Fabrique d'armes Émile et Léon Nagant

The firm Fabrique d'armes Émile et Léon Nagant, later known as L. Nagant & Cie, Liège was established in 1859 in Liège, Belgium, to manufacture firearms. It later manufactured automobiles as well.

History
The company was founded by brothers Émile (born 1830) and Léon (born 1833). The company is best known for Émile's contribution to the design of the Mosin-Nagant Russian service rifle, adopted in 1891. This introduction to the Tsar's military administration led to the adoption, in 1895, of the Nagant M1895 revolver (designed by Léon) as their standard-issue sidearm. By this time, Émile's progressive blindness had led to his retirement from the firm which had been renamed "L. Nagant & Cie, Liège."



Car manufacture
Later, the firm moved to the manufacture of automobiles; Nagant made cars under licence of the French firm Rochet-Schneider. Nagant cars were made from 1900 to 1928. The firm was purchased by Impéria in 1931.