Zastava Arms
| Type | Joint stock |
|---|---|
| Industry | Arms industry |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Headquarters | Kragujevac, Serbia |
| Products | Firearms |
| Revenue |  US$ 156.44 million (2010) |
| Operating income | US$ 32.04 million (2010) |
| Employees | 2,100 |
| Website | Zastava-arms.rs |
Zastava Arms is a Serbian manufacturer of firearms and artillery. It was founded in 1853 when it cast its first cannons. It is currently the leading producer of firearms in Serbia and is a large contributor to the local defence industry. Zastava Arms produces and exports a wide variety of products to over forty countries.
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[edit] History
The beginning of firearms manufacturing in Serbia can be traced back to the First Serbian Uprising of 1804, when the first noticeable formation of organized armed elements led by the insurgent leader Karađorđe Petrović called for an increase to the production of muskets and light cannons for the uprising. Munitions and field artillery such as the light "Hajduk" cannon were successfully produced in the lower Belgrade Fortress Arsenal as early as 1808.
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By the end of 1832, the State Military Workshop was completed and began assembling its guns from parts produced in workshops by local gunsmiths and specialized craftsmen. Other facilities for the production and repair of firearms were completed shortly after, with all the elements later combined into the Military Equipment Factory in 1847. In 1849, the facility's Cannon Foundry received its first 15KW steam engine from the Belgian company of La Chausse. Under pressure from both Austria and the Ottoman Empire, the Serbian Ministry of the Interior suggested in March 1851 that Kragujevac should become the main center for arms production. All of the active elements of the Cannon Foundry were moved to Kragujevac by the end of the month. The successful production of four four-pound cannons and two short howitzers on October 27, 1853 is by many considered to have marked the founding of the Zastava Arms manufacturing company. Between 1856 an 1860, the facilities in Kragujevac received many upgrades to its manufacturing system, eventually allowing the plant to produce weapons with full parts interchangeability.
After independence was given to Serbia following the Berlin Treaty in 1878, one of the main priorities became the modernization of armaments. Serbian rifle „Piboduša“ Model 1870 Peabody became obsolete with their large 14,9mm caliber.[1] After a research project and a competitive tender in 1879, a new model rifle was chosen as the replacement. The first domestic-made repeating rifle, a derivative of the Mauser Model 1871 bolt-action rifle, was designed in 1880 by Kosta Milovanović and was named "Koka's Rifle", after its designer. The weapon was first manufactured in Germany and was called the Mauser-Milovanović M1878/80, cal. 10,15mm. The Mauser family was known to have good relationships with Serbian leaders, namely in the example of Wilhelm Mauser′s daughter Elisa, who had married Major Kosta “Koka” Milovanović in 1884. The Mauser bolt-action rifle has armed the military forces of Serbia since 1880. The history of the Military Technical Institute (Vojno Tehnički Zavod, VTZ), at Kragujevac, which has long considered the cradle of the Serbian arms industry. Although this factory did not become involved with the manufacture of the Mauser system until 1907, its specialists and makers played a necessary and important part in choosing, inspecting and accepting arms and ammunition from foreign factories. VTZ began the licensed manufactured of Mauser rifles in 1928, and to date, has produced or adapted close to two million rifles and carabines based on the various Mauser designs.
During the First World War, productions in Kragujevac ceased and the entire production staff was evacuated to Niš in 1914, and later to France in 1916 after retreating across Albania. After the war, the majority of the armory workers were returned home and production was restarted in July 1919.
In 1924 and 1925, the Ministry of the Interior signed contracts with FN Herstal, which allowed the production of M24 series bolt-action rifles chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser. In 1928, the facility in Kragujevac began mass producing infantry rifles and ammunition at the maximum capacity of 200 rifles and 200,000 rounds per day. During the 1930s, many new additions were added to the factory's production roster, and in 1936 the factory began producing M1937 machine guns under license from Zbrojovka Brno.
During World War II the Kragujevac weapons factory was seized by the Wehrmacht and was put to use by Nazi authorities in order to produce additional arms and munitions for the German war machine. In June 1942 the weapons factory was disassembled and put out of commission. When Kragujevac was liberated in 1944, the weapons factory was put back into working order within months and production began shortly after, with the M1944 submachine gun developed during the same year.
[edit] Mauser Short Rifles M1948
The next postwar production rifle was the 7.92x57mm Mauser Model 1948. These are similar to the mid-war 1942-43 German Mauser Kar 98k, except for a slightly shorter action and a full length handguard. The M48 Mauser on the top of the receiver ring, is marked Preduzece 44. The M48 also features a milled trigger guard/magazine assembly and a milled H-shaped upper band. The M48 was produced until the end of 1952 with a total production of just over 238,000 rifles.
[edit] Model 1948 (M48)
Mauser rifles bearing 'M48' markings on the receiver ring were made in Yugoslavia at the Preduzeće 44 (Enterprise 44) later known as Zavod Crvena Zastava (Red Flag Institute). The M48s were made of all milled steel parts.
[edit] Model 48A
A new production line began in 1953 with the M1948A. This model introduced the stamped floor plate to the M48 design and was the start of a trend to cut cost and time of production. The same year the "Предузеће/Preduzeće 44" marking was dispensed with. The only differences were that "M48A" was marked under the Communist crest on the receiver ring.
[edit] Model 48B
At the end of 1956, M48A production was supplemented by the M48B. This is the second and last variant of the M48 series, also produced by Zastava and it made extensive use of stamped metal parts. All other specifications are identical to the others in the M48 series or differ in such minute ways as to be deemed insignificant. The receiver ring markings are the Yugoslav Communist crest above the letters M48A as the receiver marking was not changed with the introduction of the B variant. Most of the M48Bs were shipped to Iraq and an estimated 50,000 of them went to the FALN rebels in Algeria. The French captured large numbers of M48Bs during the 1958-62 war in that country. Only a few thousand of these were produced "BO" stands for "bez oznake", which, translated from Serbian, means "without markings." These rifles have no markings (no crest or model number) except for a serial number. They are not even marked 'M48'. The 'BO' series were intended for sale to Egypt but only a few thousand were ready for initial delivery when the Suez Crisis began in 1956.
[edit] Crvena Zastava
In January 1946, the factory was renamed to Crvena Zastava (Red Flag) and began producing new firearms based on the designs from the Soviet Union, primarily the SKS and PPSh, but also utilizing weapon elements left over from the Nazi occupation. Crvena Zastava began producing Kalashnikov-based rifles during the 1960s, and in 1967 the Zastava M67 automatic rifle appeared. A derivative of the M67 was later developed in 1970 and was named the M70 assault rifle. It became the standard-issue assault rifle for the Yugoslav People's Army.
During the period between 1970 and 1992, Crvena Zastava produced heavier weapons under license. Light cannons like the Bofors 40mm gun and the 20mm M75 infantry cannon were produced in large quantities. Small arms derivatives of the M70 produced rifles chambered in Western bloc ammunition such as 7.62×51mm NATO and 5.56×45mm NATO.
During the Yugoslav Wars of 1991 to 1995, the United Nations placed economic sanctions on the import and export of weapons from Yugoslavia, production slowed as a result. In 1999 the factory was damaged by NATO bombing.
In 2003 the company was renamed to Zastava Arms as it is known today. In 2005 Zastava Arms underwent restructuring. The same year, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Remington Arms to export hunting and sporting guns to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
[edit] Products
[edit] Hunting rifles
- Zastava LK M70
- Zastava LK M70 PSS
- Zastava LK M70 PS
- Zastava LK M808
- Zastava LK M85
- Zastava LK M48/63
- Zastava LK M98
[edit] Semi-automatic Sporting Rifles
[edit] Handguns
[edit] Assault rifles
[edit] Machine guns
[edit] Submachine Guns
- M1944 Submachine gun
- M49 Submachine gun
- M56 Submachine gun
- MGV-176 Submachine gun
- Zastava M85
- Zastava M92
[edit] Sniper rifles
[edit] Grenade launchers
[edit] References
- ^ Collection of 19th century weapons until 1918. Military Museum
- Serbian and Yugoslav Mauser Rifles, Bogdanović, Branko
[edit] External links
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