Pistolet Automatique Modèle 1935A
Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques (SACM) · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1937
Also known as: SACM Mle 1935A, Pistole 625(f), Petter pistol
Overview
The Pistolet Automatique Modèle 1935A was the French Army's first locked-breech semi-automatic service pistol, designed by Charles Petter for SACM and adopted in 1937. It chambers the proprietary 7.65x20mm Longue cartridge in an 8-round magazine and incorporates a Browning-style swinging-link locking system. The design's removable fire-control module was a notable innovation that influenced the post-war SIG P210. Production continued under German occupation as the Pistole 625(f).
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 670 g (23.6 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 825 g (29.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 195 mm (7.68") |
| Barrel Length | 110 mm (4.33") |
| Height | 132 mm (5.20") |
| Width | 30 mm (1.18") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 350 m/s (1148 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 306 J (226 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.65x20mm Longue · primary — also known as 7.65 French Long, 7.65mm MAS, .30 Pedersen
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Lever, Magazine Disconnect, Hammer Block
- Features: Browning Swinging Link, Removable Fire Control Unit, External Hammer
Service history
Operators
- French Armed Forces · adopted 1937 · as Pistolet Automatique Mle 1935A
- Wehrmacht (occupied production) · adopted 1940 · as Pistole 625(f)
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
- First Indochina War (1946-1954)
Production
Estimated total produced: 85,000 · Production years: 1937-1950
Approximately 11,000 pre-war French production; 23,850 under German occupation; 50,400 post-war by SACM
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Charles Petter
Discontinued: 1950
Notes
Roughly 11,000 produced before the 1940 fall of France; Germans completed about 23,850 during occupation; SACM resumed post-war production of about 50,400 more. Petter's design is widely regarded as the direct ancestor of the SIG P210.
Background
Charles Petter's removable fire-control unit and locking system was so well-engineered that after the war the Swiss firm SIG licensed his patents and used them as the foundation for the legendary SIG P210 - arguably the most accurate service pistol ever produced.