Femaru Walam 48 - Egyptian Contract

The Walam 48 Egyptian Contract is a blowback operated steel framed automatic pistol that was manufactured by Fémáru Fegyver és Gépgyár in Budapest, Hungary Arround 7.000 - 10.000 of them were made from 1958 to 1960. In 1957 a contract from Egypt was received for the 9mm version of the 48.M Police Pistol, alongside with a similar Egyptian Military Contract for the Tokagypt 58 Pistols. The Police 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, and Lámpagyár NV after it was nationalized. The contract was terminated for political reasons or for a failed payment (sources differ), after 10000 pistols were delivered. Our serial number data research shows only 7000 pistols were delivered, assuming that the Egyptian Crested pistols were delivered, the others were not. Either way, the remaining pistols were sold commercially. Serial numbering: All Egyptian Contract pistols had an 'E' prefix (For Egypt), followed by a 5-digit serial number, est. ranges from E00001 - E04000 and E07000 - E10100. (Actual numbers reported: E01033 - E03488 and E07761 - E10054). The WALAM is a high quality modified copy of the German 7.65mm Walther PP chambering the 9mm Browning Short ammo. Reportedly some of the parts were made and supplied by Walther. Most parts, including the magazine are interchangeable with the post-war 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 19mm [.75"] 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.