Personal Defense World
  • News
  • Guns
    • Handguns
    • Rifles
    • Shotguns
    • Class III & More
  • Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics/Lights
    • Safes
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • First-Time Shooters
    • Home & Self-Defense
  • Videos
    • Latest Videos
    • PDW Videos
    • Free Gun Friday
    • SCCY Brand Videos
    • Video Series
      • Everyday Carry
  • More
    • Sweepstakes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Personal Defense World
  • News
  • Guns
    • Handguns
    • Rifles
    • Shotguns
    • Class III & More
  • Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics/Lights
    • Safes
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • First-Time Shooters
    • Home & Self-Defense
  • Videos
    • Latest Videos
    • PDW Videos
    • Free Gun Friday
    • SCCY Brand Videos
    • Video Series
      • Everyday Carry
  • More
    • Sweepstakes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Personal Defense World
No Result
View All Result
 
New Year, New FREE GUN FRIDAY! Enter to WIN the Smith & Wesson and Black Hills package.

Glock Around The Clock

Dennis Adler by Dennis Adler
January 8, 2011
in Handguns, Weapons
0
Glock Around The Clock
0
SHARES
1
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Over the past 25 years, since GLOCK pistols were first introduced into the United States, the guns of Gaston Glock have been praised and embraced by U.S. Law Enforcement agencies and firearms enthusiasts alike. They have also been maligned, insulted, at times unmercifully, by just about everyone with an opinion; and, for the last quarter century they have been torture tested by gun writers and lawmen in an effort to prove, or disprove, that a GLOCK is almost indestructible. Whether buried in ice, covered in mud, dropped in sand and baked in the desert, submerged in water or driven over by patrol cars, GLOCK pistols have prevailed like no other.

Every year since 1986, when GLOCK opened its U.S. sales division in Smyrna, Ga., the Austrian armsmaker has made strides to improve and perfect its own perfection. As Gaston Glock wrote almost a decade ago, “We cannot stagnate and stand still, as we would become obsolete and irrelevant. This is the philosophy I am constantly instilling in my staff.” As with perhaps no other armsmaker in the world, certainly none with so comparatively short a history, GLOCK has continued to go from strength to strength since the innovative firearms design was first unveiled in Europe in 1982.

That first model was the GLOCK 17, named for Gaston Glock’s 17th GLOCK manufactured product. Since its debut, and despite early criticism and incredulous urban legends about “plastic” guns, “combat Tupperware that could pass through metal detectors unnoticed” (except for the barrel, slide, springs, screws and bullets that contain metals!), the original GLOCK 17, and the models that have followed in a variety of calibers and configurations, have become internationally revered as benchmarks in the evolution of firearm’s design. In 2009, the National Rifle Association’s American Rifleman magazine voted the GLOCK 17 as the No. 3 gun of all time; not just for the 20th century, but in the entire 485 year history of firearms! Quite an achievement considering the company had never designed or manufactured a handgun prior to 1982.

Plastics

Gaston Glock and GLOCK Ges.m.b.H. in Austria had a background working with synthetic materials long before the company decided to get into the firearm business. GLOCK’s intent was to apply its successful plastics technology to handgun manufacturing. While the use of plastics had been tried briefly by other armsmakers the G17 utilized a totally innovative injection-molded polymer frame design initially developed for the Austrian Armed Forces military trials in the early 1980s.

Invited to participate by the Austrian government, GLOCK Ges.m.b.H. was no stranger to the Austrian military, having provided the Army with machine gun belts, practice hand grenades, plastic clips, field knives and entrenching tools. Gaston Glock and his team had their first auto pistol designed and ready for testing by early 1982. The G17 passed every one of the 17 standards and requirements established by the Austrian Ministry of Defense and won the military assessment trials over eight other competitors. By year’s end, the G17 was adopted as the standard duty weapon for Austria’s armed forces and Law Enforcement authorities.

What Glock’s knowledge of plastics brought to the table was a totally new concept for building a military sidearm. With its polymer frame, the GLOCK was considerably lighter in weight than a steel-framed pistol. Having been designed new from the ground up it had no limitations as to how it could be engineered, thus the G17 had the highest magazine capacity of any 9×19 pistol in its class. The design did away with traditional features such as an external safety, de-cocking lever or hammer; in fact the G17 had no external controls that needed to be deactivated prior to firing the gun. For a military application (and as it turned out for Law Enforcement and civilian use as well), the GLOCK proved faster to use and with its unique “Safe-Action” trigger system, more straightforward in its functioning than any semi-auto then on the market.

In its final analysis, the GLOCK uniquely combined the advantages of a revolver (where the trigger is the safety) with the firepower (capacity) and speed of reloading of a semi-automatic pistol, permitting soldiers in the field to focus their concentration on tactical considerations rather than thinking about whether their sidearm was cocked, or the safety was still on at a critical moment. The “Safe Action” concept has been so successful that today GLOCK pistols are used by military and Law Enforcement agencies in 43 different countries.


American Marketing & Manufacturing

With a growing U.S. market, GLOCK established a North American sales and marketing division in Smyrna, Ga., in 1985, which went into full operation 25 years ago in 1986. Initially an import and distribution center catering to the needs of Law Enforcement and civilian gun owners in the U.S., increasing demand for GLOCK models led to the expansion of the Smyrna operation and the addition of manufacturing of GLOCK’s patented polymer frames in 2004. In the past year, the complete manufacturing of G17 and G19 models has also begun at Smyrna. Gary Fletcher, GLOCK’s U.S. Vice President of Sales and Marketing, says that more models will be added to the Georgia facility’s production in the years to come. “The American market is the largest in the world,” says Fletcher, “and it has allowed the company to grow considerably from when Mr. Glock started it in the 1980s selling to the Austrian Army.”

Zero to 65

The role that the United States market has played in GLOCK’s history over the last quarter century has had a significant impact on the company because GLOCK semi-autos have been so widely adopted by local, state and federal Law Enforcement agencies. When GLOCK first established its U.S. sales and marketing division the company had “zero penetration” in the Law Enforcement market. “Now,” says Fletcher, “we have captured 65% of the Law Enforcement market across the United States and that includes local, state and a big majority of federal government customers. We also have some military customers, we are not allowed to talk about whom they are, but we have a presence in the military also.”

When GLOCK entered the U.S. market the company only had one model, the G17 in 9×19. The advent of the .40 cartridge in 1990 brought about a sweeping change in Law Enforcement sidearms. Demand from America’s Law Enforcement community prompted new development as police and federal agencies quickly gravitated to the new, more powerful round, which quickly became the “go to” cartridge when the 9×19 was found wanting in ballistic performance. GLOCK was first to respond introducing the G22 .40 that same year. Explains Fletcher, “the .40” is by far the most popular pistol in Law Enforcement, bar none, by all manufacturers. Commercially, the 9×19 is our best seller and there’s still a lot of 9×19 models used in Law Enforcement, as are .45 Autos (the G21 introduced in May 1991, sub-compact G30 introduced in 1997 and sub-compact “Slimline” G36 in 1999), but nothing compares to the .40.”

GLOCK’s proprietary .45 G.A.P. cartridge (designed in Austria by Gaston Glock) and G37 model has also been well received within the Law Enforcement community since its introduction in 2003. The G.A.P has already been adopted by the Pennsylvania State Police, Georgia State Police, New York State Police, South Carolina Highway Patrol and Florida Highway Patrol, among others.

“The American market has absolutely had an effect on the models we manufacture today,” says Fletcher. “In most of the other world markets, the commercial market is not very big. In some markets you can’t have anything but a 9×19, so all the different chamberings available today from GLOCK are pretty much American influenced. A lot of these models in the U.S., like the .357, the .45 G.A.P. and obviously the evolution of the .40 from the 10mm Auto, came about at the request of Law Enforcement.”

This applies equally to the introduction of compact and sub-compact models by GLOCK, which have mainly come about in response to American consumer demand, particularly from Law Enforcement, where back-up guns have become so vital. “The G26, G27, G30 and G36 were all influenced by the Law Enforcement and concealed carry market,” says Fletcher. GLOCK’s line of compact and sub-compact semi-autos in 9×19, 10mm Auto, .357, .40, .45 G.A.P. and .45 Auto represent a sizable portion of GLOCK’s U.S. sales. Interestingly, the armsmaker’s smallest caliber models, the .380 Auto G25 and G28 are not available commercially in the United States.

Tomorrow, Today, After a quarter of a century, which in most nations marks the first great benchmark in the history of any successful business or event, GLOCK has gone from a virtual unknown to an established name in the American lexicon of firearms. GLOCK has introduced a total of ten Gen4s in one year. These additions to the Gen4 line reflects the commitment being made to this line of products. The future of the entire line is more than just a little promising with agencies and individuals already requesting certain model numbers be offered in Gen4.

GLOCK has been very fortunate in America. “There are two main reasons for that,” Fletcher says, recalling his own experiences as a Washington, D.C. police officer in the 1980s. “The majority of police were still carrying revolvers. They were just outgunned by the drug gangs and everything, so the trend started there in the late 1980s to move Law Enforcement agencies to more capacity, so not only did the GLOCK pistol hit the U.S. market at the right time, it was revolutionary in its design, its weight, its reliability and durability and that’s what made it a hit in the U.S. market.”

Twenty five hundred pistols will be sold that include a silver (not silver plated) 25th Anniversary logo outline on the frame of the gun, top of slide with text: 25 years of GLOCK Perfection in USA. A certificate indicating the limited nature of the pistol will be included in each of the silver (not black) boxes.

What’s coming in the next 25 years? Fletcher isn’t giving away secrets, he just says, “Stay tuned!”

Didn't find what you were looking for?

CLICK HERE FOR COMMENTS

Related Posts

first handgun buying tips

5 Tips for the First-Time Handgun Buyer

The Davidson’s Exclusive Gunsite GLOCK Service Pistol.

Davidson’s Feature Rich Exclusive Gunsite GLOCK 45 Service Pistol

10 Pocket Pistols Perfect For Christmas [2022]

10 Pocket Pistols Perfect For Christmas [2022]

Browning Hi-Power duel.

Browning Hi-Power Duel: Girsan MCP35 Vs. Springfield Armory SA-35

Load More

PERSONAL DEFENSE WORLD VIDEOS

Discussion about this post

FEATURED POST

Study Proves the Good Guy with a Gun Theory.

Good Guy with a Gun: Study of CCW Holders Stopping Mass Shootings

Following the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, gun control advocates have taken the anti-gun narrative to a fever pitch. They insist...

Read more

TRENDING

Remington 11008 Knife, remington, remington 11008

Remington’s New 700 Series 11008 Knife Is Designed For Hunters

...

Taurus 605 TORO and 856 TORO Revolvers.

Taurus Releases New Optics Ready 605 TORO and 856 TORO Revolvers

...

pocket pistol, pocket pistols, concealed carry handguns, concealed carry handgun, concealed carry pistol, concealed carry pistols

Best Pocket Pistols for Personal Defense [2022]

...

concealed carry, concealed carry handguns

Top 13 Compact 1911 Handguns for Concealed Carry

...

PICK A CATEGORY

CONCEALED CARRY SPOTLIGHT

gun drawing tips techniques

Tips & Tricks for a Fast Gun Draw

You have the right gun. Your cutting-edge holster is made with some lightweight, futuristic material. Your belt is even specially made to carry your...

CONCEALED CARRY SHOWCASE

The FightLite SCR Bandito Pistol.

Shot at SHOT Show: The FightLite SCR Bandito Pistol in 5.56 or 300BLK

Are Switchblades Illegal?

Are Switchblades Legal to Carry in the United States?

Two New Concealed Carry Pistols from Rock Island Armory.

Two New Rock Island Armory Concealed Carry Pistols at SHOT Show

The GPO Spectra Reflex Sight.

GPO Debuts Spectra Reflex Sight at SHOT Show – Its First Reflex Optic

The Tisas Bantam Carry 1911.

Tisas Bantam Carry 1911: A Feature-Rich Pistol with Custom Performance

The Taurus TX22 Compact .22 LR.

Seen at SHOT Show: Taurus Ups the .22 LR Ante with the TX22 Compact

How to Choose a Gun for Self-Defense

How to Choose a Gun for Self-Defense

gun drawing tips techniques

Tips & Tricks for a Fast Gun Draw

AMMO SPOTLIGHT

Getting a Jump on SHOT Show 2023.

7 Personal Defense Related Products to Start SHOT Show 2023 Early

SHOT Show 2023 is almost here and the anticipation is killing us. Of course, the staff of Personal Defense World...

site logo
Gun News, Gun Reviews, and Self Defense Tips

Tactical

  • tactical-life.com

Magazines

  • Tactical Life
  • The Complete Book of Reloading
  • Guns of the Old West

Facebook

  • Tactical-Life Facebook
  • Guns of the Old West Facebook

Twitter

  • Tactical-Life Twitter

Self Defense

  • PersonalDefenseWorld.com

Magazines

  • Personal Defense World
  • Combat Handguns

Facebook

  • Personal Defense World Facebook
  • Combat Handguns

Twitter

  • Personal Defense World Twitter

Shooting Lifestyle

  • BallisticMag.com

Magazines

  • BallisticMag.com

Facebook

  • Ballistic Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Ballistic Magazine Twitter

Alpha Lifestyle

  • SkillsetMag.com

Magazines

  • Skillset

Facebook

  • Skillset Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Skillset Magazine Twitter

Instagram

  • Skillset Magazine Instagram
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
© Athlon Outdoors, All Rights Reserved.
You use of this website constitutes and manifests your acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and awareness of the California Privacy Rights. Pursuant to U.S. Copyright law, as well as other applicable federal and state laws, the content on this website may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, without the prior, express, and written permission of Athlon Outdoors.

Manage your GDPR consents by clicking here. Manage your CCPA consents by clicking here.
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Guns
    • View All Guns
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Rifles
    • Class III & More
    • Sponsored
  • Gear
    • View All Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics/Lights
    • Safes
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • View All Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • First-Time Shooters
    • Home & Self-Defense
  • Videos
    • PDW Videos
    • Free Gun Friday
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.