Hungarian Weapons - Fémáru FÉG Walam Pistols

Rendörségi (Police) Pisztoly 48.M (48.Minta)

In 1946 the Hungarian Police requested a Walther PP type service pistol. This pistol was adopted by the police in 1948, hence the 48.M designation. The 7.65mm police contract was fullfilled by 1950. The pistol was offered for other units and for export.

Note: This pistol called the Rendör (Police) Model 48, (or 48.M), which can lead to confusion with the Hungarian Army Model 48 (the copy of the Soviet Tokarev TT-33). The Police 48.M was never adopted by the Hungarian Army.

Walam Pisztoly 48.M (48.Minta)

Photo courtesy of Empire Arms.com

In 1957 a contract from Egypt was received for the 9mm version of the 48.M Police Pistol. These contract pistols were named Walam. WALAM is short for WAlther-LAMpart, where 'Walther' refers to its Walther PP origin, Lampart refers to FÉG's short lived Post WW2 name, Lámpagyár Rt, later Lámpagyár NV. The contract was apparently terminated for an unknown reason and most guns were sold commercially, some used by the Hungarian police. The WALAM is a high quality modified copy of the German 7.65mm Walther PP chambering 9mm Browning Short ammo. Some of the parts were made by Walther. Most parts, including the magazine are interchangeable with the Walther PP. The loaded-chamber indicator is mounted on the top left of the Walam slide rather than at the rear of the slide as does the Walther. These pistols are .75" (19mm) longer than the PP. Loading, firing, and field stripping of these steel framed pistols is the same as that of German Walther PP and PPK.
The pistols safety mechanism and firing pin system was an impoved version of the PP by Fémáru's weapon designer, József Kameniczky.

1958 made Walams are marked 'WALAM 48 Cal 9mm Brow Short Made in Hungary FEG 1958' on the slide. The Crest of Egypt is stamped into the left side of the slide. The grips are plain checkered, as shown on the picture.

Starting in 1959 the Walam Pistols are marked 'FÉMÁRU ÉS SZERSZÁMGÉPGYÁR NV 48M KAL 9MM'. The Crest of Egypt was omitted. The butt grips display a five-point star with the Hungarian Communist 'Kádár' Crest.

Some the Walam Pistols were supplied to the Hungarian Police, others were exported and sold through Hege-Waffen of West Germany. Examples have been seen with normal Hungarian markings accompanied by 'HEGE' stamped into the frame.