BACKGROUND: Prior to WWII the Polish army used a wide variety of assorted caliber pistols that were primarily left over's from WWI. In 1935 the Polish army called on armaments manufacturers to come up with a standard design and in 1936 the 9mm Parabellum VIS 35, pistol, based on a Browning design, was accepted and production began at the State arsenal in Radom. On September 1ST 1939 the German army marched into Poland, beginning WWII, and the Germans soon began utilizing the Polish armaments industry to make up for short falls in German armaments production. The Germans continued producing the VIS 35 pistol in Radom until late 1944 with the Russians on the verge of flooding into Poland the Germans stripped the machinery from the Radom arsenal and moved it to the Steyr-Daimler-Puch A.G. armaments factory in Steyr Austria and production continued until 1945. Just over 4,000,000 VIS 35 pistols were produced between 1939 and 1945 and although it was an excellent design the pistol was not manufactured after the end of the war. As with other pistols, when issued the VIS 35 came with a specific pistol holster.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Smooth, molded, brown leather construction, VIS 35 "Radom" pistol holster features a rounded, forward edge, fold over top flap with a steel stud position on the front center. The holster has a scalloped machine stitched seam to the left side with a diagonally angled, upward pointing closure strap with a single, cut-out stud eyelet, designed to attach to the steel stud on the top fold over flap. The right side of the holster body has a vertical, stitched on extra magazine pocket. Internal quick release strap is missing. The reverse of the holster has two, vertical, stitched on, belt loops. The holster has no visible manufacturer’s markings. Well worn and used example.