Radom VIS: Manual Safety?

Dino. · November 19, 2011, 11:48 PM

Though there are no obvious controls on the VIS that offer a manual safety, I noticed that when the hammer on my VIS is at a 1/2 cock, it locks the trigger and acts as a manual safety (much like my 1892 Winchester replica).

Though nothing I've ever read about the VIS suggests that there is a manual safety, the design makes sense with knowing that this pistol was originally designed for use by Poland Calvary.

At a 1/2 cock, the hammer is relatively easy to bring into a full cocked position with the thumb or maybe down the pants leg by a solder in the Calvary.
It may even be designed that way to pass some sort of drop test. I don't know.

Can anyone confirm this as the intent of this design?

**Mike Irwin** · November 20, 2011, 05:47 AM

I'm not going downstairs to dig it out of the safe right now, but I don't recall the trigger being locked on my VIS when the hammer is at half cock.

radom · November 20, 2011, 05:57 AM

Been a bit but I dont recall that too. Should work just like a colt 1911 where you hold hammer with the thumb and then pull trigger to get it off half cock. But then every one I have had used a big manual saftey lever that worked pretty much like a 1911 too.

**Mike Irwin** · November 20, 2011, 06:07 AM

"But then every one I have had used a big manual saftey lever that worked pretty much like a 1911 too."

Say what?

As far as I know, the Radom P35 never came with a thumb safety. What appeared to be a safety on the older guns was, in fact, a take down lever.

amd6547 · November 20, 2011, 11:42 AM

Correct...the Radom never had a manual safety.
One of the first self defense pistols I ever had was a Radom. I kept it chamber empty.

Dino. · November 20, 2011, 11:51 AM

Mike's right, it's a take down latch ... not a safety.

With the exception of the slide release, the controls on the Radom and 1911 are completely different.

Mike, I'd urge you to check your Radom VIS for this "safety".
I say "half cocked", but it's actually about 1/4 cock.
Just far enough to lock the hammer back away from the firing pin.
It makes perfect sense to me, as it would allow one to safely carry the Radom with one in the chamber.

Kinda odd that I've never read anything about this, but check it out.

James K · November 20, 2011, 01:08 PM

The Radom, like JMB's original pistol design, has a half cock as its only manual safety. It does "lock the trigger" in the sense that the trigger cannot be pulled while the sear is in the half cock notch.

The manual safety was installed on what became the M1911 at the request of the U.S. cavalry, who wanted a means of making the pistol safe while trying to control an unruly horse. The Polish cavalry thought the better alternative was to drop the hammer, then re-cock the pistol after the horse was brought under control. So the Radom has a hammer drop lever, but not a manual safety. The Radom can be safely carried with the chamber loaded and the hammer down, since it (like the 1911) has an inertia firing pin. The half-cock was not normally used.

In late Radoms, the takedown latch was eliminated. Its function of retaining the hammer and sear pins was eliminated by using rivet type pins, and its function of positioning the slide for takedown was taken over by a clever combination of the takedown latch and a notch in the top rear of the hammer.

Jim

Dino. · November 20, 2011, 01:31 PM

Quote:

The Radom, like JMB's original pistol design, has a half cock as its only manual safety. It does "lock the trigger" in the sense that the trigger cannot be pulled while the sear is in the half cock notch.

The manual safety was installed on what became the M1911 at the request of the U.S. cavalry, who wanted a means of making the pistol safe while trying to control an unruly horse. The Polish cavalry thought the better alternative was to drop the hammer, then re-cock the pistol after the horse was brought under control. So the Radom has a hammer drop lever, but not a manual safety. The Radom can be safely carried with the chamber loaded and the hammer down, since it (like the 1911) has an inertia firing pin. The half-cock was not normally used.

In late Radoms, the takedown latch was eliminated. Its function of retaining the hammer and sear pins was eliminated by using rivet type pins, and its function of positioning the slide for takedown was taken over by a clever combination of the takedown latch and a notch in the top rear of the hammer.

Jim

Thanks for the confirmation Jim!

November 19, 2011, 11:48 PM	#1
Dino. Junior member Join Date: November 2, 2006 Posts: 908	Radom VIS: Manual Safety? Though there are no obvious controls on the VIS that offer a manual safety, I noticed that when the hammer on my VIS is at a 1/2 cock, it locks the trigger and acts as a manual safety (much like my 1892 Winchester replica). Though nothing I've ever read about the VIS suggests that there is a manual safety, the design makes sense with knowing that this pistol was originally designed for use by Poland Calvary. At a 1/2 cock, the hammer is relatively easy to bring into a full cocked position with the thumb or maybe down the pants leg by a solder in the Calvary. It may even be designed that way to pass some sort of drop test. I don't know. Can anyone confirm this as the intent of this design?

November 20, 2011, 05:47 AM	#2
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,388	I'm not going downstairs to dig it out of the safe right now, but I don't recall the trigger being locked on my VIS when the hammer is at half cock. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

November 20, 2011, 06:07 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,388	"But then every one I have had used a big manual saftey lever that worked pretty much like a 1911 too." Say what? As far as I know, the Radom P35 never came with a thumb safety. What appeared to be a safety on the older guns was, in fact, a take down lever. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

November 20, 2011, 11:42 AM	#5
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,313	Correct...the Radom never had a manual safety. One of the first self defense pistols I ever had was a Radom. I kept it chamber empty. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

November 20, 2011, 05:57 AM	#3
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,357	Been a bit but I dont recall that too. Should work just like a colt 1911 where you hold hammer with the thumb and then pull trigger to get it off half cock. But then every one I have had used a big manual saftey lever that worked pretty much like a 1911 too.

November 20, 2011, 11:51 AM	#6
Dino. Junior member Join Date: November 2, 2006 Posts: 908	Mike's right, it's a take down latch ... not a safety. With the exception of the slide release, the controls on the Radom and 1911 are completely different. Mike, I'd urge you to check your Radom VIS for this "safety". I say "half cocked", but it's actually about 1/4 cock. Just far enough to lock the hammer back away from the firing pin. It makes perfect sense to me, as it would allow one to safely carry the Radom with one in the chamber. Kinda odd that I've never read anything about this, but check it out.

November 20, 2011, 01:08 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The Radom, like JMB's original pistol design, has a half cock as its only manual safety. It does "lock the trigger" in the sense that the trigger cannot be pulled while the sear is in the half cock notch. The manual safety was installed on what became the M1911 at the request of the U.S. cavalry, who wanted a means of making the pistol safe while trying to control an unruly horse. The Polish cavalry thought the better alternative was to drop the hammer, then re-cock the pistol after the horse was brought under control. So the Radom has a hammer drop lever, but not a manual safety. The Radom can be safely carried with the chamber loaded and the hammer down, since it (like the 1911) has an inertia firing pin. The half-cock was not normally used. In late Radoms, the takedown latch was eliminated. Its function of retaining the hammer and sear pins was eliminated by using rivet type pins, and its function of positioning the slide for takedown was taken over by a clever combination of the takedown latch and a notch in the top rear of the hammer. Jim