New Addition to WW II collection

[sailor723]

I posted this in "Pistols and revolvers" but then it occurred to me that it might be of more interest to people on this forum.

I picked this up earlier today on the EE. It's an occupation Radom Vis 35. From what I've been able to find out online the 3 levers and the shoulder stock slot indicate it was fairly early during the German occupation.......... probably 1940 production. I've read about these for quite a while so I'm excited to finally being able to add one to my collection. Company for my P-08, P38 and occupation FN 1922....now to find an occupation Hi Power.

 

[joe n]

I love the Radom pistol, owned quite a few over the years, regretting each and every one I got rid of. Congratulations on a beautiful purchase!!

 

[Squadron303]

Good job. It didn't last long on the EE. It's a great shooter too, it used to adorn my safe at one point.

 

[Horilka]

Grade 1 Sub 3?

 

[kjohn]

Very nice old pistol! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Squadron303]

I think when Berger categorized the VIS in four groups, things might have been a littler simpler than they are now. Since the 1980s', especially with the advent of the internet and gun forums, there appears that there are more than just four categories of the VIS. For example, there are "Delta" pre-war eagle guns, the pre-alphabet German-occupation guns run into the 11,000 range (as opposed to a typical alphabet block of 10,000), the take-down lever and shoulder stock were both gradually phased out - they didn't just one day disappear at a specific serial number. There are also second alphabet guns in the 2/B serial number range that are parkerized and appear to have been completed near the end of the war.
These are just a few of the many examples of variations.

To keep things simple, here is what is commonly used today to categorize these guns:
• pre-war Polish Eagle guns (which include the refurbished "Delta" guns)
• pre-alphabet (guns first produced by Germans in 1940, no alphabetical prefix to the numerical serial)
• first alphabet (1/A - 1/Z, including the 1/E posted by the OP)
• second alphabet (2/A - 2/K being the last serial number range

Anyways, my two cents.

 

[Horilka]

That is basically classification by serials vs classification by features. Z###x pistol with no take down lever is 1/A pistol, it is not different at all from A###x pistol from second alpha which also has no take down lever. However with classification above they would be ranked differently. At the same time early photoengraved pistols would be spanned among pre-alpha and 1/A. IMO serial is just a serial, features are more important as collectors look for the variations of features, not variations of serials.

 

[sailor723]

That is basically classification by serials vs classification by features. Z###x pistol with no take down lever is 1/A pistol, it is not different at all from A###x pistol from second alpha which also has no take down lever. However with classification above they would be ranked differently. At the same time early photoengraved pistols would be spanned among pre-alpha and 1/A. IMO serial is just a serial, features are more important as collectors look for the variations of features, not variations of serials.

From what I've read I'd agree. I think it's more a case of 2 lever vs 3, slot for shoulder stock, finish etc etc. Also, didn't production move completely to Steyr in Austria at some point later in the war?

 

[BlackPowderBurner]

From what I've read I'd agree. I think it's more a case of 2 lever vs 3, slot for shoulder stock, finish etc etc. Also, didn't production move completely to Steyr in Austria at some point later in the war?

Yes, late in 1944. They started the war with all production done in Poland but then switched to having the production of parts done at Zakłady Metalowe "Łucznik" with final assembly and barrel production moved to Steyr in Austria. The problem they had was brave Polish workers smuggling out parts before they were finished and marking them as rejected. Several hundred complete pistols were smuggled to the Armia Krajowa through this practice. Even moving barrel production didn't stop this as barrel production quickly sprung up back in Poland outside the factory.