The original idea to build a rifle factory was never materialized, but the department of the Gunsmith Shop was legally established in 1860. Its work was based on the repair and modifications of rifles (showcase 4) and making of all rifle parts until 1928, when the first modern factory of rifles was built under Belgian license.
The first significant modification of rifles occurred during the sixties of the 19th century and then flintlocks were remodelled to cap rifles, and smooth rifle barrels were rifled (panel 7). Funds for the machines were granted, and soon nearly all flintlocks in Serbia were remodelled to cap rifles. The best-known expert on guns of that time was Mihajlo Cvejic, the controller of the gunsmith shop. In January 1856, the plant control, inspection and marking of the products were introduced in the factory, at the initiative of the Gun Foundry manager Petar Protic (panel 7).
During 1860, two legal acts were adopted: Decree on State Armory and Decree on State Chief Military Arsenal in Kragujevac. These two military facilities were under Chief Military Rule with headquarters in Kragujevac (showcases 6). Kragujevac factory was named the Armory Shop. All military facilities in Kragujevac were integrated in 1862 at the suggestion of then Defense Minister Hippolyte Monden (showcases 5) and a uniform Artillery Administration was established.
Another modification of the guns took place during the seventies, when the loan for the correction of muzzle-loaded rifles to breech-loading rifles of Green system was approved (panel 10, showcase 7). At the same time, old rifles were remodelled to breech-loading rifles of Peabody system (panel 11). That is how the first class of the national army and standing army were armed with breech-loaded rifles. Modification of La Hitt’s rifled cannons to modern breech-loaded cannons occurred in 1886.
On the Assembly held on August 19, 1861, The Decree of the People’s Army was adopted, and the Army was assigned to serve the interests of national liberation. The state has committed itself to supply soldiers with rifles and ammunition. Purchased guns were difficult to transport, and then they arrived to Kragujevac to be remodelled. Muzzle-loaded rifled cannons of French La Hitte system were produced in Kragujevac from the 1863 (panel 8). The sixties were marked by the production of heavy firearms, remodelling of flintlocks, as well as the production of ammunition.
