Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (Russian: Ижевский Механический Завод, Izhevsky Mekhanicheskiy Zavod) or IZHMEKH (ИЖМЕХ) was a major firearms manufacturer founded in Izhevsk in 1942 for manufacturing small arms.
It was one of the primary factories producing Mosin–Nagant and SVT-40 rifles during World War II for standard issue to Soviet troops.
After the end of World War II, it continued producing firearms, both for military (Makarov pistols) and hunting applications, and later high-tech weapons and civilian machinery.
Since 1960, Izhmekh supplied hunting shotguns for export under the trademark "Baikal". The first model that began to sell for export was IZh-54[2] In 1973 plant began production of PSM pistol, in 1978 - IZh-35 pistols.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union the range of civilian products was greatly expanded, but firearms were still its major production. In 1993, Izhmekh began production of the IZh-76 gas pistol (the first model of gas pistol made in Russian Federation),[5]IZh-81 and IZh-94 shotguns.
In 2002, Izhmekh began the production MP-461 pistols, and in 2004 the production of Makarych pistols.
^Л. Е. Михайлов, Н. Л. Изметинский. Ижевские охотничьи ружья. 2-е изд., испр. и доп. Ижевск, изд-во «Удмуртия», 1982.
^инженер-конструктор А. Матвеев. Новое ружье ИЖ-41 // журнал «Охота и охотничье хозяйство», № 7, 1985. стр.24-25
^Галина Валеева. Эволюция продолжается. История создания спортивных пистолетов на "Ижмехе" // журнал "Калашников. Оружие. Боеприпасы. Снаряжение", № 11, 2015. стр.50-54
^Алексей Тарабрин. Оружие самозащиты. // журнал «Милиция», июнь 1993, стр.29-31