Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1365706
The story of Works 11 goes back to 2005, when the Zakłady Metalowe Łucznik S.A. firearms manufacturing plant was liqui- dated - also known under the Polish name, Zakład 11, translated into English it reads Works 11. Following their passion for weap- ons, when the factory was on the verge of collapse and nothing suggested anything could save it, a small business based in Ka- towice decided to save the "circled 11" heritage. It procured the means of production, machines, materials, plans, and the rights to use the legacy symbol of Zakład 11. Fortunately, the business in question was also able to buy the prototype house, with unique firearms that have been manufactured in Radom since 1945 - in- cluding unique prototypes that were the only ones in existence. The use of the word "fortunately" is not accidental here, as the whole collection (WHOLE - this is important) was now in the hands of people who had a passion for weapons, and the Polish defense industry heritage. The above means that the collection is still intact, it is not kept "God knows where", but it is stored in in company HQ. Even though the public access is limited, photos of these exhibits have frequently circulated on the Internet, and in the media (FRAG OUT! Magazine included). The collection is also used as a resource, with materials, knowledge, and props needed to publish press articles and books covering the domain of firearms and arms in general. To express the respect for the "cirled" symbol, along with the will- ingness to upkeep the heritage of the Radom-based facility, the company planned to restart production of the 9 mm MAG95/98 semi-automatic pistol, based on the newly acquired rights. As a result of a conceptual study, a modified MAG pistol was unveiled in 2008 (similar to the VIS100/PR15 pistol that is a MAG95/98 derivative). Even though it was impossible to complete the pro- ject, for many reasons, the Katowice-based company today man- ufactures semi-automatic weapons for civil use, based on well- known designs such as AK/AKM, UZI, or Galil. These guns also bear the Works 11 logo on them. Therefore, the "encircled eleven" Works 11, one of the most reputable private-owned defense businesses in Poland, celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Even though there is not much publicity around the contracts awarded to the said business by the Polish Armed Forces, the entity still makes a great contribution to the modernization of the inventory of the individual branches of the military, Special Operations Forces in particular, supplying state-of-the-art armament and inventory. www.fragoutmag.com