- Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers Online
- Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers Lookup
- Radom Vis Pistol
- Radom Pistol Serial Numbers
The very first pistols produced under Nazi control were made up of pre-invasion parts, and some of these early occupation examples can be found with both the Polish Eagle and German inspection waffenamts on the slide. The serial number range for Type I Vis-35's is 0001-E8000. Around 60,000 Type I pistols were produced. Hello - I have a FB Radom VIS Mod 35 pat. Nr 15567 with a serial number of L0434. I was wondering if anyone could give me a rough idea of when it was made and educate me on this gun./ATTACH. The wartime galleries illustrate every serial number letter code prefix while showing first hand the deterioration of quality and production simplifications instilled as the war progressed. Other sections include pistols of the Polish Underground, non-VIS pistol models and even rifles made at Radom.
Pistolet wz. 35 Vis | |
---|---|
Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
Place of origin | Poland |
Service history | |
Used by | Poland Germany Polish Underground |
Wars | Invasion of Poland, World War II |
Production history | |
Designed | 1935 |
Manufacturer | FB Radom |
No. built | more than 360,000 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 1.123 kg (loaded) 0.950 kg (unloaded) |
Length | 205 mm |
Barrel length | 120 mm |
Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum |
Action | Recoil-operated, closed bolt |
Muzzle velocity | 345 m/s (1131.6 ft/s) |
Feed system | 8-round box magazine |
Vis (Polish designation pistolet wz. 35 Vis, German designation 9 mm Pistole 35(p), or simply the Radom in English sources) is a 9×19mmcaliber, single-action, semi-automatic pistol. Its design was inspired by American firearms inventor John Browning's 9mm 'Browning GP' pistol which was completed after Browning's death by designers at Fabrique Nationale in Herstal Belgium. Production of the Vis began at the Fabryka Broni arms factory in Radom in 1935, and was adopted as the standard handgun of the Polish Army the following year. The pistol was valued by the Germans and towards the end of the war issued to German paratroopers. Largely based on the Browning Hi-Power and using 9 mm rounds, the Vis is highly prized among collectors of firearms.[1]
History[edit]
The design was generally based on American firearms inventor John Browning's Browning Hi-Power, as adapted by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński in 1930 at the Fabryka Broni (Arms Factory) in Radom under Director Kazimierz Ołdakowski. It operated on the short-recoil principle, with the barrel being cammed down and away from the locking lugs in the slide.
This later John Moses Browning design, unlike the M1911, was not cammed by a link, but by a ledge of sorts, which contacts a portion of the barrel and forces it down as it is moved rearward with the slide by the recoil force. It shares some similarities to the Spanish Ruby .45 ACP.[2] Like the 9mm Browning GP, a characteristic feature was a triangular grip shape, wider at the bottom, offering good ergonomics and firm grip.[1] On the right side grip cover, the Polish copy pistol had letters VIS in a triangle, on the left side—FB (for Fabryka Broni—'Arms Factory').The handgun was prepared in late 1930, and at the beginning of 1931 the first pistols were ready for testing. Initially it was named WiS (an acronym of the Polish designers' names), later the name was changed to Vis, meaning 'force' in Latin, with the wz. abbreviation for wzór ('model').[3]
The tests proved that the handgun was very accurate and stable (due to its size and mass, most stresses are absorbed and not passed on the shooter), while at the same time remaining reliable after firing more than 6,000 rounds.[1] The Vis was generally regarded as one of the best military pistols of that period.[by whom?]
Production started in the state armory Fabryka Broni in Radom in late 1935, and the following year it was introduced as the standard weapon of Polish infantry and cavalry officers. Successively, other units were to be equipped, and by 1932 all other handguns were scheduled to be withdrawn from service. By mid-1938, it was introduced to the armored and air forces. Before the invasion of Poland, approximately 49,400 (out of 90,000 ordered) were delivered to the army.[4]
In addition to the 9mm, there was also a small information series of .45 ACP version, with 7-round magazine, but they were not produced in greater series.[4] Most probably only for the Argentinian competition the wooden stock-shoulder was issued but it has not survived.[2] A .22 LR variant also existed, but no details are known, and its series was not produced in great numbers.[4] Gorogoa download for mac.
After the Polish defeat in 1939, the Germans took over the Radom Armory and continued production of the Vis under the new name of 9 mm Pistole 645(p), which was for some reason often rendered as P 35(p) (the suffix 'p' means 'polnisch')[3] (the German pistols of the first series had inscriptions VIS Mod.35 and P.35(p) on the left side[4]). Up to 1945, between 312,000 and 380,000 were produced and used by the German paratroopers and police.
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Fearing that Polish technicians working in the armory might supply the Home Army with the weapons, the Germans moved production of barrels and final assemble to Steyr-Daimler-Puch in the 'Ostmark' (Austria). However, underground production of Vis barrels was started in Warsaw and Kielce-based Huta Ludwików, and several hundred Vis pistols were assembled of parts smuggled from the factory, delivered to the Home Army and used extensively during the Warsaw Uprising, among others.
Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers Online
Vis pistols made after 1939 were issued in four different series, each with small modifications to simplify production. In late 1944, all production was moved to the Steyr works in Austria, where the last simplified model of the fourth series was produced (with no inscriptions at all, apart from bnz signature). The Vis remained in production until April 1945. Generally, the wartime Vis were of much lower quality than the original, and further degrading towards the end of the war.
After the war, production of the pistol was not continued, as the Army of the People's Republic of Poland used the SovietTT-33 pistol, produced in the former Fabryka Broni in Radom due to Warsaw Pact regulations. It was considered much inferior to the Vis, especially in ergonomics and reliability,[1] but political considerations and Soviet influence were decisive.
In August 1997, the Łucznik Arms Factory in Radom reintroduced the Vis pistol and produced a small series of some 27 pistols[1] on the basis of the original plans and specifications, mainly for the US collectors' market. But it differed from the original pre-war pistols with the shape of the rear sight notch and the Eagle on the slide.[2] In 2010 another short series was manufactured.[5] In 2012 IWA Radom Factory has presented the piece dated 2010 that was chromium coated instead of proper bluing.
In December 2017, FB Radom's chairman, Adam Suliga, confirmed to the Polish magazine MILMAG that the Vis would be returning to production, and is planned to be available for retail in the second half of 2018. This will not be a single commemorative series, but rather, according to MILMAG, FB Radom reportedly hope to continually offer the wz.35 for the export market.[6]
Overview[edit]
The Vis pistol is a single-action, hammer-fired, locked-breech design. The control on the slide is a decocking mechanism that releases the hammer while camming the firing pin up into the slide. There is a grip safety blocking the sear unless fully compressed, but the control in the same position as a thumb safety on a Browning Hi-Power or M1911-style pistol is not a safety.
The take-down lever is used to lock the slide back (as the Browning Hi-Power safety is used) during disassembly to allow removal of the slide release lever. In later variants, this lever is omitted and the slide must be manually aligned to remove the slide release lever. Once the slide and frame are aligned (by the disassembly lever or manually), the recoil guide is pulled forward to release the slide release lever and allow it to drop free. The slide will then be free to run forward and be removed from the frame.
The magazine catch is to the rear of the trigger guard and not at the heel of the grip in the typical European fashion of the time. A pistol lanyard is installed in the heel position for pistol retention. There is no magazine safety.[3]
Users[edit]
- Poland - Polish Army
- Nazi Germany - factory captured in World War II, used primarily by the Fallschirmjäger
- Polish Underground - specifically during the Warsaw Uprising
References[edit]
- ^ abcde(in Polish) Twardoch, Szczepan, VIS-a-VIS in Broń i Amunicja nr. 3/2007, p.48–51, ISSN1644-339X
- ^ abcYork, William J. (2011). VIS Radom, A study and photographic album of Poland's finest pistol. Printed and bound in the USA. pp. 22–24. ISBN0-9707997-8-0.
- ^ abcBishop, Chris (2006). The Encyclopedia of Small Arms and Artillery. Grange Books. pp. 13–14. ISBN978-1-84013-910-5.
- ^ abcd(in Polish) Weiler, Wojciech: VIS in: Przegląd Strzelecki Arsenał nr. 2/2004(4), p.51–60, ISSN1731-190X
- ^Remigiusz Wilk, Bez nowości, ale z Bumarem, „Raport-WTO' nr. 03/2011, p.46 (in Polish)
- ^Remigiusz Wilk, 'Vis na rynku od 2018', MILMAG website, available at [1] (in Polish)
Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers Lookup
- Lapin, Terence W. (2004). Vis: The Model 35 Radom Pistol. Arlington: Hyrax Publishers. ISBN0-9676896-4-3.
- Andrzej Ciepliński, Ryszard Woźniak (1996). 9 mm pistolet samopowtarzalny VIS wz. 1935. Warsaw: Bellona. ISBN83-11-08604-4.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pistolet wz. 35 Vis. |
Radom Vis Pistol
- Polish patent filed on January 15, 1931.[permanent dead link]
In December 2017, FB Radom's chairman, Adam Suliga, confirmed to the Polish magazine MILMAG that the Vis would be returning to production, and is planned to be available for retail in the second half of 2018. This will not be a single commemorative series, but rather, according to MILMAG, FB Radom reportedly hope to continually offer the wz.35 for the export market.[6]
Overview[edit]
The Vis pistol is a single-action, hammer-fired, locked-breech design. The control on the slide is a decocking mechanism that releases the hammer while camming the firing pin up into the slide. There is a grip safety blocking the sear unless fully compressed, but the control in the same position as a thumb safety on a Browning Hi-Power or M1911-style pistol is not a safety.
The take-down lever is used to lock the slide back (as the Browning Hi-Power safety is used) during disassembly to allow removal of the slide release lever. In later variants, this lever is omitted and the slide must be manually aligned to remove the slide release lever. Once the slide and frame are aligned (by the disassembly lever or manually), the recoil guide is pulled forward to release the slide release lever and allow it to drop free. The slide will then be free to run forward and be removed from the frame.
The magazine catch is to the rear of the trigger guard and not at the heel of the grip in the typical European fashion of the time. A pistol lanyard is installed in the heel position for pistol retention. There is no magazine safety.[3]
Users[edit]
- Poland - Polish Army
- Nazi Germany - factory captured in World War II, used primarily by the Fallschirmjäger
- Polish Underground - specifically during the Warsaw Uprising
References[edit]
- ^ abcde(in Polish) Twardoch, Szczepan, VIS-a-VIS in Broń i Amunicja nr. 3/2007, p.48–51, ISSN1644-339X
- ^ abcYork, William J. (2011). VIS Radom, A study and photographic album of Poland's finest pistol. Printed and bound in the USA. pp. 22–24. ISBN0-9707997-8-0.
- ^ abcBishop, Chris (2006). The Encyclopedia of Small Arms and Artillery. Grange Books. pp. 13–14. ISBN978-1-84013-910-5.
- ^ abcd(in Polish) Weiler, Wojciech: VIS in: Przegląd Strzelecki Arsenał nr. 2/2004(4), p.51–60, ISSN1731-190X
- ^Remigiusz Wilk, Bez nowości, ale z Bumarem, „Raport-WTO' nr. 03/2011, p.46 (in Polish)
- ^Remigiusz Wilk, 'Vis na rynku od 2018', MILMAG website, available at [1] (in Polish)
Vis Radom Pistol Serial Numbers Lookup
- Lapin, Terence W. (2004). Vis: The Model 35 Radom Pistol. Arlington: Hyrax Publishers. ISBN0-9676896-4-3.
- Andrzej Ciepliński, Ryszard Woźniak (1996). 9 mm pistolet samopowtarzalny VIS wz. 1935. Warsaw: Bellona. ISBN83-11-08604-4.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pistolet wz. 35 Vis. |
Radom Vis Pistol
- Polish patent filed on January 15, 1931.[permanent dead link]
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Radom Pistol Serial Numbers
Largely considered as one of the best engineered pistols of the European WWII era, the VIS 35 was Poland's ultimate small arms achievement. Though it is uniquely patented, the pistol's design borrows heavily from the Belgian Browning Hi Power. Pre-war production (1936-1939) featured a prominent Polish Eagle on the left slide, and the guns were meticulously buffed and finished.
When the Germans overran Poland in late 1939, they resumed production at the Radom Arsenal utilizing existing inventory. By mid to late 1940, they began making new product. The Polish Eagle was discontinued, and the Germans renamed the gun as the P35(p). Early occupation production had the new designation stamped on the slide, and the pistol retained its features such as the quality finish, the shoulder stock slot in the rear grip frame, and the takedown lever. Serial numbering was changed to the typical German alphabet prefix style. The Nazis assigned the Waffenamt inspection of WaA77 (later Eagle over 77). Final assembly and acceptance was assigned to the Steyr Arsenal in Austria, with Waffenamt WaA623. Magazines featured the inspection of E/189.
As the war progressed, the Germans sought to speed production and cut costs. The stock slot was discontinued. The takedown lever was eliminated, and instead incorporated with the decocking device. The P35(p) was discontinued on the slide, the relief recesses were no longer milled behind the trigger on the frame, grip screw pillar escutcheons were eliminated, telescoping guide rod replaced with a solid rod, and the plastic grip panels were replaced with wood. Outward appearance was no longer a concern, and the polished finish yielded to the rough machined finish. The latest guns were parkerized instead of blued.
For identification purposes of war-time pistols, some collectors will follow a system of Grades I-IV to denote the feature elimination progression. 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.
Can't really say that I absorb all the Grade Types and Sub-variants, so I'll call mine a two lever, d-prefix from the second alphabet, no stock slot, non P35(p) legend, E/77 slide and frame, WaA623 slide, telescoping guide rod, E/189 mag, and nice black plastic grips without screw pillars.
It is an early 1944 gun and has some light high edge wear, a small rub on the right slide, a light scratch or two, and some moderate grip strap thinning. Bore is bright and sharp.
Although the lighting and exposure don't always pick up proper hue in the pics, it's a very nice dark blue with 90-plus% coverage. Machining is crude and rough, just like it should be, and just the way I like it!
My holster is extremely interesting. It began life as M1898 Austrian Rast Gasser revolver holster. It was likely modified in WWI to incorporate a shoulder harness. In WWII, the shoulder harness was eliminated, and the large trigger guard section was reduced to accept the smaller frame of the VIS 35.
This is a very uncommonly found holster design, and I have only found reference to three others with similar alterations.
The rest of the pics, and thanks for looking.
-Matt