About Glock
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to talk about Glock today. Glock is one of the most iconic producers of handguns in the present era, with many of their pistols being used for duty use. Militaries, law enforcement agencies, and armed citizens have utilized Glock handguns since their inception, making them some of the most common and proven handguns in existence. Our goal with this blog post is to provide a brief overview of the Glock brand while delving into some of their traits, product offerings, history, and more. Without further ado, let’s talk Glock.
Who is Glock?
Glock is a one of the most well-known handgun manufacturers in the world. Glock, formally known as Glock Ges.m.b.H., was founded in 1963 by Gaston Glock. The company initially produced consumer products such as curtain rods and notably had no background in firearms design. However, Glock had a history of manufacturing products from polymer and was familiar with production and molding processes. Glock did produce some goods for the Austrian military, notably in the form of bayonets, knives, and entrenching tools. In 1980, the Austrian Armed Forces announced that they were seeking to replace their currently issued Walther P-38 pistols. The issued pistols were produced during World War Two and were due for replacement. Glock was among the companies who responded to the request, eventually submitting the design which would become the Glock 17.
The initial Glock handgun submitted to the Austrian Military trials was eventually adopted in 1982 as the P80, or
Pistole 80. Later, this original offering became known as the Glock 17, named as such as it was the 17
th patent held by the company. The pistol utilized magazines which held 17 rounds of
9mm Luger, providing a superior magazine capacity than the P-38 and many other designs. Additionally, the frame of the pistol and many major components were constructed from polymer. This kept the pistol light and allowed for easy and economical production due to the molding process and Glock’s prior experience. We can trace Glocks as we know them today from this original design.
Currently, Glock pistols are some of the most sold pistols in the United States. Three generations of Glock pistols are still currently produced for the commercial market. The current generation of Glocks, Gen 5, is at the forefront with Gen 3 and Gen 4 models still being produced for specific contracts or markets. Notably, due to the California roster, Glock continues to produce Gen 3 handguns as these are the only models of Glocks which can be purchased new from a dealer in the state. These pistols are employed by many and used for a variety of purposes such as self-defense, competition, recreation, and even hunting when in big bore calibers.
Purchase Ammo
Where are Glock Pistols Made?
Glock pistols are currently produced in both Austria and the United States. Austrian production takes place in the company’s Ferlach factory in the southern part of the country. This factory has been producing Glock handguns since 1987. The American Glock factory is located in Smyrna, Georgia and has been engaging in full-scale Glock production since 2013. Both factories adhere to the same standards and produce identical products.
Striker Fired Simplicity
As mentioned above, Glock pistols are of the striker fired variety. They do not utilize external hammers, nor do they function like traditional single action or double action firearms. Glocks notably feature significantly fewer parts and components than many other contemporary firearms. With less parts, there is less to go wrong.
This simplicity also translates to an easy and expedient teardown process. If you have disassembled one model of Glock, you have disassembled every model of Glock. Simply ensure the pistol is unloaded and remove the magazine. With the slide forward, pull the trigger to release the striker assembly. From here, one must pull the slide back just enough to relieve tension on the slide lock tab. While this pressure is relieved, one can pull down on the tab and pull the slide forward and off of the frame. Once the slide is removed, the barrel and recoil spring are easily accessed and removed. This is all that is necessary to perform a basic field strip of a Glock pistol.
Popular Glock Pistol Offerings
Glock produces many handguns. These handguns encompass a variety of popular calibers and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Calibers such as
9mm Luger,
.40 Smith & Wesson,
.45 ACP,
10mm Auto,
.45 GAP,
.380 ACP, and
.22 Long Rifle are supported by Glock’s offerings.
Popular Glock handguns:
- Glock 17: Standard, service size Glock chambered in 9mm Luger.
- Glock 19: Midsize Glock in 9mm Luger.
- Glock 26: Subcompact 9mm Luger Glock which utilizes a double stack magazine.
- Glock 45: 9mm Luger Glock pistol featuring a 17 length frame and a 19 length slide.
- Glock 48: Slimline 9mm Luger Glock which utilizes a single stack magazine.
- Glock 22: Standard, service size Glock in .40 Smith & Wesson.
- Glock 23: Midsize Glock in .40 Smith & Wesson.
- Glock 27: Subcompact .40 Smith & Wesson Glock which utilizes a double stack magazine.
- Glock 20: Large frame Glock chambered in 10mm Auto.
- Glock 21: Large frame Glock chambered in .45 ACP.
- Glock 44: Midsize pistol chambered in .22 Long Rifle. Similar in size to the Glock 19/23.
MOS Offerings
Glock is also notable for offering pistols with their Modular Optic System, or MOS. These pistols feature slides which are compatible with slide mounted optics. These pistols ship with a number of plates which interface with the slide and feature mounting footprints for popular micro red dot sights. Beyond Glock, companies such as Forward Controls Design and C&H Precision manufacture MOS compatible optic plates.
Are Glocks Good for Concealed Carry?
Many concealed carriers trust their lives to Glock. The company produces a number of handguns which can be effectively employed in this role. Many of the popular offerings from the company such as the 17 and 19 are employed quite often by shooters in a concealed carry role. Besides these popular mainstays, the company also produces a number of pistols optimized for concealed carry use.
These compact Glock models come in many forms. Pistols such as the Glock 26, Glock 27, and Glock 36 are double stack handguns which are more compact than their larger counterparts. The company also produces a number of slimline offerings which utilize single stack magazines. These slim Glocks are available in the form of the Glock 42, Glock 43, Glock 43X, and Glock 48. Simply put, the company makes a wide variety of pistols which can be effectively employed in concealed carry roles.
Purchase Ammo
Are Glocks Good for Competition Use?
Glock handguns are commonly used in competition settings. Common Glock pistols used in competitions include the 34 and 35, long slide
9mm Luger and
.40 Smith & Wesson pistols which were specifically designed for this use case. These pistols feature longer barrels and slides, providing a longer sight radius and greater accuracy potential. Additionally, these pistols come from the factory with lighter triggers than the rest of the company’s offerings.
Conclusion
All in all, Glock handguns continue to represent a high-quality handgun product which can be enjoyed by shooters of all types. The wide variety of pistols produced by Glock allows them to appeal to many different use cases and end users. While we here at True Shot Ammo do not sell firearms, we do have
ammo for sale which will work great with Glock pistols. Whether you are running a full-size, compact, or competition Glock, our wide inventory of
ammunition has you covered. Beyond the
ammunition for sale that we offer, we also stock
Glock magazines which will compliment a Glock handgun or a PCC which uses their magazines. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
View more posts about firearms:
