Barnaul Cartridge Plant
Barnaul Cartridge Plant is a Russian manufacturer of ammunition and industrial goods based in Barnaul, Altai Krai.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Barnaul Cartridge Plant JSC, commonly known in English as Barnaul Cartridge Plant, is a Russian ammunition and industrial-goods manufacturer located in Barnaul, in the Altai Krai region of Siberia. The enterprise traces its institutional origins to an ammunition factory established in Saint Petersburg during the nineteenth century. That factory was evacuated to Podolsk in 1918 during the Russian Civil War, resumed production under the designation Factory “P” in 1920, and was redesignated Factory 17 in 1928. During the Second World War, the operation was evacuated again, this time to Barnaul in 1941. The wartime relocation established the plant’s enduring location in the city. The company is associated with the Barnaul Machine Tool Building Plant holding and has operated as part of Russia’s broader industrial and defense-manufacturing base. Its principal commercial activity is the production of metallic cartridges for pistols, rifles, shotguns, military users, and civilian sporting or hunting markets. The plant’s offerings include both traditional Russian and Soviet-pattern calibers and ammunition compatible with widely used Western standards. Listed pistol calibers include 9×19mm Parabellum, 9×18mm Makarov, and .45 ACP. Rifle offerings include 5.45×39mm, 5.56×45mm NATO/.223 Remington, 6.5×39mm Grendel, .243 Winchester, 7.62×39mm, .308 Winchester, 7.62×54mmR, .30-06 Springfield, and 9.3×64mm Brenneke. The company also produces 12-gauge and .410 Magnum shotgun shells. Barnaul’s commercial ammunition portfolio has been marketed through several product families. The BEAR range includes Brown Bear, Silver Bear, and Golden Bear cartridges, differentiated principally by the protective finish applied to their steel cases. Brown Bear uses a brown lacquer finish, Silver Bear uses zinc-coated cases, and Golden Bear uses brass-coated cases. The range has been offered with full-metal-jacketed, soft-point, and hollow-point bullets, together with Berdan primers and non-corrosive propellant and primer systems. The company also developed the CENTAUR line as a higher-grade product intended to improve competitiveness in American and European markets. Retooling for that line began in 2009, and the first CENTAUR ammunition was produced in 2011. CENTAUR cartridges used polymer-coated steel cases and combined Russian propellant with tombac-jacketed bullets manufactured by Hornady Manufacturing Company. The BARNAUL series includes Gold cartridges with brass cases and Silver cartridges with zinc-coated steel cases, including offerings in 5.56×45mm NATO and 9×19mm Parabellum. Other products described in reference material include traumatic pistol ammunition using rubber projectiles and military or military-specification cartridges made to the requirements of contracting countries. Some civilian products have also been sold in large, vacuum-packed steel containers styled after Warsaw Pact-era ammunition cans. Barnaul has additionally produced ammunition for private-label distribution. One documented example is MONARCH ammunition sold by Academy Sports + Outdoors in the United States. In that arrangement, Academy functions as a purchaser and importer and markets foreign-manufactured cartridges under its own retail brand. Barnaul’s export-oriented product development and private-label manufacturing indicate that its commercial role extends beyond domestic Russian supply, although the available material does not provide current sales figures, ownership details, executive information, or a complete account of present-day market access. In June 2023, Poly Technologies was identified as supplying gunpowder to the plant during the Russo-Ukrainian War, a development relevant to the company’s wartime supply chain but not, on the available evidence, a separately documented corporate scandal.
History
Barnaul Cartridge Plant’s history begins with an ammunition factory established in Saint Petersburg in the nineteenth century. The original enterprise formed part of the Russian Empire’s industrial ammunition infrastructure. During the upheaval of the Russian Civil War, the factory was evacuated to Podolsk in 1918. Production resumed in 1920 under the designation Factory “P,” indicating that the relocated operation continued as an identifiable industrial unit despite the disruption caused by the war and the change in political regime. In 1928, the enterprise was redesignated Factory 17. This numbering reflected the administrative and industrial organization used for Soviet factories and remained part of the plant’s historical identity. The most consequential relocation occurred during the Second World War. In 1941, as German forces advanced into the western Soviet Union, the factory was evacuated from Podolsk to Barnaul in the Altai region. The wartime move transferred ammunition production deep into the Soviet interior and created the foundation for the modern Barnaul plant. After its relocation, the enterprise became part of Barnaul’s industrial base and continued to be associated with ammunition and related manufacturing. The available reference material does not provide a complete chronology of postwar administrative changes, production volumes, plant investments, or leadership appointments. It does, however, identify the modern company as Barnaul Cartridge Plant JSC and places it within the Barnaul Machine Tool Building Plant holding. The company’s product history reflects both domestic Russian requirements and export-market demand. Its ammunition portfolio covers Soviet and Russian calibers such as 5.45×39mm, 7.62×39mm, 7.62×54mmR, and 9×18mm Makarov, while also including internationally widespread standards such as 5.56×45mm NATO, 9×19mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Springfield. The plant has marketed hunting and sporting cartridges under the BEAR family. Brown Bear, Silver Bear, and Golden Bear use different case coatings, allowing the product variants to be distinguished by their external finishes and intended market positioning. Beginning in 2009, Barnaul undertook retooling connected with the development of CENTAUR, a higher-grade ammunition line intended to compete more effectively in American and European markets. The first CENTAUR cartridges were produced in 2011. The line combined polymer-coated steel cases and Russian-made propellant with tombac-jacketed bullets produced by Hornady Manufacturing Company, illustrating the plant’s use of an international component arrangement for a premium-oriented export product. Barnaul has also supplied ammunition for private-label distribution. Its manufacture of steel-cased ammunition for the MONARCH brand sold by Academy Sports + Outdoors demonstrates how the plant’s output has reached consumers under a retailer-controlled label rather than solely under Barnaul’s own product names. In addition to commercial hunting and sporting ammunition, the plant has produced military-specification cartridges and traumatic pistol ammunition. In June 2023, Poly Technologies was identified as supplying gunpowder to Barnaul Cartridge Plant during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The report highlights the plant’s connection to wartime ammunition supply chains, but the available material does not provide sufficient information to determine the full commercial, regulatory, or legal consequences. Current ownership, executive leadership, financial performance, and operating status beyond the available descriptions are not documented in the supplied references.
- 2023
Reported gunpowder supply by Poly Technologies
[1]In June 2023, Poly Technologies was identified as supplying gunpowder to the plant during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
- 2011
First CENTAUR production
[1]The first CENTAUR cartridges were produced.
- 2009
Retooling for CENTAUR ammunition
[1]The plant began retooling to produce a higher-grade ammunition line aimed at American and European markets.
- 1941
Wartime relocation to Barnaul
[1]During the Second World War, the factory was evacuated to Barnaul, where the modern plant is based.
- 1928
Redesignated Factory 17
[1]The enterprise received the designation Factory 17.
- 1920
Production resumes as Factory P
[1]Production restarted under the designation Factory “P.”
- 1918
Evacuation to Podolsk
[1]The factory was evacuated from Saint Petersburg to Podolsk during the Russian Civil War.
Ammunition factory established in Saint Petersburg
[1]The enterprise traces its origins to an ammunition factory founded in Saint Petersburg during the nineteenth century.
Products and positioning
A Russian ammunition manufacturer combining military and industrial production with hunting, sporting, export, and private-label cartridge programs. Its product positioning spans economical steel-cased ammunition, coated-case BEAR products, and the higher-grade CENTAUR line developed for international markets.
Hunting ammunition
BEAR series
The BEAR family comprises hunting cartridges using steel cases, Berdan primers, and non-corrosive propellant and primer systems. It has been offered with full-metal-jacketed, soft-point, and hollow-point bullets. Brown Bear uses brown lacquered cases, Silver Bear uses zinc-coated cases, and Golden Bear uses brass-coated cases. The finishes distinguish the sub-brands and provide different forms of case protection.
Higher-grade rifle and pistol ammunition · 2011
CENTAUR
CENTAUR was developed as a higher-grade line for improved competition in American and European markets. Its cartridges use polymer-coated steel cases, Berdan primers, and Russian-made non-corrosive propellant. The bullets were described as tombac-jacketed projectiles produced by Hornady Manufacturing Company. The plant began retooling for the line in 2009 and produced the first CENTAUR cartridges in 2011.
Centerfire ammunition
BARNAUL Gold
BARNAUL Gold cartridges use brass cases and have been listed in 5.56×45mm NATO and 9×19mm Parabellum configurations. The line represents a brass-case offering within the company’s branded ammunition portfolio.
Centerfire ammunition
BARNAUL Silver
BARNAUL Silver cartridges use zinc-coated steel cases. Reference material lists versions in 5.56×45mm NATO and 9×19mm Parabellum, positioning the line as a coated-steel alternative to the brass-cased BARNAUL Gold range.
Less-lethal pistol ammunition
Traumatic ammunition
The plant has produced traumatic pistol cartridges designed to fire rubber projectiles rather than conventional lethal bullets. The listed chamberings are 9×19mm Parabellum and .45 ACP.
Military ammunition
Military and military-specification cartridges
Barnaul produces or has produced military cartridges made to the specifications of contracting nations. The described range also includes civilian 5.56×45mm NATO and 7.62×39mm M43 full-metal-jacketed, lead-core hunting cartridges, sometimes packaged in large Warsaw Pact-style vacuum-sealed steel containers.
Private-label ammunition
MONARCH
Barnaul has manufactured steel-cased ammunition for the MONARCH brand sold by Academy Sports + Outdoors. Academy acts as the purchasing and importing group and resells the foreign-produced ammunition under its retail private label through its store network.
Brand decisions
2009
Retooling for a higher-grade export ammunition lineStrategyBackground
The plant sought to compete more effectively in American and European ammunition markets.
Action taken
Barnaul began retooling for the CENTAUR product line, which used polymer-coated steel cases and internationally sourced bullet components.
Aftermath
The first CENTAUR cartridges were produced in 2011. No further commercial or financial outcome is documented in the supplied material.
Recent events
- 2023
Poly Technologies identified as a gunpowder supplier to Barnaul Cartridge Plant[1]
Other
In June 2023, reference material identified Chinese defense-industrial company Poly Technologies as supplying gunpowder to Barnaul Cartridge Plant during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The available source does not establish a corporate transaction, legal finding, or formal sanction against Barnaul Cartridge Plant in connection with the report.
Sources1 sources
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