Production of small arms in Poland in the years 1921–1939

Abstract

After the end of the Polish-Bolshevik war and reorganization of the armed forces in 1921, the army was in possession of: 48% of rifles and carbines of French production, 30% of German, 17% of Austrian, 5% of Russian and other countries. The army had 25 designs, 13 systems and 8 calibres, so it was urgent to adopt one model of weapons and create your own war industry, which will supply the army for peace and war and make it independent of external supplies. In 1919, the Council of Ambassadors acting as the executive committee of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles gave Poland, equipment and documentation, the Royal Factory of Rifles from Gdańsk. In 1921, the Military Council at the Minister of Military Affairs recommended Mauser rifle model 98, as the basic model of small arms for the army. Production began at the State Rifle Factory in Warsaw. Until the outbreak of the war, factories producing small arms, could cover the possible irreversible losses in rifles and carabiners in 55%, machine guns in 45%, ammunition in 66%, in ashes in 30%. The qualitative and quantitative progress achieved over 17 years should be considered huge.