Possible bad news for Saigas

Post by **WLJ** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:03 am

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012 ... e-izhmash/

Mikhail Kalashnikov Asks Putin To Save Izhmash

The famed original AK maker Izhmash is on the brink of collapse. Production of sporting rifles has stopped, export contacts cannot be fulfilled and skilled workers are leaving the company. Mikhail Kalashnikov and 16 colleagues have written an open letter to President Putin pleading for his intervention to prevent the company collapsing.

It is hard to sympathise with either Izhmash or Mikhail Kalashnikov. Mikhail Kalashnikov's last open letter addressed to Putin was in 2008. In that letter he accused foreigners of spreading rumours about the collapse of Izhmash in order to undermine the power of Russia.

For most of the past decade there has been almost no innovation from Izhmash. Instead of innovating they used the Russian courts and diplomats to suppress competitors. In 1997 they obtained a patent for the 50 year old AK-47 design. Izhmash used this ridiculous patent to sue and take ownership of their Russian rival Molot.

Izhmash's first new military rifle in years, the AK-12, was introduced earlier this year. It seems it is a little to late.

For the company to survive they need to accept they are no longer a major player in the military and law enforcement market. Their glory days ended a long time ago. State intervention is only going to prolong the pain.

Post by **Ian** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:07 am

Oh no... You mean you cannot suppress people to make sure you stay on top...

Post by **Whootsinator** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:37 am

The company is turning away buyers, but is collapsing? If you have people lining up to give you their money, what's the problem?

"They are no longer a key player in the mil/LE market" yet the SPORTING rifles get the axe?

Things aren't adding up.

Post by **WLJ** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:46 am

Whootsinator wrote:The company is turning away buyers, but is collapsing? If you have people lining up to give you their money, what's the problem?

"They are no longer a key player in the mil/LE market" yet the SPORTING rifles get the axe?

Things aren't adding up.

It's Russia
I'm willing to bet the so-called buyers are not who they would want to be owned by.

Post by **jackalo626** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:18 pm

Whootsinator wrote:The company is turning away buyers, but is collapsing? If you have people lining up to give you their money, what's the problem?

"They are no longer a key player in the mil/LE market" yet the SPORTING rifles get the axe?

Things aren't adding up.

Agreed. They sell in the states for way more than it takes to produce so keep churning them out.

Kentucky Armory Club