Glock, the Austrian gun maker, creates one of the most popular and efficient models of guns sold in the United States. The Glock's light frames and higher-capacity magazines make it a superior company in the market and a frequent influencer in the gun control debate.
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Here are three stories about Glock as it faced gun control measures and public criticism:
1. Glock Found a Way Around the Assault Weapons Bill — On October 16, 1991, George Jo Hennard drove his pick-up into a busy restaurant in Killeen, Texas, and killed 22 people. His weapon of choice was a Glock 17, The New York Times reported.
The semi-automatic nature of the Glock and its high-capacity magazine was immediately affected by the Assault Weapons Bill, which, as an answer to the Killeen shooting, limited magazine capacities to 10. According to a report by NPR, Glock was aware this might happen and had increased production to stockpile its high-capacity product, which was grandfathered in as "pre-existing equipment." By the time was limitation was in effect, there were plenty of these weapons ready for sale in the used gun market.
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2. "Die Hard 2" Monologue Caused “Super Gun” Hysteria — "That punk pulled a Glock 7 on me. You know what that is? It's a porcelain gun made in Germany. It doesn't show up on your airport X-ray machines, and it cost more than you make here in a month."
That line from Bruce Willis' character, Officer John McClane, in “Die Hard 2” was inaccurate on all counts. But that didn't stop the rumor of undetectable “super guns” that would hit the streets and cause terror, according to a story by ABC News about the history of the Glock.
Even lawmakers started discussing this “danger” earnestly and more laws were considered. Afraid for their safety, people started buying guns and Glock sales benefited. Meanwhile, the undetectable gun remained an unsubstantiated myth, the Firearm Blog reported. Today, though, the concern is more real as the printing of 3D plastic guns raises the possibility of a gun that is undetectable.
3. Glock Offers a Trade-In Deal With Police Departments — Being cash-strapped, police departments will seek ways to build revenue and cut costs. One way of doing this is to sell back their Glock weapons to the company when they upgrade their armories. Glock then re-sells them in the used market, ABC News said.
While this practice is widely criticized and is known to send gun control advocates into a frenzy, and some raise concerns that the police officers’ former guns can be used against them, it is nearly impossible to ban outright. Besides providing cash to law enforcement departments, it also ensures that officers are armed with the latest in effective firearms – an idea difficult to argue against when the police put their lives on the line each day.
This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.
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