Zastava Arms - History

History

The successful production of four four-pound cannons and two short howitzers on October 27, 1853 is date of foundation of Zastava Arms in Kragujevac. 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. 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. 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.

In 1924 and 1925, the Ministry of the Interior signed contracts with FN Herstal, Belgium which allowed the production of M24 series bolt-action rifles chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser. Factory for production of rifles and infantry ammunition was also built. The factory for production of infantry ammunition started to work on March 22, 1928 and the factory for production of rifles and ammunition was put to operation on October 15 (75th anniversary of first casting of cannons in Kragujevac). During 1930, the factory started the production of signal pistols 26 mm M 1929 on the basis of Czechoslovakian licence. In July 1936, the Zastava got licence from Czechoslovakian Zbrojovka Brno to produce light machineguns 7,9 mm M 1937.

Zastava Arms was heavly damaged during the World War II. When Kragujevac was liberated in October 21, 1944, the weapons factory was put back into working order within months and production began shortly after, with the 9 mm M 1944 B2 submachine gun developed during the same year. The next postwar production rifle was the 7.92x57mm Mauser Model 1948 on the basis of Model 24. The production of air rifles and sporting rifles on the basis of rifle M48 started in 1953. In 1954 the Zastava started the production of shotguns and small bore rifles, as well as machine gun 7,9 mm M42 ¨Sarac¨. Batch production of semi-automatic rifle PAP M59 7,26x39 mm started in 1964. In the 1964, the factory started the development of automatic rifle, of Kalashnikov system, which was named M67 in 1967. On the basis of rifle M67, the factory developed automatic rifle in caliber 7.62x39 mm, which was named Zastava M70 in the following year. Yugoslav People's Army included assault rifle M70 in calibre 7.62 x 39 mm into its armament in 1970. Small arms derivatives of the M70 produced rifles chambered in Western bloc ammunition such as 7.62×51mm NATO and 5.56×45mm NATO. In 1988, the factory developed a compact design pistol in 9 mm Parabellum model M88. In the 1980s, the plant for action of machine guns M84, M86 in 7.62x54 and heavy machine gun in 12.7 NSV M87 was set to operation as well. In july 1989 Zastava started the development of the double-action pistol in calibre 9mm PARA CZ 99. In 1992, the factory finished the development and testing and started batch production of 7.62 mm submachine gun M92, based on submachine gun M85. Using the Mauser mechanism, the factory developed 12.7 mm long range rifle Black Arrow M93. 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 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.