GLOCK’s Pusuit of the Perfect Firearm

SMYRNA, Ga. –-(Ammoland.com)- Gaston Glock, an Austrian engineer, successful businessman and manufacturer of injection molding parts and components, founded GLOCK Ges.m.b.H in 1963.

Based in Deutsch-Wagram, GLOCK manufactured metal and injection-molding commercial products for the Austrian consumer market.

In 1970, the company took its first foray into the weapons and firearms market with the development of a line of knives and grenade casings for Military and Law Enforcement professionals in Austria.

The company’s fortunes changed in 1980, when during a conversation with two Austrian colonels, Mr. Glock engaged them regarding the Army’s requirements for the development of a new pistol. The officers were criticizing the current gun manufacturers for being unsuccessful in designing an updated pistol that complied with the Army’s strict demands. At the time, Mr. Glock supplied the army with combined trench tools, non-moldering machine gun belts and casings for hand grenades.

Mr. Glock Begins Designing the “Perfect” Firearm
With no experience in firearms design and manufacturing, Mr. Glock went to work to create the “perfect” firearm. To Mr. Glock, “perfection” is the endless pursuit of design, engineering and manufacturing excellence to meet the demanding specifications of today’s Military, Law Enforcement and law-abiding consumers worldwide. This standard has resulted in GLOCK’s undisputed reputation as a high quality and reliable firearm known for its durability and performance, allowing Law Enforcement, Military and consumers to live their lives and perform their duty with confidence.

Mr. Glock began by investigating the construction and function of the leading pistols of the era, stripping them down and re-assembling them over and over. Using modern manufacturing methods and non-traditional materials such as polymer, which he had perfected in his consumer-market business, Mr. Glock developed a cost-effective 9×19 semi-automatic pistol.

Safe. Simple. Fast.
Since Mr. Glock was building the pistol for the Austrian Military and Law Enforcement, he knew the gun had to be ready to fire at a moment’s notice in life-threatening situations. To address this critical need, Mr. Glock designed his pistol with three internal safeties – trigger, firing pin and drop safeties – to provide assurance that the pistol would consistently perform when called upon, while providing best-in-class protection against accidental discharge of the handgun.

During the initial development, Mr. Glock tested all the guns by himself in his cellar; holding the pistol in his left hand, he wanted to shield his right hand in case of any potential accidents.

Additional requirements that Mr. Glock met to satisfy the demands of the Austrian Government included creating a firearm with a high-capacity magazine, utilizing lightweight materials, a trigger pull that is consistent from the first shot through the last and constructed with a hammer-forged barrel.

Mr. Glock understood reliability resided in simplicity, and therefore, he designed his pistol with as few parts as possible, minimizing its complexity. Today, the GLOCK pistol is made from only 34 parts, which is significantly fewer than any other pistol made. With fewer parts, GLOCK SAFE ACTION Pistols are more durable, reliable and easier to maintain.

GLOCK Named Service Pistol for Austrian Army
Mr. Glock’s innovative design successfully passed a series of stringent testing procedures against domestic and international competitors. In 1983, the GLOCK pistol was accepted by the Austrian Army as their new service pistol and was on its way to becoming an icon in the industry.

Shortly thereafter in 1984, the GLOCK 17 soundly passed the NATO durability test. As a result, the pistol was selected by the Norwegian Army as their standard sidearm, putting GLOCK on the road to becoming the preferred international sidearm.

GLOCK, Inc. Opens in U.S.
In November 1986, the company opened its U.S. headquarters, GLOCK, Inc., in Smyrna, Ga. Shortly thereafter, the semi-automatic GLOCK 17 pistol revolutionized the law enforcement industry with the redefining of the modern pistol.

The GLOCK pistol would become available in multiple model sizes and accept different caliber ammunition, offering a versatility to fit every situation. This combination continues to make GLOCK pistols the first choice among Law Enforcement, with approximately 65% of Federal, state and local agencies in the United States choosing GLOCK pistols.

Training and Accessories Part of Rich Tradition
The company also provides training, sales, support and service to their loyal customers. GLOCK’s training courses have received the highest recognition by Law Enforcement agencies both internationally and domestically on federal, state and local levels. The company strives to set the industry standard by highlighting firearm safety rules to all its customers.

Today, GLOCK, Inc. offers several models of pistols; however, the company has not forgotten its roots. GLOCK continues to manufacture other products that include pistol parts and accessories, magazines, holsters, field knives, entrenching tools, magazine pouches, magazine loaders, night sights, tactical lights and laser sights.

Sport Shooting
Team GLOCK Shooting Squad, the company-sponsored competitive shooting team, travels and competes in world-class competitions across the country and has won numerous championships at all levels of competition. Current team members include Randi Rogers and Tori Nonaka.

The company started the GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF), an organization that stages shooting competitions for GLOCK owners. GSSF hosts major indoor and outdoor matches each year, where competitors have an opportunity to win GLOCK pistols, cash prizes and merchandise.

About GLOCK:

In 2011, GLOCK, Inc. celebrated its 25th Anniversary in the United States by opening a new 25,000 sq. ft. facility and two new state-of-the-art shooting ranges at its North American headquarters in Smyrna, Ga. Also in 2011, GLOCK broke ground on a 75,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility on its Smyrna campus.

Other GLOCK subsidiaries include GLOCK Asia Pacific Ltd. (Hong Kong), GLOCK America S.A. (Montevideo, Uruguay) and GLOCK, Dubai. Visit: www.us.glock.com