Cause Russia is the replacement of imported sporting rifles
To restore Russia’s leading positions on the market of sports arms: the Ministry of sports of Russia announced for the period until 2018, the plan for the development of shooting sports, including the creation of new types of weapons and ammunition, rifle development of infrastructure and improvement of legislation.
Not up with the times
“Today we are engaged in import of guns, consumed in large quantity branded cartridge, that is completely wrong. We do not live in step with the times. We must take the necessary measures so that the situation that has developed in our country, has been radically changed”, — such statement was made by Deputy Minister of sports of Russia Pavel Novikov at the meeting dedicated to the development of shooting sports, which was held April 12. The event was attended by representatives of sports organizations, developers and manufacturers of arms and ammunition. The main and only issue of the event — import substitution in the market of sports arms.
The situation is difficult, as acknowledged by the head coach of Russian national team on bench shooting Sergey Shushkov, 99 percent of athletes in their discipline shoot imported ammunition. According to the representative of CSKA, the Olympic champion in pistol shooting of Michael Nestruev, for the needs of society is bought mainly imported weapons and ammunition. Attempts of cooperation with national companies, the club were, but was not too successful: the proposed products are either of insufficient quality or too expensive. So, purchased from Novosibirsk ammunition factory ammunition caliber 7,62x54r for shooting at 300 meters showed a too big radius of dispersion, and domestic ammo for shooting subjects at a distance of 25 meters cost several times more expensive than imported. In the end, according to Nestruev, Ministry of defense (it is responsible for maintaining the club) decided to buy cheaper and better imported ammo. A similar situation exists in non-Olympic disciplines. For example, a top practical pistol arrows armed with Czech CZ, American guns on the base “Colt” and the Austrian Glock.
Russian Vitaly Fokeev (center) in the qualifying competitions in Skeet shooting in the exercise “the double trap” among men at the first European games in Baku
Photo: Alexey Filippov / RIA Novosti
To change things will try a specially created expert group under the Ministry of sports it included representatives of sports organizations, manufacturers and government agencies. The project is supported by the Russian government, it is supervised by Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin. Novikov also announced a plan for the development of shooting sports, which runs until 2018, — it involves the development of promising models of weapons, ammunition and equipment, networking with manufacturers and work on a regulatory framework.
Attempt number two
This is the second attempt to develop import substitution in the field of small arms — the first one was taken about two years ago. As told the Deputy Director of Department of investment development and state property management of the Ministry of sports Sergey Smirnitsky, the 2014 winter Olympic games in Sochi has developed a special biathlon rifle. The weapon was created, but proved too expensive and the piece was produced.
A new task — to create conditions for mass production of sporting firearms which by its characteristics superior to foreign counterparts. “If we get information on the willingness to produce something worthy of attention and meet the athletes, we can consider the possibility of support from the state for such purchases, — has promised the Deputy Minister, stressing that the potential size of the market, according to preliminary estimates, is huge. — We made a survey of subjects of the Russian Federation about interest in purchases of sporting arms and equipment, and potential orders close to the millions (units), desire is colossal”.
According to Novikov, the volume of investments in the implementation plan for the development of shooting sports, including studies, modernization of industries and infrastructure development, may reach 100 billion rubles.
The idea of import substitution like gun manufacturers, but a preliminary assessment of the market capacity and the commercial component of the project cause them to have doubts. “Millions (of units) speech can not go in principle, “said the Tape.<url>” Deputy General Director for economic safety of JSC NPO “Precision complexes” Alexander Shulyakov. — The market could amount to no more than 100 thousand units of all types of weapons per year: small-bore rifles and pistols, sniper guns, pneumatic, etc. several tens of thousands of units could add hunting”.
According to Sergei Smirnitsky, citizens, “which in varying degrees are engaged in shooting sports” in the country from 300 to 500 thousand people.
Concerns about the capacity of the market indirectly confirm potential customers are sporting weapons. Thus, the representative of DOSAAF assessed the needs of its structure in two or three thousand small-caliber rifles and pistols. According to the chief editor of the magazine “Kalashnikov” Mikhail Degtyarev, for all time of existence of practical shooting in Russia, shooting ranges bought about seven thousand of the most popular models of handguns — CZ-75 and Glock.
Maria Gushchina, two-time world and European champion in practical pistol shooting
Photo: practical shooting Federation of Russia
However, said Pavel Novikov, the available estimates of the market — prior to the end of the year must be conducted detailed marketing research.
Will the “strelkovka” cost-effective
Another problem is that manufacture of small arms (combat, civil, sports) in defence industry today is unprofitable and is subsidized by the more expensive production of military products. “Concern “Kalashnikov” produces a few guided missiles, the funds that they collect from contracts with the defense Ministry, are used to pay costs associated with the manufacture of small arms, — said “the Tape.<url>” Alexander Shulyakov. — On the “Hammer” is an anti-tank missile, which is sold in small quantities abroad, these export contracts to support a “strelkovka” afloat”. Similar situation at the Tula arms plant: the basic product of the company is 9М113М anti-tank missile complex “Konkurs M”. Its sales cover the cost of production “strelkovka”.
Truly cost-effective would be a project created with a clean slate for the sample of foreign companies is a small plant developed for the manufacture of sports or hunting weapons. For these purposes, imported the necessary equipment and is typed in the optimal state — only about a hundred people — managers and workers. “I was at the factory Steyr Mannlicher in Austria, there are 120 people produce 110 thousand weapons per year,” says Shulyakov. — Our factories is always a few thousand people who generate much less. We can numbering two or three thousand people to produce two or three thousands of weapons”. This production, in his opinion, you can create guaranteed in the presence of at least a few years of the order.
The shooter with a rifle “Orsis” T-5000
Photo: vitalykuzmin.net
An example of a modern weapons industry, is built on the model of Western companies that experts call the factory “Orsis” (the company “Promtekhnologiya”), specializing in precision weapons. In 2012, the team management “And” tssn FSB with a rifle “Orsis” T-5000 won the international competition of police and army snipers. This is not the only example of creating effective weapons for sport. “Vysokotochnye” Tula arms plant MTS 116 chambered in 338 Lapua Magnum successfully used by Russian athletes in international competitions.
It should be noted that the main weapon of practical shooters (including the highest level) in the class of “gun” — the smooth-bore carbines “saiga” and “Vepr” in the sports versions (saiga 12, 340, and “Vepr” VPO-205-00 SP and VPO-205-00 SP, version 02). Concern “Kalashnikov” some time ago announced rifled sporting carbine with a balanced automation “saiga”, 107 performance, experimental samples of these weapons uses a team of gunmen “Rostec”.
