Guns are fascinating but deadly tools. Although designed to kill, they are widely used for leisure, and some people simply love collecting them. In the handgun world, very few brands command as much admiration and respect as the Glock. Their adaptability, durability, and reliability have made them a top choice worldwide for military, law enforcement, and civilian use.
Brief History
Austrian engineer Gaston Glock founded the Glock company in 1963. Gaston started manufacturing pistols at his factory in 1982 following a request by the Austrian military for a firearm with great accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and simplicity, made from modern materials like stainless steel and polymers. After an exhaustive series of safety and reliability tests on several guns, Glock emerged at the top and was adopted by the Austrian police and military in 1982.
In 1985, the firearm manufacturer ventured into the US market. Glock’s ergonomics and unique features immediately caught the attention of commercial markets and law enforcement. It has since become one of the most popular handguns worldwide.
The Glock 17 Does not Get the Name from Its Capacity
Many people know Glocks for their expanded capacity. You can style and alter the pistol’s magazine with aftermarket accessories like magazine extenders and weighted Glock magazine base plates. Although the Glock 17 does have a magazine that holds up to 17 rounds, that is not where the name came from. The reason behind its name is the company’s patenting series. Before Glock started manufacturing pistols, it had produced and patented weapons like knives and hand grenades. Its first pistol, the Glock 17, was the manufacturer’s 17th patent.
After the Glock 17, Glock produced more pistols, giving each new one the next number after 17. As of 2024, the number has risen to 49.
Incredible Simplicity
Unlike most of its competition’s semi-automatic pistols, Glocks have only 34 components. Fewer parts lower the gun’s potential to develop technical problems, making it highly reliable. Also, the larger parts of every Glock pistol — the slide, stock, frame, and magazine — can be interchanged between models. The majority of the smaller inner parts of Glocks are also interchangeable. This makes it easier to find parts should you need to replace any. It is also a testament to the firearm’s simple design and stringent quality control in manufacturing.
Besides, the simple design allows you to field-strip your Glock pistol into four primary components without a tool in seconds. That makes inspecting and cleaning your handgun easier regardless of your location. Using only a pin punch, a certified Glock armorer can fully disassemble and assemble a Glock pistol in a few minutes.
Superior Ergonomics
The Glock is made for easy operation. Its bore axis, which is the distance between the barrel’s centreline and the highest point on the gun frame, is lower than that of most pistols. That reduces the firearm’s muzzle rise and recoil, significantly increasing its accuracy. Besides, Glock has a natural grip design that permits instinctive pointing and easier sight picture acquisition, further enhancing the pistol’s accuracy. With the gun’s hammerless make, its chances of snagging your clothes or any other item during concealed carry are minimized.
The extractor on a Glock also physically and visually indicates whether a cartridge is inside the gun’s chamber. In addition, the Glock Modular Back Strap System allows you to adjust the pistol to your hand size. The back straps are simple to add and remove and do not alter the pistol’s carefully designed grip angle. Unlike other handgun grip systems, Glock’s smallest back strap fully integrates into the frame, retaining your pistol’s full functionality even if the back strap is removed.
Lastly, Glock magazine releases are set for right-handed shooters. However, the releases are easily reversible, and you can have yours set for the left hand if you are a left-handed shooter.
High Durability and Reliability
The firearm market has several polymer-framed pistols. However, Glock’s polymer 2 is unique to the brand. This nylon-based polymer invented by Gaston Glock is corrosion-free, lubricant-resistant, color-stable, and absorbing recoil. These significantly reduce the pistol’s weight and increase its durability.
Glocks also incorporate advanced rifling. If you are unfamiliar with rifling, it is the framework of grooves inside the barrel of your pistol that gives bullets spin, creating straighter travel paths and improving your accuracy. Glock uses polygonal rifling, which gives the gun a superior bullet-to-barrel fit and minimizes the barrel’s wear and tear. This reduces barrel residue and results in consistently high bullet velocities.
Also, Glock uses sturdy surface treatments on its main metal components. That makes the parts’ exteriors almost as tough as diamonds, considerably reducing wear and tear. The characteristic matte black finish minimizes reflections, giving you an edge in tactical scenarios. Overall, these unique features and the company’s high manufacturing standards have earned it a reputation as a highly durable and reliable pistol. For this reason, approximately 65% of American law enforcement bodies use Glocks. These pistols do what you require them to do, even in extreme and diverse environmental conditions. That makes them suitable for military expeditions, shooting competitions, and wilderness survival.
Advanced Safety Features
Glock pistols are fitted with three independent safety systems that operate sequentially off trigger movements. The general idea is if you do not pull the trigger, it can’t fire.
The first is the trigger safety, a lever added to the trigger shoe to prevent it from accidental backward motion. To fire your Glock, you must press the safety and the trigger. Your handgun will only fire a round when the trigger is pulled completely back.
The firing pin safety is the following safety feature. This safety mechanically inhibits the firing pin’s forward movement in the ready-to-fire sequence. You must pull your trigger backward to free your pistol’s firing pin channel. If you change your mind and release the trigger before pulling it back, the trigger and firing pin safeties re-engage automatically.
Drop safety is the final safety feature of a Glock pistol. It involves the handgun’s trigger bar resting on a safety ramp within the housing of the trigger mechanism. The trigger bar blocks the rear end of the firing pin, preventing it from moving forward and striking the cartridge. As you pull the trigger back, the safety ramp is lowered, and the firing pin is released. All safety features automatically re-engage after you fire a round.
Immense Customizability
As mentioned earlier, Glocks are among the most used pistols worldwide. With this kind of popularity, it should not be surprising that aftermarket Glock accessories are easy to find. The Glock 19 is considered one of the most customizable handguns ever made. You can choose from various backstraps, magazines, magazine extenders, holsters, slides, and mag releases. Also, every handgun caliber of Glock has a suppressor that fits it perfectly. Glock pistols allow you to make whatever practical or aesthetic adjustments you can think of to a gun.
Glock’s First Single Stack Pistol
The Glock 42 was Glock’s first single-stack pistol. Single-stack magazines are made to accommodate bullets stacked on one vertical line. This allows guns that use this system to be lighter, slimmer, and, at times, more compact. That is why the Glock 42 is Glock’s smallest pistol as of 2024. The handgun is approximately four inches tall, six inches long, and one inch wide. In context, the Glock 42 is small enough to be hidden completely in an outstretched hand.
In Brief
Glocks are indeed a special breed of handguns. Their design, materials, and safety features make them the perfect pistol for civilian, military, and law enforcement use. We hope this post taught you something new about Glocks and why they are so popular among firearm owners.