Izhevsk Mechanical Plant "Baikal": products

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Izhevsk Mechanical Plant Baikal is the leading enterprise in the Russian Federation for the production of small arms and traumatic weapons. According to statistics, its share in the domestic market for a number of positions exceeds 80%. However, IMZ is engaged not only in the design and assembly of small arms. This is a diversified production that produces medical equipment, power tools, various devices, equipment for the oil and gas and mining sectors. The specialists of the plant have mastered the technology of precision steel casting and are able to produce high-quality metal products of complex shapes.

Everything to win

1942. German troops are on the outskirts of Moscow. After an unsuccessful frontal assault on the capital, the Wehrmacht decides to outflank the city. Elite units of Guderian's tank army were thrown into the southern direction, rapidly advancing towards Tula, the center of Russian gunsmiths. The government of the USSR makes an emergency decision to evacuate the main facilities of the Tula Armory, andat the same time, the Podolsk Mechanical Plant to the deep rear - to the city of Izhevsk.

The equipment was delivered to the territory of a small Izhevsk machine-building plant. Although the premises for the deployment of full-fledged production were sorely lacking, the workers did everything possible to start producing much-needed military products again.

Birth

21.07.1942 By order of the State Defense Committee, Plant No. 622 was separated from the structure of IZHMASH, later renamed the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant "Baikal". This production specialized mainly in the manufacture of scarce anti-tank rifles of the Simonov (PTRS) and Degtyarev (PTRD) systems. More than 130,000 units were produced in total.

In parallel, the assembly of old, but reliable Nagant revolvers (developed back in 1895), as well as more modern Tokarev pistols developed in 1933, was carried out. By the Victory Day, the factory workers produced over 1.3 million units of small arms.

Post-war years

With the end of the war, the profile of "Baikal" - Izhevsk Mechanical Plant - has not changed. They still made weapons here. However, the emphasis shifted towards civilian products. The place of anti-tank on the machines was taken by hunting rifles and carbines. Since 1949, IMZ has become the all-Union leader in the production of weapons and equipment for hunting. The first-born were the "double-barrel" Izh-49 and the "single-barrel" designed by Kazansky (ZK).

In the same (1949) yearAt the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant "Baikal" they began to master a new model of a pistol designed by Makarov. After a number of improvements, he went into the series in 1953, becoming one of the most massive in history.

The company did not forget about the athletes. Since 1948, sports pistols for bullet shooting have been produced here. Initially, the Margolin design was basic. In 1978, the production of the standard Izh-35 model began, which was replaced in 1986 by a modified modification of the Izh-35M. By the way, this model is still used by many domestic shooters-athletes.

On the edge of progress

50s were marked by a technological breakthrough in many areas of military science. Technology became more advanced and complex. Jet aviation, rocket science, detection and communication systems developed. Soldiers are armed with individual means for destroying armored vehicles.

In 1958, the Baikal enterprise (Izhevsk Mechanical Plant) was given the task of mastering science-intensive products in addition to small arms. Especially the army needed a large amount of ammunition for ATGMs. In a short time, the factory workers set up the production of aviation and anti-tank missiles, guided missiles, gyroscopic control systems, and various military equipment. Thus, production has reached a new, high-tech level of development. The merits of the team did not go unnoticed. For labor achievements in strengthening the country's defense capability, the plant was awarded an honorary orderLenin (1966).

Civilian products

Being a large diversified enterprise, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant "Baikal" produced (and still produces) various products for the civilian industry. In the 1950s and 1960s, spare parts for motorcycle equipment (including engines) and automobiles, pneumatic equipment for mining enterprises were produced here, complex precision casting technologies (mainly from steels) were mastered. In the 1970s and 1980s, the range expanded to include various electrical equipment and consumer goods.

With the beginning of Perestroika, a conversion program was launched at the plant, when part of military products is replaced by general civilian ones. In the 90s, the manufacture of power tools was established. FSUE Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, among other things, is known as a developer and manufacturer of complex medical equipment, occupying a leading position in the medical equipment market.

Today the factory produces:

• Baikal series pacemakers.
• PROGREX programmers.
• Medical electrodes.
• Hand-held electric tools (from drills and jigsaws to grinders and power saws).
• Packing machines.
• Microelectronics based on semiconductor, thin and thick film technologies.
• Geophysical, mining, oil and gas equipment.
• Car compressors.

Today

After the rebranding, small arms IMZ began to be produced underBaikal brand. Thanks to the efforts of marketers and the high quality of products, this name is known throughout the world. The products of the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant Baikal comply with domestic and international standards. The annual volume of only civilian weapons is about 750,000 items. Its workshops carry out design, manufacture of spare parts and assembly:

• Mr series smoothbore guns.
• Combined breaking guns (Express, Taiga, Sever, etc.).
• Rifled non-automatic rifles of the MP and OP-SKR series.
• Revolvers (MP-412).
• Self-loading pistols (Yarygin, PSM, Makarov).
• Pistols for sport shooting of the MP and MCM series.
• Service, traumatic, gas pistols.
• Pneumatic weapons.

Izhevsk Mechanical Plant "Baikal" without exaggeration is one of the flagships of Russian engineering and a key defense enterprise. In addition to small arms, high-precision automatic and guided munitions are created and produced here. In 2017, large-scale programs were approved for the modernization of a number of industries, the priority of which are weapons and foundries. It is planned to create a full-fledged woodworking plant. IMZ is part of the Kalashnikov State Concern.