L1935 Lahti Pistol | |
---|---|
Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
Place of origin | Finland |
Service history | |
Used by | Finland Sweden |
Wars | Winter War World War II Continuation War Lapland War |
Production history | |
Designer | Aimo Lahti |
Designed | 1929 |
Manufacturer | Valtion Kivääritehdas (1935–1945) Valmet (1946–1952) Husqvarna Vapenfabriks |
Produced | 1935-1951 |
No. built | c.98,700 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 1,250 g (2.76 lb) loaded |
Length | 23.5 cm (9.3 in) |
Barrel length | 11.8 cm (4.6 in) |
Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum |
Action | recoil operated, locked breech |
Muzzle velocity | 350 metres per second (1,100 ft/s) |
Feed system | 8-round detachable box magazine |
Sights | front blade, rear notch |
The Lahti L-35 is a semi-automatic pistol designed by Aimo Lahti that was produced between 1935 and 1952. Designed to be manufactured autonomously in Finland, the pistol was used by Finland throughout the Winter War and Continuation War. Considered to be of high quality, the Lahti was well manufactured and worked reliably in cold conditions or when fouled. The use of a bolt accelerator, an uncommon feature in a pistol, helped make the Lahti reliable.
A Swedish copy of the L-35 Lahti, the Husqvarna m/40, saw extensive service with the Swedish military until the 1980s. The m/40s had similar design and firing mechanisms to the Finnish L-35s but suffered lower reliability from the lower quality steel used in manufacturing.