Kalashnikov Concern (Izhevsk Machinebuilding Plant until 2013) (Russian:

) or IZHMASH () is the largest

arms manufacturer in Russia headquartered in both Izhevsk (Udmurtia, Russia)
and Moscow that produces a wide range civilian and military weapons including
assault and sniper rifles, guided artillery projectiles and a wide range of other
precision weapons. The majority of civilian products includes hunting shotguns,
sporting rifles, various machines and tools.

The Concern produces about 95% of all small arms in Russia and supplying to
more than 27 countries around the world. The Concern contains three brands:
"Kalashnikov" (combat and civilian weapons)", "Baikal" (hunting and civilian
guns), and "Izhmash" (sporting rifles). The Concern is developing new business
lines that include remote weapon stations, unmanned aerial vehicles and multifunctional special-purpose boats.

In May 2014 a deal to transfer 49% of the companys shares to private investors
(Andrey Bokarev and Alexey Krivoruchko) was completed, a majority 51%
remained within the state corporation (Rostec). At the same time, by agreement
of shareholders, the control over the management of the Concern always stays
with the private shareholders. Therefore, despite the fact that the state has
remained a controlling stake owner, the management structure of Kalashnikov
today is of a private compan
History[edit]
Beginning[edit]
Izhevsk Gun factory construction started in 1807 by the order of emperor
Alexandr I[3] (according to some sources, the venture was called Kama-Izhevsk
Alexandr Factory). That year more than 2 century history of the world-renowned
enterprise started.

Andrey Deryabin, mining engineer, was responsible for the construction and site
picking. The place (the bank of the Izh river) was chosen due to the proximity of
iron works, which immediately solved all the raw material supply problems.

Now Deryabin is widely known as Izh-town founder, since the factory managing
Arms Office opening became a great impulse for the whole town development.

Deryabin employed Russian and Udmurtian ploughmen living in the

neighbourhood. At that time ploughmen were to migrate to plants and work

there. Far settlements were released from these responsibilities but had to
provide works with wagons, horses and harnessing. It also was Deryabin that
hired foreign specialists to guide Russian craftsmen.

Ten stone plants, several wooden constructions and a towered main building were
erected in 1811-1816.

First weapon[edit]
First weapons were produced in autumn of 1807. It was the #15 17.7 mm
smoothbore muzzle-loaders for soldiers. The plant supplied the Kutuzov Army
with over 6 thousand #15s.

Russian smooth-bore 17.7 mm gun made in 1808 was mass-produced for infantry
equipping. There also were grapeshot-loading ranger, uhlan and horse-guard
short rifles, cuirassier and hussar carabines, dragoon musquets, flint blunder
buss made in 1809.

The venture also produced pistols and gun parts and remelted trophy weapons.

After a while the plant started producing uhlan, horse-guard, cuirassier and
dragoon rifles aside from infantry arms.

In the1830-1840s the works manufactured Gartung short rifles, Phalis breechloading shoulder-weapons and boarding guns for the Baltic fleet aside from
infantry pistols and cuirasses.

In 1844 the decision to upgrade current guns into more rapid firing percussion
muskets was made. Cap lock gun production started in 1845.

During the Crimean War, Izhevsk supplied the Army with 130 thousand rifles and
a third of them were grooved.

First guns employed by Russian Army were Luttich short rifles for infantry
battalions made in 1843.

First 50 years of the factory[edit]

During the 50 years of the plants operations over 670 thousand of flint guns and
pistols, over 220 thousand percussion muskets and pistols, over 58 thousand rifle
guns and impressive number of cold weapon were produced.

As for the cold steels, the venture manufactured knives with scabbards, cuirassier
backswords, dragoon sables, short brown bills and lances. In 1835 the plant
decided to transfer cold weapon production to Zlatoust and focus on fire-arms
manufacturing.

Private-Public-Private[edit]
In 1867 Izhevsk gunsmiths got a kind of manumission and the enterprise was
leased to private management. In 1884 the plant was returned to the state and
became Izhevsk Gun and Steel Factories (IGSF). Berdan four-port rifle (produced
in 1874-1890) was the most popular gun of the plant. It allowed Russia to
approach the European industrial empires level of armaments.

1885 started manufacturing of hunting weapons. Later, in 1922, the first state
hunting gun factory was opened on the enterprises premises.

First world war and after[edit]

During the First World War the plant supplied army with over 1.4 million of new
rifles and approximately 188 thousand of remelted shoulder weapons. By 1917
the works employed over 34 thousand people.

In the 1920s the venture manufactured various types of civil goods including the
railway buffers, acid ammonium molibdate, emery sticks, etc. The towns
chemical industry commenced with the establishment of works for Berezol
effective cement power production. In spring, 1925 the plant started
manufacturing crankshafts and aircraft engines and first Soviet motorcycles in
1929. In 1930 IGSF organized a machine-building insourcing. In 1933 a motorplant was founded in Izhevsk and some specialists and equipment from Izhevsk
Gun and Steel Factories were transferred there.

Mosin dragoon rifle, produced mainly by the plant, was upgraded in 1930. The
three-port Mosin rifle made in 1891/1930 was employed by Russian Army and
Navy. The first sniper gun was based on the Mosin rifle and produced in 1931.

The works also designed the aircraft machinegun, aircraft gun and antitank
weapon producing technology.

In 1939 Plant 180 was diversified into metallurgic Plant 71 and engineering
Plant 74, which also manufactured weapons.

Second world war[edit]

During the Second World War the works released 11.3 million rifles and
carabines, which exceeded all the German plants output (10.3 million). Over 15
thousand aircraft guns and over 130 thousand antitank weapons were produced.
Besides, mass production of antitank weapons, aircraft guns and machineguns,
pisotls and revolvers was set up. It took 24 hours for the works to supply one rifle
and one air divisions.

In 1941 the plant set up Degtyarev antitank gun production less, than in a month.
Simonov antitank gun was ordered in November, 1941 and already released in
1942. Berezin aircraft machineguns (UB-12.7) production was mastered in a short
term, TT pistol and Nagant revolver production was aligned. In 1942
manufacturing of 37 mm Shpitalny and Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 aircraft guns
and sniper rifles with optic sights commenced.

On July 20, 1942 Plant 622 (future Izhevsk Mechanical Plant) was segregated
from Plant 74. Part of the equipment was transferred from Izhevsk Engineering
works, a part was obtained at evacuated Tula and Podolsk mechanical plants.
During the war, Plant 622 produced Degtyarev-Simonov antitank guns, TT
pistols, Nagant revolvers, flare guns, ignition case primers.

After war[edit]
During the postwar period the plant started to release a wide range of civil goods
like agricultural equipment, furniture and other. At the end of the 40s main civil
products were hunting weapons. In 1945 Izh motorbikes manufacturing was
resumed.

At the end of the 50s the plant was involved in cosmic exploration and created
first S-325-B launch vehicle for the Earth atmosphere scanning and gaining data
on near space characteristics. At the beginning of the 70s M-100B and M-120
were designed, vacuum devices (magnetrons) for modern aircraft and missile
early detection systems were produced.

Sporting variants of hunting guns were designed. TSSV-1 and S-49 target sporting
rifles, TSV-50 and MTSV-50 free rifles for 7.62 and 5.6 mm cartridges were
produced. Evgeniy Dragunov commenced and headed upgrading the target rifles
in 1955.

Hunting models were also being improved. In 1960 the Bars rifle appeared, in
1961 Madved was constructed and in 1964 Los was released.

The development of sniper weapons continued. Dragunov headed 1891/1930

sniper rifle improvement in 1948 and created new model, MS-74. Testing showed
advantages of the gun to Simonov rifle. 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle was
also designed in 1948 and mass-produced in 1949. On July 3, 1963 7.62 mm
Dragunov self-loading sniper rifle was employed by the Soviet Army.

In 1942-1952 the plants design bureau had a team of 16 German gunsmithsdesigners including Hugo Schmeisser, the inventor of StG 44, Gustlof Werke, chief
designer Karl Bartnicke and his assistant Oskar Schink, Werner Gruner and Kurt
Horn, the developers of MG42.

In 1975 Izhevsk engineering plant became IZHMASH Industrial Association.

In 1984 the plant started production of artillery shells (Krasnopol, Kitolov, etc.)

In 1993 Viktor Kalashnikov and Aleksey Dragunov developed PP-19 Bizon

submachine weapon. In 1994 Russian Army employed AN-94 Abakan Nikonov
automatic rifle produced by IZHMASH.

Hunting carabines based on Kalashnikovs Saiga were gaining wide popularity.

The series development started with Saiga for 7.6239 cartridges release in
1992. Later other weapons of the series appeared (Sobol, Tigr, Los, Volk).

IZHMASH expanded its production and commenced manufacturing the GP-34

grenade launcher and UAV.

Nowadays[edit]
After the plant was amalgamated by Rostekhnologii State Corporation in 2008
IZHMASH became a parent company of the close combat weapon systems
holding.

The holding ventures produce ammunition, high-precise weapon, UAV, automatic

small arms including automatic guns, submachine weapons, pistols, shootinggrenade launchers and sniper weapons, develop technologies and manufacture
special equipment for production.

In the Russian military-industrial complex system, Kalashnikov relates to the

"Conventional Arms Industry". The State Corporation "Rostec" holds 51% of the
shares of the Concern, and private investors own the remaining 49%.