Finnish service pistols

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For those interested - The Finnish L-35 [also called P-35] Lahti pistol, translated from original Finnish.


Data for original Lahti L-35 pistol
Type: Single Action
Chamber: 9x19mm Luger/Parabellum
Weight unloaded: 1220 g
Length: 245 mm
Barrel length: 107 mm
Capacity: 8 rounds

The L-35 pistol was the invention of the Finnish firearms designer Aimo Lahti and manufactured by the Finnish VKT company [Valtion Kivääritehdas - State Arsenal] from 1935 until about 1985. It was adopted as a standard sidearm for the Finnish Army [SA - Suomen Armijaa] in 1935. In 1940, Sweden purchased a license to build the Lahti pistol after the delivery of the previously-ordered Walther P-38 was cancelled due to the beginning of WW2, in which Sweden was neutral. The Swedish company chosen for this task was the well-known state arsenal at Husqvarna. The production of a somewhat simplified version of the Lahti design - given the designation Husqvarna M/40 - began later that year. The design removed the bolt accelerator, a feature of Lahti's design found useful in Finlands extreme weather conditions and the lesser quality of steel used in producing the M/40, and as a result it was found that the guns tended to crack when fired with 9mm submachinegun ammunition. The M/40 was therefore judged to be less reliable than the original Finnish manufacture. As a result, in the 1980s almost all M/40s were recalled from military service and replaced by older m/07 pistol (licensed Browning M1903 pistols) as an emergency measure. Later, the Swedish Armed Forces adopted the Glock 17 as their standard service sidearm.

Technically, L-35 is a recoil operated, locked breech pistol. It uses a short-recoil barrel with a barrel extension of rectangular cruciform shape. Inside that extension the bolt is located, also of squared cross-section. Bolt and barrel extension are inetrlocked by a vertical locking lug, which is cammed out of engagement when hitting the frame after the short recoil. The L-35 is a concealed hammer fired, single action gun, that featured a manual safety at the left side of the frame. On the top of the barrel extension there is a loaded chamber indicator. Another interesting feature of the L-35 is a bolt accelerator, which gives the bolt additional impetus to operate in extreme cold or when very dirty conditions are encountered.

The Husqvarna M/40 was diifferent from the L-35 in some respects: first, it has larger trigger guard; second, M/40 had no loaded chamber indicator; third, and most important, M/40 lacked the bolt accelerator, which led to the decreased reliability. The backstrap of the grip of M/40 was also cut for a removable shoulder stock/holster to be fitted. The M/40 pistol was manufactured between 1940 and 1946, with a total of less than 100,000 units having been completed.
On the other hand, the original L-35 was an extremely reliable and robust gun, with the only drawback of being slightly heavy for a 9mm Para pistol.

The Finnish pistol can easily be recognised by the letters VKT in a diamond on the grip plates, and by the round Knox-form and angular foresight. It also bears the SA in cartouche stamp on the left-hand side of the action. Numbers were adopted by the Finnish Prison service and given a separate number series. About a thousand or so were found to be sub-standard and given the designation VO.

The Swedish pistol bears a crowned H on the grip plates, has a hexagonal knox-form and an angular foresight. It also has a differently-shaped trigger guard and a slightly less fine finish to the external parts.

Both versions are extremely accurate for a service pistol, due to their fine manufacture and very solid construction. Those of you who served with the UN in Cyprus before 1983 would have seen them worn by both Finns and Swedes. I was in Cyprus in the 1970's and shot against them in many friendly competitions, and lost prodigiously on each occasion. I ended up with one of each, and can testify to the cunning way these guns were made. Stripping them past the very basic level for post-shooting cleaning is not to be undertaken unless you are VERY knowledgeable, or an armourer, better still both.

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