Editing Kalashnikov Concern (section)

=== Mid to Late 1800s ===
Starting in the 1830s, the armory started manufacturing "Gartung" short rifles, "Phalis" [[Breech-loading weapon|breech-loading]] rifles, and boarding guns for the [[Baltic Fleet]] of the [[Imperial Russian Navy]]. In 1835, the armory transferred cold steel production of [[sword]]s and [[lances]] to [[Zlatoust]], focusing mainly on [[firearm]] production. In 1844, the armory started upgrading current guns into more rapid firing [[Percussion cap|percussion]] muskets. The armory also started using the [[caplock mechanism]] for its products in 1845. During the [[Crimean War]], Izhevsk supplied the [[Russian Imperial Army]] with 130,000 rifles, with a third of them grooved. By 1857, 50 years after the creation of the armory, over 670,000 [[flintlock]] firearms, over 220,000 percussion firearms, over 58 thousand [[rifle]]s, as well as a plentiful number of swords and lances were produced.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}}

In 1867, the armory was reorganized into a lease and a private commercial enterprise. At this time, the armory was retrofitted and equipped with steam-engines, new machines, and an open-hearth furnace. This allowed the armory to produce more breech-loading weapons for the Russian Imperial Army, notably the "Krnk" and "[[Berdan rifle|Berdan]]" type rifles. The Berdan rifle was the most widely produced firearm at the plant during the time as well, indirectly allowing Russia to approach the European industrial empires' level of armaments.<ref name=":0" />

By 1870, production rate at the armory exceeded both the armories of [[Tula, Russia|Tula]] and [[Sestroretsk]]. Later, when the methods of high-quality [[Steelmaking|steel production]] were well mastered, Izhevsk became the source of gun barrels and barrel receivers for Russian plants. For example, armory enterprises in Tula used annually up to 360,000 barrels from the armory at [[Izhevsk]]. In 1884, the plant was later returned to the state and became Izhevsk Gun and Steel Factories (IGSF). In 1885, IGSF started manufacturing [[hunting weapons]] and tools. In 1891, IGSF started [[Mass production|mass-producing]] the [[Mosin–Nagant]] rifle. The IGSF also started using [[Electric generator|DC generators]] to produce electricity to illuminate the plant as well as to power the machines. The IGSF was the only Russian enterprise that produced firearms for all branches of the Russian military. Thanks to the IGSF, Izhevsk became a large industrial center in Russia.<ref name=":0" />{{Citation needed|date=October 2017}}