Glock History: How One of Biggest Firearms Brands Came to Be

The Glock safe action pistol is the favored small firearm for two-thirds of U.S. law enforcement agencies, not to mention the armed forces and security agencies of countries across the world, according to “The Gun Digest Book of the Glock” and NBC News.

So how did Glock Ges.m.b.H., a weapons manufacturer located in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria, meteorically expand into one of the world’s biggest firearms brands? Here is a quick recap of Glock history starting with its founder, Gaston Glock.

Unlikely gun manufacturer
Glock was an Austrian engineer whose company manufactured curtain rods and knives as well as hand grenades and trench tools for the Austrian military. In 1980, while meeting with members of Austria’s Ministry of Defense, Glock overheard military officials talking about their need for more modern and effective short firearms for their soldiers. An expert in polymers, Glock brainstormed the idea of producing a plastic pistol that was lightweight yet still durable and easier to use than traditional handguns, according to the book “Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun.”

Glock 17
Glock began experimenting with his concept in his garage workshop. After a year, he sought a patent from the Austrian government for a firearm he called the Glock 17. When he presented it to Austrian military officials, they eagerly accepted the gun for its larger ammunition capacity, durability and superior trigger control. The Austrian military purchased 20,000 Glock 17 pistols for their soldiers in 1982, and Austrian police services contracted with Glock to buy the semi-automatic gun shortly after, according to UK-based The Telegraph.

Expansion to the United States
After his initial success, Gaston Glock began devising other Glock pistols that catered to specific gun audiences based on gun size, style and other precise features. By 1988, he decided to take the Glock to America.

U.S. police departments fighting the growing international-based drug trade became Glock’s most enthusiastic audience, according to a report by NPR. Police officials were enamored with its polymer-framed light weight, ease of mastery, short recoil operation, heightened accuracy, superior ammunition capacity and steady trigger pull. Police departments across the country received large discounts on the price of the semi-automatic guns to persuade them to contract with Glock. This intentional marketing plan influenced the more lucrative public market. Civilian gun enthusiasts reacted to the pistols’ approval with police units by purchasing Glocks for the full price so Glock could reap the full profit margin.

Glock continued manufacturing more varieties of handguns to satisfy the growing consumer demand. Today, Glock supplies a product line of more than 50 pistols for a range of gun owners, according to Glock’s corporate website.

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