The History of FB Radom

Founding

The story of FB Radom begins in the immediate aftermath of Polish independence. On November 11, 1918, after 123 years of partition between Russia, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary, Poland was reborn as a sovereign nation. Almost immediately, the new Polish government recognized that national independence required industrial self-sufficiency, particularly in the production of military small arms. Within weeks of independence, Polish military planners were already meeting to discuss the creation of a state-owned arms factory that would supply the new Polish Army. The search for a suitable location was guided by several factors: access to skilled labor, proximity to rail and river transportation, distance from the still-volatile borders with Soviet Russia and the new Soviet-allied Lithuania, and — critically — the presence of a pre-existing metalworking tradition. The choice fell on Radom, a city in central Poland with a long history of metalworking and a strategic location on the Warsaw-Kraków railway line.

On July 1, 1922, the Polish Ministry of Military Affairs officially established Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów (State Rifle Factory) in Radom, with the mission of producing rifles, machine guns, and other small arms for the Polish Army. The factory was initially housed in a converted sugar refinery on the outskirts of the city, with a small but dedicated workforce of skilled Polish machinists, many of whom had been trained at the Polish Legions' workshops during World War I or had worked in armories in partitioned Poland. In 1923 the factory was renamed Państwowa Wytwórnia Uzbrojenia Nr. 1 (State Arms Works No. 1), and in 1927 it was reorganized once again as Fabryka Broni w Radomiu — the name by which the factory would be known for the rest of the 20th century, and the source of the modern abbreviation "FB Radom." The factory's first product was the Mauser wz. 98 rifle, produced under license from Mauser-Werke in Germany. By 1924, FB Radom was producing 30,000 rifles per year, a remarkable achievement for a factory that had been little more than an abandoned sugar refinery just two years earlier.

From the very start, FB Radom was more than just a military factory — it was a symbol of Polish national rebirth. Polish workers, many of whom had learned their trade in the workshops of partitioned Poland, took enormous pride in producing weapons for a free Polish Army for the first time in over a century. The factory was repeatedly expanded through the 1920s and 1930s, with new buildings, new machine tools, and new training programs for engineers and machinists. By the late 1930s, FB Radom employed over 6,000 workers and was one of the largest industrial enterprises in central Poland. The factory also became a center of firearms innovation, with Polish engineers developing a series of original weapon designs that were the equal of anything produced in Germany, Czechoslovakia, or Belgium.

The Early Years

The interwar period was FB Radom's golden age. The factory's engineers, working under the direction of the Ministry of Military Affairs, developed a series of firearms that are now considered classics of 20th-century weapon design. The most famous of these was the VIS wz. 35 pistol (also known as the FB Radom VIS 35 or the Model 35), an outstanding 9mm semi-automatic pistol designed by Polish engineer Piotr Wilniewczyc in collaboration with Jan Skrzypiński. The VIS 35 was adopted by the Polish Army in 1935 and is widely considered one of the finest military pistols of the pre-war era, comparing favorably with the Browning Hi-Power, the Walther P.38, and the Beretta M1934. The pistol was characterized by its locked-breech action, excellent accuracy, robust construction, and innovative locking system. Approximately 49,000 VIS 35 pistols were produced before the German invasion of Poland in 1939, and the gun was widely admired by the German officers who captured them.

FB Radom also produced a wide range of other weapons during the interwar period. The factory manufactured the Mauser wz. 29 carbine and Mauser wz. 98 rifle under license, the Browning wz. 30 machine gun (a licensed copy of the BAR), the Ckm wz. 30 heavy machine gun (a licensed copy of the Browning M1917), the Rkm wz. 28 light machine gun (a licensed copy of the Browning Automatic Rifle), and a wide range of cavalry carbines, pistols, and revolvers. The factory's engineers also experimented with new designs, including a light machine gun of their own design and a series of anti-tank rifles. By the late 1930s, FB Radom was producing more weapons than at any time in its history, and was in the process of developing several ambitious new weapon programs that would unfortunately be cut short by the outbreak of World War II.

Key Historical Milestones

• 1922: Państwowa Fabryka Karabinów (State Rifle Factory) is established in Radom, Poland, on July 1.
• 1923: Factory renamed Państwowa Wytwórnia Uzbrojenia Nr. 1.
• 1924: Production of Mauser wz. 98 rifles under license reaches 30,000 units per year.
• 1927: Factory reorganized as Fabryka Broni w Radomiu (FB Radom).
• 1935: The VIS wz. 35 pistol is adopted by the Polish Army.
• September 1939: Germany invades Poland. FB Radom is captured and converted to producing Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles for the Wehrmacht.
• 1944–1945: Soviet forces liberate Radom. The factory is converted to producing Mosin-Nagant rifles and PPSh-41 SMGs for the Soviet Union.
• 1947: Polish government restarts civilian production at FB Radom. The factory begins producing hunting shotguns and target rifles.
• 1950s: FB Radom begins producing AK-pattern rifles (the Polish license-built version was the PMK and later the PMK-DGN-60).
• 1960s: The factory begins production of the FB Beryl and FB Mini-Beryl assault rifles in 5.56×45mm NATO for Polish special forces.
• 2002: The factory introduces the FB GROT (MSBS Grot), a 5.56×45mm / 7.62×39mm modular assault rifle.
• 2017: The MSBS Grot C16A2 is officially adopted by the Polish Armed Forces as the standard service rifle, replacing the Beryl.

Iconic Firearms

FB Radom has produced a remarkable number of historically important firearms over the past century. From the legendary VIS 35 pistol of the 1930s to the modern MSBS Grot assault rifle, the factory's output represents one of the most fascinating continuities in 20th-century weapons design. Below are the most significant FB Radom firearms.

The VIS wz. 35 Pistol

The VIS 35 (WiS 35) is, without question, the most iconic FB Radom firearm. Designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc and Jan Skrzypiński in the early 1930s, the VIS 35 was a 9×19mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistol with a locked-breech action and an 8-round single-stack magazine. The pistol was notable for its excellent trigger pull, exceptional accuracy, and innovative locking system, which used a pivoting wedge that engaged recesses in the breech. The VIS 35 was adopted by the Polish Army in 1935 and was the standard sidearm of Polish officers, NCOs, and cavalry units until the German invasion in 1939. After the German occupation of Poland, the Wehrmacht captured large numbers of VIS 35 pistols and pressed them into service as the Pistole 645(p). Approximately 49,000 VIS 35 pistols were produced before 1939, and the gun remains one of the most collectible military pistols in existence. The VIS 35 is often ranked alongside the Walther P.38, the Browning Hi-Power, and the Beretta M1934 as one of the finest military pistols of the pre-war era, and original Polish-made examples regularly command prices in excess of $3,000 on the collector market.

The MSBS Grot (FB GROT) Assault Rifle

The MSBS Grot (Modułowy System Broni Strzeleckiej — Modular Firearms System) is FB Radom's flagship modern product and the standard service rifle of the Polish Armed Forces. Officially adopted in 2017, the MSBS Grot C16A2 is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO and is also available in 7.62×39mm (M16) and 7.62×51mm NATO variants. The Grot is a modular, gas-operated, rotating-bolt rifle that can be configured as a carbine, assault rifle, designated marksman rifle, or light machine gun by swapping upper receiver modules. The rifle features a folding side-folding stock, a free-floating chrome-lined barrel, a Picatinny rail system, and a polymer lower receiver. The MSBS Grot has been praised for its modularity, accuracy, and reliability, and is considered one of the most modern and well-designed assault rifles in the world. The Polish Army has ordered approximately 150,000 Grot rifles in various configurations, and the weapon has also been exported to several other countries, including Ukraine.

The FB Beryl Assault Rifle

The FB Beryl (also known as the Beryl M-762 and Beryl M-556) is the immediate predecessor of the MSBS Grot and was the standard Polish service rifle from the late 1990s until 2017. The Beryl is a 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle designed by FB Radom in the 1990s as a modernization of the older AKMS pattern. The Beryl uses an AK-pattern long-stroke gas piston but features a number of modern improvements, including a polymer stock, a Picatinny rail, a side-folding stock, and a chrome-lined barrel. The Beryl is still in service with the Polish Armed Forces, particularly in reserve and second-line units, and has been exported to several other countries. A compact version, the Mini-Beryl, was also produced and is used by Polish special forces and security services.

The PMK-DGN-60

The PMK-DGN-60 (Pistolet Maszynowy Kałasznikowa — DGN-60) was the Polish license-built version of the Soviet AKMS, produced at FB Radom in the 1960s and 1970s. The PMK-DGN-60 was a 7.62×39mm assault rifle that was used by the Polish People's Army, the Polish Milicja Obywatelska (Citizens' Militia), and various paramilitary organizations. While the PMK-DGN-60 was essentially a standard AKM, FB Radom's version was noted for its excellent build quality and was considered one of the best AK-pattern rifles produced in the Eastern Bloc. Today, surplus PMK-DGN-60 rifles are popular with collectors and are often converted into sporting rifles.

Legacy and Modern Era

FB Radom is today the largest and most important firearms manufacturer in Poland and one of the most respected in Central Europe. The factory's modern production line is dominated by the MSBS Grot family of rifles, which has been adopted by the Polish Armed Forces and is being exported to a growing list of countries. In 2022, FB Radom's annual production was approximately 35,000 firearms, making it one of the larger arms manufacturers in NATO. The factory's product line also includes a range of sporting rifles, hunting shotguns, target pistols, and surplus military firearms for the civilian market, and the company has a long-standing relationship with several European police and security forces.

FB Radom's modern identity is closely tied to the MSBS Grot program, which has revitalized the factory and put it at the center of Poland's ambitious defense modernization effort. The Grot has been upgraded several times since its introduction, with the C16A3 variant (introduced in 2020) featuring improved ergonomics, a new trigger, and an improved fire control group. The company has also developed Grot-related products, including the Grot's designated marksman rifle variant (the MSBS Grot C15), a light machine gun variant (the MSBS Grot UKM-2000), and a pistol variant. FB Radom has also been at the center of Poland's response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, supplying the Polish Armed Forces with new Grots and providing direct military aid to Ukraine. The factory has also been working on next-generation weapons, including a 6.8×51mm variant of the Grot for the Polish Army's future requirements. With strong government support, an experienced workforce, and a growing international reputation, FB Radom is well-positioned to remain one of Europe's most important firearms manufacturers for decades to come.

MatchMyGun Verdict

FB Radom's history is a remarkable story of national resilience and industrial continuity. From a converted sugar refinery founded in the immediate aftermath of Polish independence in 1922, the factory has survived the German occupation, the Soviet imposition of communism, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the upheavals of the 21st century to emerge as one of Central Europe's most respected firearms manufacturers. Its products — especially the legendary VIS 35 pistol, the modern MSBS Grot, and the AK-pattern PMK rifles — represent a unique thread in the story of 20th-century weapon design, and the factory's centennial anniversary in 2022 was marked by ceremonies attended by the Polish President, the Minister of National Defense, and dozens of former employees. For collectors and historians, FB Radom is a name that commands respect, and the company's continued success is a testament to the enduring importance of national defense industry in modern Europe.