Fabryka Broni originally dates to 1925, when it was set up as a factory to make small arms for the Polish military. It was occupied be German forces during World War Two and on the post-war Communist years it was designated Factory 11 – it’s products are identified by an oval around the number 11. It reverted to a state-owned metalworks company in 1990, but went bankrupt in 2000 and was taken over by a private concern. It is currently under private ownership and produces the MSBS Grot for the Polish military (and export sales), as well as Beryl rifles, various handguns, and other small arms. When I visited Poland I had the chance to visit, and the factory was happy to let me film a tour of the operation. This is a really cool look at how small arms factories operate; most such factories do not allow this sort of filming. Thanks to FB for the opportunity!
Heavy MGs
Polish Hotchkiss M1914
After regaining its independence in 1918, Poland had a variety of weapons available to its armed forces, including the Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun. The Hotchkiss fed from 30-round feed strips, and was gas operated and […]
Movie review
Film Review: Generation War (Unsere Mütter, Unsere Väter)
Generation War originally came out two years ago as a three-part German television miniseries, and I only found out about it recently. It has been described as a German Band of Brothers, but that misses […]
Grenade Launcher
RWGŁ-2: An AK/Mosin Hybrid Gas Launcher
When Polish workers held massive protests in Poznań against the communist Polish government in 1956, the Army was sent in to quell the unrest. In the aftermath of these events, the government decided to create […]
Really great video. I never understood the hammer forged barrel process and this explained it perfectly. Thanks Ian!
Thanks Ian for a fascinating look inside a modern rifle factory and comparing old and new technology. Is there some poor guy who has to cleaning thousands of bores after proof and reliability firing or is that somehow mechanised?
Ownership has now a rather complex structure but I believe Radom is still (mostly) owned by the state.
When one says an “Unskilled” worker used each machine to do different parts… They likely had a good eye; so a skill, in that sense… Given, well I mean I don’t know about you… But all the older guns made by “Said unskilled workers” look better, to me.
And worked better, straight out the factory as far as I can tell… Sooo, all this cnc lark is probably “progress” probably… In certain ways; in principle… Quite.