WWII Nazi Occupied F.B. Radom VIS Model P.35 (p) 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol, C&R
SOLD FOR: $1351.55
LSB#: 210614RZ11
Make: Fabryka Broni (Arms Factory), in Radom, Poland
Model: VIS 35 (Vis is Latin for “force”) Grade I, Subvariation 3 (“Axis Pistols”, Vol. II, by Jan Still)
Serial Number: D0148
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1940-1942
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto Pistol with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “F. B. RADOM VIS Mod.35. Pat. Nr.15567 / “P.35(p)”” with eagle over “WaA77” waffenamt, eagle over “623” waffenamt and eagle over swastika. The left of the frame has an eagle over “WaA77” waffenamt. The right side of the frame is marked “D0148”. The bottom of the slide is marked “D0148” and there are some other markings we don’t recognize. The left of the barrel lug has “148”, two eagle over “623” waffenamts and an eagle over swastika marking. The trigger guard has inspection marks.
Barrel Length: 4 5/8”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short narrow blade integral to the rib on the slide. The rear sight is a “V” notch dovetailed into the slide. There is a thin narrow rib running down the center of the entire length of the slide with a finely checkered finish.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black plastic grips. The left panel has “FB” in triangle and the right has “VIS” in triangle. The grips have light handling wear with a few minor nicks and scuffs. The right panel has a crack at the bottom edge which extends up to the bottom screw-hole. The checkering is generally sharp. There are no chips. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition and would rate Fine-plus but for the crack.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. The most notable finish wear is on the left of the slide toward the front. The grip areas show light handling wear. There is some scattered minor oxidation. There are a few light scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are generally clear, a few are lightly or poorly struck. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp and the slide has light play to the frame. There is a de-cocker on the slide and a grip safety. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single eight round magazine. The magazine shows light operational wear, intact feed lips and a strong spring, in Very Good condition. Also included are printouts with information on the model and instructions for disassembly.
Our Assessment: This is a Fabryka Broni Radom VIS 1935 Grade I, Subvariation 3 pistol made in 1940-1942 during WWII under German occupation before manufacture was moved to Steyr in Austria in late 1944. The design of the pistol was roughly based on John Browning’s M1911 with a slide release, de-cocker and grip safety. The VIS was originally designed for the Polish Army, but only saw a few years of service before Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. After the war, the Russians forced the Poles to adopt the Soviet TT-33 Tokarev even though the Tokarev was considered inferior in both ergonomics and reliability, and the VIS was no longer produced. This pistol was made during Nazi occupation for use by German forces and has matching serial markings on the slide, frame and barrel. The pistol is in Very Good condition with about 87% of its metal finish remaining. The bore is great with strong rifling and infrequent minor erosion. The grips have minor handling wear, but there is a short crack at the bottom edge of the right panel. There were about 47,000 of this subvariation made during the war, and likely fewer surviving to this day, making the Radom a very collectable piece. This should be of interest to collectors of Polish firearms and of German weaponry used during WWII. Please see our photos and good luck!