The French 1935A: Forgotten Wonder

by
posted on June 16, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
1935A.jpg

One of the most appealing automatic pistols I have ever handled, the French 1935A is one of those almost “mystery” guns about which little is really known. We do know that the pistol was developed in France at a national arsenal in the early 1930s. It was designed to be-and was-the French service pistol from ’35 until France was invaded in 1940.

After the big war, the French went back to this slim little pistol until they had a chance to come up with a 9 mm in 1950. In the 1930s, France was actively working to upgrade all its armaments and the 1935A was the result. By any standard, the main fault of the design was the cartridge-a rimless .32 called the 7.65 mm Long. In years past, many nations have seen the pistol as much a badge of office as a weapon and, therefore, settled for some pretty anemic calibers. Where the small bore service cartridges are concerned, this French number was actually pretty zippy, falling just above today’s .32 H&R Long and well short of the newer .327 Magnum. However, nobody goes armed these days with anything less than a 9 mm/.357 bore pistol.

For its day, the ’35A was a pretty advanced pistol. Although it was not much larger than a host of European blowback pocket pistol designs, it was a locked-breech, recoil-operated semi-automatic. Much of the design work came from Charles Petter, a former officer of the French Foreign Legion. Like the later SIGP210, the little French gun had its lockwork (trigger, sear, hammer, etc.) mounted on a plate which came out of the gun as a single unit. This made maintenance and repair much easier.

Although the little .32 Long pistols were finished rather crudely, they were generally reliable and accurate. Quantities of the gun came into the country in the 1970s, along with small amounts of the original ammo. To this handgunner, the best feature of this little service pistol was the ergonomics. The French 1935A had the best shaped butt of any single column semi-automatic I have ever handled. The contours are reminiscent of the Models 51 and 53 Remington. If there is a designer of a new automatic pistol about to sit down with the proverbial blank sheet of paper, he would be well advised to look at this almost forgotten little gun.

Latest

Gotw Traditions G3 Pro Web
Gotw Traditions G3 Pro Web

Gun Of The Week: Traditions Outfitter G3 Pro

Join American Rifleman staff in this video to get a close look at a single-shot rifle design oriented toward today’s modern hunter, particularly those in states where straight-wall cartridges have been legalized for hunting.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 12, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Sellmark Ranch Opens, Offers Hunting & Shooting Opportunities To The Public

Sellmark Corporation, the parent company of several notable firearm industry brands, opened its 6,800-acre ranch to the public, which provides dedicated hunts, mile-long shooting ranges and more.

CZ Recalls All-American Trap Combo Shotguns

CZ-USA has identified a manufacturing defect affecting the barrel of certain CZ All-American Trap Combo shotguns.

I Have This Old Gun: Japanese Type 94 Pistol

Among the pantheon of World War II military sidearms, the Japanese Type 94 stands out for a number of undesirable reasons. Aside from its ungainly look, many regard it as one of the most dangerous firearms ever made.

New For 2025: GForce Arms 12Hammer

The latest option in the diverse lineup of GForce Arms shotguns is the 12Hammer, an AR-style platform chambered for 12-ga. shotshells that feeds from detachable box magazines.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.