The Kalashnikov Museum Virtual Tour: Part 9 - the second hall of military Museum of Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of AK-47

Pic.9-10 Izhevsky Mekhanichesky Zavod (Baikal) subhall Izhevsky Mekhanichesky Zavod (Baikal) subhall Once a military armory, Russia's Baikal has made a name for itself with a line of unique hunting guns. In 1942 the State Defense Board of the USSR ordered the construction of a large-scale gunmaking facility in the deep recesses of Eurasia west of the Ural Mountains. Izhevsky Mekhanichesky Zavod (Izhevsky Manufacturing Plant, better known today as Baikal, an actual company trademark) was founded in July of that year in the city of Izhevsk. During World War II it produced countless Tokarev 1933 pistols, Nagant 1895 revolvers, Degtyaryov and Simonov anti-tank rifles and other military armament, including rocket launchers. Izhevsky Mekhanichesky Zavod is believed to be the second-to-none as for gun types variety. The versatile enterprise is the largest manufacturer of sporting and hunting guns in the world. The total volume of sporting and hunting guns produced in 2004 amounts to more than 680 thousand pieces. IMZ is cooperating with the U.S. company Remington to produce guns for the U.S. sporting market. Pic.9-11 View at the hall from left to right: roof windows Pic.9-12 View at the hall from right to left

On display are rifles with artistic treatment (threading, engraving, incrustation) and improved finishing. Pic.9-13 Pic.9-14 Pic.9-15 Pic.9-16 Pic.9-17 Pic.9-18 Pic.9-19 Pic.9-20 Pic.9-21 Pic.9-22

Pic.9-23 Izhmash subhall Pic.9-24 Layers of snow on the hall upper window Izhmash is the producer of high quality firearms with almost 200 history of armament manufacturing. Range of products: Assault rifles AK 101, AK 103, AK 102, AK 104, AK 105 AK 74M, AKM, AKMS, AN-94 Sniper rifles SVD SVDS Sub-machine guns Bizon-2 Pic.9-25 Close-up of AK-100 showcase Self-loading rifles Korshun Saiga Saiga-M3 EXP-01 Tigr Medved-3 Medved-4 Bolt-action rifles Bars-4-1 Los-7-1 Los-9-1 Sobol Record SM-2KO BI-7-2KO Self-loading smooth bored shotgun Saiga-12 Saiga-20 Saiga-410 Pic.9-26 Close-up of Saiga showcase Pic.9-27 Tiniest fully functional model of AK-47 in the world. Izhmash has its own nice museum dedicated to weapons and gunsmiths. Among many wonders on display is tiniest fully functional model of AK-47 in the world. There are unique collections of cold steel and firearms since 1805. Museum is open to public (unlike Baikal's museum located behind the enterprise walls), and we are planning on making a short virtual tour about it as well. It will be included in this E-book's "Places of interest" section - watch out for future versions of our guide.

Pic.9-28 Exit from Baikal/Izhmash hall Mikhail Kalashnikov will go down in history as the creator of the world's most famous rifle, the AK-47. Now he'd like his name to be known for something else besides. He has said, quite poignantly, that he wished he had invented a lawnmower instead - and you can see it as a swords-into-ploughshares thing. In fact, The Kalashnikov lawnmower is the reality - you've seen the picture. What else ? Upon request from a friend, Kalashnikov once authored few gadgets for surgeons - namely, a blade clamp for scalpel, cranes for gum treatment and steel buckle used to heal fractures. As he was recently told, these gadgets and their clones are still in use. Of course these are not a match for AK-47s but anyway... Pic.9-29 Exit from the central hall There is yet another Kalashnikov gun coming - a special kind of gun. Izhmash engineers led by Kalashnikov came up with portable impulse fire extinguisher based on AK-47. People who saw the action reported what the result was fascinating - it took it very few shots to extinguish a wild fire. The device was featured on "Rescue means. Nature, man-caused and fire security of Russia" exhibition in Moscow and Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations revealed much interest in it. At his 85 Mikhail Kalashnikov is brimming with new ideas. What's next?