Atelier de Construction de Puteaux
| Company type | Government-operated arsenal |
|---|---|
| Industry | Arms manufacturing |
| Fate | Relocated to Satory and merged with Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) after World War II |
| Headquarters | Puteaux , France |
| Products | Firearms, knives, ammunition, tank turrets, weapon accessories |
The Atelier de Construction de Puteaux (APX), translated as "Puteaux Construction Workshops," served as a government-operated arsenal for the French Army, situated at 8, quai national in Puteaux.
History
APX's primary functions included the production of ammunition and the execution of testing procedures. It specialized in manufacturing small to medium-sized equipment such as firearms and knives, whereas larger-scale items like artillery pieces were produced by separate "manufacturing" workshops.
Following the conclusion of the Second World War, APX was relocated to Satory and merged with the Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX), which focused on building tanks and armored vehicles.
The organization fulfilled two key purposes:
- The development and design of new weaponry for the French Army, concentrating on small arms and medium-caliber armaments and accessories, including machine guns, cannons, tank turrets, telescopic sights, and missile systems.
- The mass production of these armaments, either independently or in collaboration with other manufacturing facilities.
Arms designs
- 1888: Developed the prototype for the Berthier rifle.
- 1905: Created the Puteaux modèle 1905 machine gun, which saw limited manufacture due to mechanical issues; it was later simplified and produced extensively by the Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS) as the St. Étienne Mle 1907, utilized during both world wars.
- 1915: Designed the prototype of the Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 CSRG ("Chauchat").
- 1918: Produced the 37 mm semi-automatic cannon model 1918 (37 mm SA 18) intended for use on light tanks.
- 1935: Introduced the 25 mm APX modèle 1937, a compact variant of the light 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun.
- 1938: Developed a 75mm high-velocity APX gun for the ARL V 39, adapted from the 75mm 1929 casemate fortress gun.
- 1969: Created the rapid anti-tank weapon known as ACRA.
Weapon accessories
- 1957: Manufactured a telescopic firing scope designed for the MAS-49 rifle.
Tank turret
- 1934: Designed the APX 3B turret fitted on the Panhard 178.
- 1935: Produced the APX 5 turret installed on both the AMR 35 ZT 2 and Gendron-Somua AMR 39.
- 1936: Developed a standard APX turret used on prototypes of the Hotchkiss H35, Renault R35, and FCM 36.
- 1938: Created the APX-R turret deployed on Hotchkiss H39, Renault R35, and Renault R40 models; it was also planned for use on the AMX 38.