Lugansk cartridge factory: history, production, products

PJSC "Lugansk cartridge factory" is a private enterprise specializing in the production of cartridges, production equipment and souvenir products. In tsarist Russia and the USSR he was one of the largest manufacturers of ammunition.

Establish an enterprise

At the end of the XIX century the rearmament of the tsarist army was ripe. The base rifle is the "trilinear" Mosin with a cartridge 7.62 mm. The country needed a huge amount of ammunition of this caliber. The government has decided to build a new factory in the south of the country to manufacture cartridges.

The highest decree of 6.05.1895 on the basis of iron foundry shut down five years earlier was commissioned to organize the Lugansk cartridge factory. The new state-owned enterprise was designed to produce 100 million pieces of cartridges per year. The main products were cartridges of caliber 7.62 × 54R mm, invented by the Russian colonel Rogovtsev.

The pre-revolutionary period

However, in peacetime, defense plants were not always loaded at full capacity, and civilian products were almost not produced on them. So, in 1901 in Lugansk was produced only 47 million cartridges.

The situation radically changed in the Russo-Japanese War. The protracted fighting in the East led to depletion of stocks. The military leaders were not afraid that if there was a conflict in Europe, there would be nothing to fight. In 1905 the Lugansk cartridge factory was commissioned to produce the maximum possible amount of ammunition - 125 million pieces.

In the interwar period, despite the saturation of warehouses, the State Duma instructed to re-equip state-owned enterprises. In Lugansk were significantly expanded capacity. With the onset of World War I, productivity increased from 200 million cartridges to 555 million. Thus, for the army, LPZ was the leading supplier of live ammunition.

New stage

Two revolutions, a civil confrontation and the German occupation that ended the powerlessness led to a halt in production at the Lugansk cartridge plant. By agreement with the provisional Ukrainian government, the Germans took out 60% of the equipment. Six months later Lugansk passes to the white ataman Krasnov, who partially resumed the work of some shops.

Since the Bolshevik power became established in the spring of 1918, part of the equipment, tools, materials and skilled workers were taken to a newly formed enterprise in Podolsk. After the victory over the White Guards, the Soviet authorities gradually restored the plant. For example, in January 1925, Lugansk citizens were commissioned to produce 13 million cartridges. In 1927 the enterprise was classified, it became known as Plant No. 60.

In the winter of 1941, the equipment and personnel of the plant were evacuated to various regions of Central Asia, Western Siberia, the Urals. Seven factories were built on its base, which produced over 4 billion small arms ammunition.

Modern development

Production after the war was restored to its original location. In 1953, at LPG, in addition to ammunition, began to produce the latest technological high-performance equipment. Rotary automatic lines made it possible to produce cartridges much faster and with better quality.

With Ukraine's independence, the question arose about replacing Soviet currency with sovereign ones. In 1991, a mint was created on the basis of the Lugansk cartridge factory. Until 1996, coins of "yellow" and "white" metal were minted here. Now they are collectibles.

In 2002, the plant was privatized, foreign investors from the United States and Great Britain showed interest in securities. In 2009, the British (Milverton Consortium) sold their share of the shares (25%) to the Cyprus company Woodex Holdings. In 2014, according to the decision of the government of the People's Republic of Hungary, the Lugansk cartridge factory passes under the control of the people's republic.

Field of activity

LPZ is one of the leading organizations for the production of rotary automatic lines for the manufacture of cartridges, sports and hunting weapons, the manufacture of components and civil products. According to technical parameters, cartridges meet high quality standards.

Thus, LPZ is both a user and a manufacturer of equipment for the production of cartridges for rifled and smooth-bore weapons. On the basis of the equipment of Luhansk there are several automated cartridge factories.

The products of the Lugansk cartridge factory include:

• Sports and hunting cartridges 5,45 × 39-4 with a lead core bullet;
• Hunting cartridges 7.62 × 39-8 with a bullet with a lead core;
• Cartridges 9 × 18-7 with a bullet with a lead core;
• Cartridges of NATO standard 5.56 × 45.

On all the bottom parts of cartridge cases, issued at the factory, there is a stamp "270". The enterprise also produces tools and souvenirs (medals, tokens, breastplates and others). In addition to Ukraine, LPG products are supplied to a number of countries. Among the partners of the plant are companies from the Congo, Yemen, Belarus, the North Atlantic Alliance (Poland, Greece), and a number of other countries.