Izhevsk Arms: Yesterday and Today

In 1800 Emperor Pavel I ordered to found an arms factory on the Kama river. Seven years later, under ober-berggauptman Andrey Fedorovich Deryabin’s patronage, the factory began producing arms. By late 1807 it produced seven guns and six broadswords. It was in 1807 that the history of arms production in Izhevsk started, and the city celebrated its 200-years anniversary in 2007.

In 1812 the factory delivered over 8.5 thousand guns to the Russian Army.

From 1819 to 1915, “for diligence and skill”, Izhevsk gunsmiths were awarded special caftans which gave them a status comparable to today’s legislator’s immunity. The tsar’s edict specified: “Persons not exempt from corporal punishment due to their status but awarded caftans shall be subject to corporal punishment only when denied their rights or put to jail. Their award caftans can be taken away by court appointment only and with the Supreme permission. Should this happen, the caftans shall be sent to His Emperor’s Majesty’s Cabinet or where they belong, to the Ministry of State Property.”

During World War I the Izhevsk arms factory produced 1.5 million rifles.

In the years of the Great Patriotic War the factory produced 11 million rifles and carbines, more than the German defense industry as a whole. Every day the factory armed one rifle and one Air Force division. There was no other factory in the world producing small arms in such amounts.

In July 1942 one more arms enterprise was established in Izhevsk, the State All-USSR Arms Factory No. 622 (today it’s the FGUP Izhevsk Mechanical Factory), on the base of Section 90 of factory No. 74 and evacuated facilities of the Tula Arms Factory, Podolsk Machine-Building Factory and workshops of the Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School. During the war the factory produced over 900 thousand TT pistols and Nagant revolvers, and over 190 thousand anti-tank rifles.

Today the Izhevsk Small Arms cluster occupies leading positions among Russian producers of both military and civilian firearms, it’s products are well-known on foreign markets.

The share of Izhevsk enterprises in the Russian production of combat automatic weapons amounts to over 90 per cent, and that of sniper weapons – to 95 per cent.

Izhevsk became world-famous as a leader in the production of small arms; it’s principal weapons, Mikhail Kalashnokov’s assault rifle and Eugene Dragunov’s sniper rifle, still remain superior to their foreign counterparts.

The TV Military Channel (USA), basing on the opinions of American and British servicemen and firearms experts, made up a rating list of the best small arms in the last hundred years. The list is headed by Mikhail Kalashnikov’s rifle that has been produced in Izhevsk since its adoption by the Army.

The names of Izhevsk gunsmiths Gennady Nikonov and Vladimir Yarygin are famous far beyond Russian borders.

More than 70 countries on the five continents purchase products bearing the Baikal trademark. The Italian Armi Magazine noted that “Izhevsk engraving artists’ work have arisen to the level of true masterpieces of arms”.

The only Russian specialized pistol production has been established at the Izhevsk Mechanical Factory. In 1953 the factory started mass production of the Makarov pistol that, along with the AK, embodies the best qualities of Russian small arms. In 1993 the American Guns Magazine included the Makarov on the list of the best pistols of the XX century. In 2003 the Russian Army adopted the PYa pistol designed by the factory’s engineer Vladimir Yarygin.

The share of Izhevsk combat small arms in the overall Russian exports amounts to 90 to 97 per cent. Izhmash is active on combat arms markets in about 30 countries (Canada, Lybia, India, Turky, etc.). Izhevsk-made civilian arms’ competitiveness is confirmed by the history of their use at largest international competitions.

The share of Izhevsk enterprises in the Russian production of civilian smooth-bore guns amounts to 85 per cent, and that of rifles – to 80 per cent. Izhmash exports its arms to almost 650 countries (Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the USA, France, etc.), whereas the FGUP “Izhevsk Mechanical Factory” exports firearms to 70 countries (including those with a well-developed arms industry, such as Italy and Germany). On the American market the Remington company is the factory’s trade partner.