Home Index Search Handguns Visual Selection British North American Italian German Belguim French Spanish Austrian Russian Czechoslovacian Turkish South African Hungarian Brazilian Israeli Competition Firearms Shotguns References Links Gunsite SAGA PAAA SAAACA Contact E-mail me!

Two similar but distinct French military pistols carry the designation "model 1935", the model 1935A and the model 1935S. Both were designed to compete in the 1935-37 French military trials conducted by the Commission d’Experiences Techniques de Versailles to select a new sidearm. While similar in concept and design due to the specific requirements of the trials committee, they share no parts in common. Recently these pistols have become a sought after for pistol collectors. In fact, the pressure from collectors in Switzerland has contributed to the current interest, due to the direct lineal descent of the SIG P210 also from Petter. It used the French 7.95mm Long, which is nearly identical to the.30 Pederson round of World War 1 fame. Unfortunately, when considered for military use, this cartridge is far too weak. During the trails for the French military sidearm, during the early 1930s, it was highlighted that although many countries in Europe considered this cartridge, only the France adopted it. The lock-work is based on the Russian Tokarev TT-33 from which it derives the lock-up and swinging link. The Tokarev also used the earlier Browning designed Colt M1911 swinging link lock-up system. Like the Tokarev, the lock-work (hamer, sear and mainspring) can be removed as a unit for cleaning and repairs. The slide rail arrangement and safety system is Petter’s own. This is a recoil-operated semi-automatic with an eight-shot detachable box magazine. It is a single action pistol with an exposed hammer and a floating firing pin located in the slide. The recoil spring is located on a guide below the barrel It has a magazine disconnector to stop firing when the magazine is removed. The manual safety on the left on the slide turns the firing pin away from the hammer contacting it. This pistol was the French service arm. It won the 1935-37 competition to produce the new French military sidearm. Initial production began in 1937, and the pistol began delivery to the French Army in late 1939, with a total of about 10,700 pistols built before German forces occupied the SACM factory in the summer of 1940. The Germans continued production of the 1935A, now designated the "Pistole 625 (f)", with about 23,850 pistols made for the German forces. Following the end of the German occupation of France in 1944, SACM resumed production of the 1935A for the French military, making a further 50,400 pistols. In total, about 84,950 1935A pistols were produced between October 1937 and February 1950. The competition, Pistolet automatique modèle 1935S (Automatic Pistol Model 1935S) or Modèle (Mle.) 1935 S was a semi-automatic pistol chambered for the 7.65mm Longue cartridge. It was designed by Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS), a French government arsenal. (ref. ‘Pistols and revolvers’ - Smith, ‘Price guide for collector handguns’ - R H Balderson p208, ‘Pistols of the world’ by Hogg and Weeks p109)

102112