested to find out if this is in fact correct.
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