Radom Vis 35
Fabryka Broni Radom · Pistol · Discontinued · 1935
Also known as: Pistolet wz.35, VIS wz.35, P.35(p), Pistole 645(p)
Overview
The Radom Vis 35 is a Polish recoil-operated, locked-breech semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum. Adopted by the Polish Army in 1935 as the Pistolet wz.35, it used a Browning linkless (Hi-Power style) cam-locking system and dispensed with a conventional manual safety, relying instead on a 1911-style grip safety and a frame-mounted decocking lever. Widely regarded as one of the finest combat pistols of the interwar period, it was produced at the Fabryka Broni in Radom and continued under German occupation during World War II as the Pistole 645(p).
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 950 g (33.5 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 1123 g (39.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 205 mm (8.07") |
| Barrel Length | 115 mm (4.53") |
| Height | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Width | 33 mm (1.30") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 351 m/s (1152 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 459 J (339 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety, Decocker
- Features: Browning Linkless Locking, Takedown Latch, Shoulder Stock Lug
Service history
Operators
- Polish Army · adopted 1935 · as Pistolet wz.35
- Wehrmacht · adopted 1939 · as Pistole 645(p)
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 360,000 · Production years: 1935-1945
Roughly 360,000 examples produced across pre-war Polish and wartime German production; limited collector-grade manufacture resumed in 1992.
Origin
Country of origin: Poland
Designer: Piotr Wilniewczyc, Jan Skrzypinski
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Pre-war Polish military examples featured a slotted backstrap for a shoulder-stock holster and a takedown latch. Wartime German-produced examples were progressively simplified, dropping the stock lug and takedown catch as production was hurried.
Background
The name 'VIS' is Latin for 'force', and was also read as an acronym of designers Wilniewczyc and Skrzypinski. During the German occupation, Polish underground workers at the Radom plant smuggled out parts to arm the resistance, making the Vis 35 a prized weapon of the Armia Krajowa.