Austria · founded in 1963
Glock GmbH
Revolutionized the pistol market by introducing the polymer-frame striker-fired layout.
History
Gaston Glock, an engineer with no prior small-arms experience, won the 1982 Austrian Army trial for a new service pistol with the Glock 17: polymer frame, striker-fired, 17 rounds of 9×19. Its construction simplicity (33 parts) and reliability made it the de facto standard for police forces worldwide.
The family has since expanded to nearly every pistol caliber (9, .40, .45, 10mm, .380) and five generations (Gen1→Gen5). Over 60% of U.S. police forces use Glock. Production remains concentrated in Austria, while final assembly for the U.S. market takes place in Smyrna, GA.
Iconic products
- →Glock 17, 19, 26 — the global police benchmark.
- →Glock 18 — full-auto variant for special services.
- →Glock 21 — the .45 ACP polymer-frame variant.