Izhevsk Mechanical Plant

Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (Russian: Ижевский Механический Завод, Izhevsky Mekhancheskiy Zavod) or IZHMEKH (ИЖМЕХ) was a major firearms manufacturer founded in Izhevsk in 1942 for manufacturing small arms.

Izhevsk Mechanical Plant
TypeUnitary enterprise
IndustryDefense
FateMerged with Izhmash to form Kalashnikov Concern
PredecessorPlant 622
FoundedIzhevsk, USSR July 20, 1942 (1942-07-20)
FounderState Defense Committee
Headquarters,
ProductsFirearms, air guns
Revenue US$ 94,867,462 (2009)[1]
US$ 225,315 (2009)[1]
Number of employees
11,633 (January 2010)[1]
ParentMinistry of Industry and Trade
SubsidiariesTrading House "Baikal"
Websiteimzcorp.com

History

It was one of the primary factories producing Mosin–Nagant and SVT-40 rifles during World War II for standard issue to Soviet troops. It also made SPSh-44 flare pistols.

After the end of World War II it continued producing firearms, both for military (Makarov pistols) and hunting applications, and later high-tech weapons and civilian machinery.

In 1948 plant began production Margolin pistols.

In 1956 plant began production IZh-56 combination guns.

Since 1960 Izhmekh supplied hunting shotguns for export under the trademark "Baikal". The first model that began to sell for export was IZh-54[2] In 1973 plant began production of PSM pistol, in 1978 - IZh-35 pistols.

In 1980s plant began production of IZh-38 and IZh-40 air guns, since 1989 - IZh-46 air pistols.[3]

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union the range of civilian products was greatly expanded, but firearms were still its major production. In 1993 Izhmekh began production of IZh-76 gas pistol (the first model of gas pistol made in Russian Federation),[4] IZh-81 and IZh-94 shotguns.

In 2002 Izhmekh began production MP-461 pistols, in 2004 - Makarych pistols.

In January 2004, a contract was signed between the Remington Arms company and the plant. Baikal firearms was bought by Remington and sold in USA (IZh-18 was sold as Remington Spartan 100, IZh-43-1S was sold as Remington Spartan 210, IZh-43 was sold as Remington Spartan 220, IZh-27 was sold as Remington Spartan 310 and MP-153 was sold as Remington Spartan 453).[5]

In 2008 Izhmekh made 9mm pistols (MP-443 Grach and MP-446 Viking), gas pistols, signal pistols, rifles and several models of smoothbore hunting shotguns.[6]

In 2010 Izhmekh began production MP-353 pistols.

On August 13, 2013, Izhmash and Izhevsk Mechanical Plant were merged and formally renamed Kalashnikov Concern.[7]

References

  1. "Izhevsk Mechanical Plant announced financial and economic results of its activities". Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2011-02-19.
  2. Л. Е. Михайлов, Н. Л. Изметинский. Ижевские охотничьи ружья. 2-е изд., испр. и доп. Ижевск, изд-во «Удмуртия», 1982.
  3. Галина Валеева. Эволюция продолжается. История создания спортивных пистолетов на "Ижмехе" // журнал "Калашников. Оружие. Боеприпасы. Снаряжение", № 11, 2015. стр.50-54
  4. Алексей Тарабрин. Оружие самозащиты. // журнал «Милиция», июнь 1993, стр.29-31
  5. Валерий Шилин. Российско-американский SPARTAN // журнал «Калашников. Оружие. Боеприпасы. Снаряжение», № 5, 2005. стр.40-43
  6. Ижевский механический завод, ФГУП // Предприятия оборонно-промышленного комплекса России и стран СНГ. Справочник. изд. 4-е, пер. М., 2008. стр.124
  7. http://www.janes.com/article/25839/izhmash-formally-renamed-kalashnikov

Literature

  • Н. А. Мокшин. Во имя Победы. 2-е изд. Ижевск, 1975.
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