11.08.2006 — 03.02.2007

The exhibition was devoted to 55-year anniversary of Gennady Nikolaevich Nikonov, one of the great Izhevsk arms-designers, who developed a new generation submachine gun.

The exhibition consisted of two subject sections. The first section presented history of the designer’s career, telling about the beginning of his invention activity, his first independent work, that included an original trigger assembly for a harpoon gun.

The second section featured a long-lasted development period for the new submachine-gun that made G.N. Nikonov famous in the world arms industry. While working on this project the designer demonstrated the true talent. The competition on “Abakan” project took 15 years. After 10 submachine design models G.N. Nikonov managed to solve the most challenging technical problem and the new gun surpassed АК-74 gun in shooting accuracy from unstable position by 8 — 13 times.

In 1997 the model was accepted for use in the army under the name “5.45 mm Nikonov submachine gun”.
This invention has not been completely declassified yet.

The exhibition offered the collection of photos, state, administration and social awards, personal belongings of  G.N. Nikonov; prototypes that participated “Abakan” competition, “Izyubr” hunting carbine, prototype of two-barrel machine gun with high firing rate, several sporting gun models.

Exhibit items included video interview with the designer dated February 22, 2000 by the Center of New History Documentation, as well as a fragment of the film “From Kalashnikov gun to Abakan” made by “Cultura” TV channel, “Mystery of Russian Arms” program.

* A mobile exhibition version has been prepared which is held in educational institutions by a request. (refer to section “Road Shows” herein)