German WWII F.B. Radom Polish VIS Model 1935 P.35 (p) 9mm Semi-Auto Pistol
SOLD FOR: $1,000
WOA#: WY240315JV101
Make: Fabryka Broni (Arms Factory), in Radom, Poland
Model: VIS 35 (Vis is Latin for “force”)
Serial Number: G9297
Year of Manufacture: ca. 1942-1944
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” with three German proof/inspection marks. The bottom of the slide is marked “G9297”. The right side of the frame is marked “G9297” and each side of the frame has a German proof/inspection mark. The left side of the barrel lug is marked “283” (non-matching) and each side has German proof/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 fine checkering for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown plastic with “FB” in a triangle on the left, and “VIS” in a triangle on the right. The grips have minor handling wear with some light nicks and scuffing. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: One original German WWII 8 round blued magazine marked with a German waffenamt over “189” on the bottom of the floorplate, which is correct for mid to late war Radoms such as this one. The magazine has intact feed lips, some light oxidation and operational wear, and is in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original to the parts, the barrel is not original to the gun.
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some stubborn fouling and infrequent light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 7 or 8 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 65% of its metal finish. There is fairly evenly scattered light wear with slightly more notable handling wear in the grip areas. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs, and scratches. There are some tool marks at the pin heads. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to poorly struck (as is common). Overall, this pistol is in Good to Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with the magazine described above.
Our Assessment: This is a Fabryka Broni Radom VIS 1935 pistol made in Poland in about 1942-1944 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 designed for the Polish Army, specifically infantry and cavalry officers, but only saw a few years of service before Poland fell under German occupation and later Soviet Russian. 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 in Poland during German occupation for use by German forces, and it was most often carried by German paratroopers, officers, and police. The pistol is in Good to Very Good condition with about 65% of its original metal finish remaining. The slide and frame have matching serial numbers while the barrel is non-matching. The bore is in decent shape and the mechanics are strong. This should be of interest to collectors of Polish firearms and of German weaponry used during WWII. It may also prove to be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
