^Lot 1560 EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE SOVIET RUSSIAN IZHEVSK

MECHANICAL PLANT PSM "ISH-75" WITH HOLSTERS. Cal. 5.45x18mm. S# XB2386. Bbl. 3 5/16". PSM "IZh-75" (Pistolet Samozaryadny Malogabritny / "Compact Self-Loading Pistol") mfg. in Russia at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant / Izhmash in 1985 (just six years prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union). The PSM, designed at the Tula Design Bureau in 1969 (adopted in 1972), is a late Cold War Soviet pistol largely designed for use by Soviet military high command staff, though due to its compact and thin design quickly found favor with the KGB and law enforcement personnel. While never officially imported into the United States, an extremely small number of PSM pistols are believed to have made their way into the country through diplomatic channels and means. This example is marked with the S# "XB2386" on the left side of the slide, which is repeated on the left side of the frame and followed by the Izhevsk / Izhmash arsenal insignia, the 2-digit year of mfg. "85", and an extremely small "FWW" (Frankonia Waffen Wurzburg) German import mark. The right side of the chamber area of the frame is marked "5.45x18mm", followed by a diminutive West German Eagle/N commercial nitro proof (repeated on right side of slide), above 2 sets of Russian arsenal proofs, followed by a triad of of West German proofs consisting of an Eagle/N, Munich proof house shield, and an apparent "AD" date code within a shield, appearing to indicate "03" (2003). Metal components exhibit a blue finish overall. Frame is mounted with a 1-piece black anodized alloy grip, featuring grooved panels on either side, with additional grooving on the rear grip strap. Front grip strap of frame also features a small panel of grooving. The slide features a slightly raised horizontally grooved rib, with an integral blade front sight, dovetailed square notch rear sight, and distinctive safety lever on the left side at the rear. Frame and slide are matching via the full S# "XB2386", with the trigger guard and ejector matching via an electro-penciled "86". MAGS: 1 non-matching (S#: 1896-2) blued steel 8-rd. mag. with black anodized alloy floorplate. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: x3 brown leather holsters and x1 tan leather holster. 2 of the brown leather holsters exhibit boxed Soviet markings on the interior of the closure flap. Tan holster exhibits a mostly illegible impressed insignia and contains a note that reads "The yellow shoulder holster is really for a PSM pistol. I send it to you because it's rare. As I know there was made about 200 pcs. of such holster for Ukrainian High Command of border guards.". CONDITION: extremely fine, with metal components retaining virtually all of their original factory blue finish, showing a couple of spots of very light edge wear, as well as a few minute superficial handling marks overall. Brilliant mirror chrome lined bore, retaining sharp and well defined rifling throughout. Proper manual mechanics. Alloy grip shows some very light to light superficial handling marks and scratches. Brown leather holsters remain malleable, showing some light wear and creasing from storage, with one showing some scattered spots of darker discoloration. Tan holster remains malleable, showing general overall wear and some areas of lighter discoloration from wear/use. An exceedingly rare and seldom presented opportunity for one to acquire a Soviet PSM pistol that is virtually unheard of in the United States. (25-6188/MLW). MODERN. $7,500-12,500.