Polish/German VIS Radom ?!

This one keeps me scratching my head .. it is an all matching numbers VIS Radom with a 1939 dating slide (last two digits of the pistol were digitally removed in the pictures). The serial places it right at the end of Polish production and when Germany invaded Poland. The pistol is void of any German markings, except the matching numbers barrel (with the last three digits of the pistol) carrying a Eagle 623 acceptance - these digits in the place where the Germans placed the serial number on the barrel! What is also extremely odd is the fact the Finish is not the very high quality Polish blueing one can find on these pistols. Additionally, the frame is EXTREMELY rough on the outside. The backside is full of file markings, almost as originally it was never finished. And finally, the grips (worth pointing out: the top screw is different from the bottom screw; top screw has a flatter surface so that it doesn't stick out this much) are wooden grips with full checkering.

The only possible explanation to myself was that these were left-over scrap parts from Poland that in 1945 at Steyr were completed with a barrel and whatever replacement grips were at hand. Looking up in the VIS Radom book by William J. York I also could not find any answer, so any input is highly appreciated.

PS: I had a good laugh on notes being stamped on the right side of the frame on the trigger guard. Makes one really wonder why someone would use such a stamp on a gun..

Great images and presentation. I agree with your opinion, parts left over or didn't pass initial inspection later made into a completed pistol. The late war guns are appealing and mysterious. I wouldn't have passed having it my collection.

G2

I've spent some time doing detail comparison. When holding it against my Polish made VIS Radom pistols it becomes very obvious the frame is clearly original Polish. The frame of my "all Polish" Radom (which is nice untouched) has perfect surfaces - and more important, what appears to be remnants of the subinspector stamps that my pistol seems to has around the trigger guard. Plus comparing it with a few more Polish VIS Radom pistol it seems the serial number on the frame on the particular pistol here is stamped deeper. It therefore to me seems the Polish applied the serial to the frame prior to smoothening the surface.
Secondly, I checked the barrel in detail. Note the "ramp" has a high border on bottom. Additionally the barrel also doesn't have a firing proof on it, nor does it have the bore diameter on it. For lack of a very late German VIS Radom pistol I cannot tell whether the very last Radom barrels lacked a firing proof on the barrel as well, but given this fact it is very obvious this HAS to be a very late barrel, because this doesn't lack even from an early barrel.
Third, notice the trigger on my pistol is stamped. A detail that according to the book by York is a late feature. Finally, I didn't pay attention to this, but checking through the book of York I noticed he points out the difference between prewar & early wartime grip screws, comparing them with later wartime bushing-sized grip screws - my pistol has these late screws.
This leaves me with the result that the pistol has late war features that cannot be the case if the pistol was assembled very early at Steyr - it has to be a very late gun, possibly one of the very last pistols that left Steyr.

I have collected Radoms for about 40 years. My friend declined the option of helping with York/s book, personal, and he can shed much more info. His displays have dominated several big shows for years like Tulsa, Louisville, etc. Another has a couple hundred, some in York's book. Even he has stuff never seen in theory. They have blank slides, phosphate, some in 2nd A block, all kinds of weird stuff. Another collector has Z blocks with sequential serial numbers, one with three levers, one with two. I have seen some weird stuff with these. Never say never, especially with these. My late Polish gun with a Polish proofed barrel matching the frame, not the slide, has zip Nazi. I have seen all kinds of late pistols with wood grips. Best I can figure they were sent to Steyr in kits, no barrel, all 623 barrels to stop the pilfering gun parts to function and used by their foe. Thus the late guns have assembly numbers under the grips and slide release safety. Check there, those numbers should match, not the barrel. Late Polish pistols are all over the place. They were using Polish parts, many have no lanyard thought to be Navy. I passed on one thinking it was messed with, it was high 49000 serial but exact I can not recall. The barrels match the frame if OK but again never say never. The so called Kits got all kinds of weird stuff IMO, the must have used prior rejected parts and who knows what.

Much remains to be learned IMO and I hope my two knowing collecting friends do not take it to their graves. Both are over 70. One could take it to his, not a priority.

The two grip screw thing is often that the grip bushings, always in the M1911s, were deleted in the Radoms late in first block. They changed the grip screw including the length of the screw. Alot going on frankly. More than I can recall now. Hope this helps.

Forgot to mention that relying on the finish on early Nazi guns is not a good way to figure them out IMO. Lots going on with the change over too.

Thank you for your reply. Under the assitance of a person from Poland I took down the frame more. The mainspring housing as well as the thumb safety are original Polish matching numbers too. He concurs with me that this pistol must had been one made very late in war, most possibly in 1945 from scrap parts. Most of the Polish made parts were finished under German supervision. These can be identified by the (partial) absence of Polish acceptance stamps, as well as other details. The particular pistol here somehow must had been out of spec, for at least unknown reasons it must had made its way to Steyr were it wasn't used either until the very end.