When compared to the long and storied histories of Beretta (circa 1526), Remington (1816), Colt (1855), FN Herstal (1889), and others, GLOCK is a relative newcomer to the firearms industry. Yet it boasts having 65% plus percent of the United States Law Enforcement Market,1 more than 5,000,000 units sold,2 and the most carried legal concealed carry gun in the United States Market3 4 among its list of achievements. I would say that by nearly any measure GLOCK is doing quite well.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 19 Jul 1929 | Gaston Glock was born in Vienna, Austria.5 |
| 1963 | The company known as GLOCK Ges.m.b.H (an Austrian company) is founded by Gaston Glock. The company made various plastic/steel non-gun parts.6 7 |
| 1970s | GLOCK produces their first military products. They include field knives, training hand grenades, and machine gun belt links.8 |
| 1976 | The Austrian Army began their search for a new service pistol.9 10 11 |
| 1980 | GLOCK Ges.m.b.H (an Austrian company) is formed.12 |
| Feb 1980 | Gaston Glock overhears a conversation between two Austrian Military Colonels who were discussing the poor response to the Army's need for a new sidearm for officers, pilots, and drivers. Glock asked the Colonels if they would give him the Military's specifications for the weapon they were discussing. Although they laughed at the idea of his company producing a military sidearm, they described the specifications for him.13 |
| May 1980 | Firearms experts Colonel Friederich Dechant14 and Siegfried Hubner15 met with Gaston Glock, at his vacation home in Velden, Austria, to discuss what they would want in a pistol of the future.16 |
| 1981 | Production begins on a field knife with an incorporated saw.17 |
| 30 Apr 1981 | Gaston Glock filed for an Austrian patent for the gun that we now know as the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum). The GLOCK Gen1 pistol is born.18 |
| 29 Apr 1982 | Gaston Glock filed for a United States patent for an "AUTOMATIC PISTOL WITH COUNTERACTING SPRING CONTROL MECHANISM."19 |
| 19 May 1982 | GLOCK submitted four samples of the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) to the Austrian Army for evaluation. GLOCK competed against five other manufacturers (Beretta 92F, Fabrique Nationale (gun unknown), Heckler & Koch P9S, Sig Sauer P-220, Styer GB) for the contract.20 |
| 5 Nov 1982 | Gaston Glock was congratulated by the Austrian Minister of Defense, Otto Rösch, for receiving a winning 88.7 percent of the possible points in the contract competition.21 22 |
| 1983 | The Austrian Ministry of Defense orders 20,000 GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) pistols (known as the P80).23 24 25 26 |
| 1983 | GLOCK delivers first 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) order to the Austrian Army.27 28 29 30 |
| 1983 | GLOCK begins development on the spade (entrenching tool).31 |
| 1983 | GLOCK submitted samples of the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) to the United States Department of Defense.32 |
| Spring 1984 | Karl Walter, gun salesman, and Peter G. Kokalis, technical editor of Soldier of Fortune magazine, met with Gaston Glock at his home. They discussed the possibility of bringing the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) to the United States.33 |
| Oct 1984 | "PLASTIC PERFECTION" was the headline of the Peter G. Kokalis article about the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) in Soldier of Fortune magazine.34 |
| 1984 | The Norwegian Army adopts the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) as its standard issue service sidearm. This is the first adoption a GLOCK pistol as a service weapon by a NATO member country.35 36 37 |
| 1985 | Noel Koch, then United States Department of Defense counterterrorism chief, stripped a GLOCK pistol into its component parts and placed them into a duffle bag hiding the components as best he could. Then he put the bag through security, including an X-Ray machine, at Washington National Airport. No one noticed the firearm components.38 |
| 1985 | The Swedish military adopted the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, 9x19mm Parabellum).39 |
| 1985 | The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) adopted the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) as its standard issue sidearm.40 |
| 10 Sep 1985 | The United States Patent and Trademark Office grants Gaston Glock United States Patent 4539889. The "AUTOMATIC PISTOL WITH COUNTERACTING SPRING CONTROL MECHANISM" refered to in the patent is the GLOCK 17 Gen1 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum).41 |
| Late 1985 | The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the US Federal Aviation Administration evaluated the GLOCK 17 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum) and determined that it did not pose a special threat to American aviation security.42 |
| Nov 1985 | GLOCK, Inc., the US subsidiary of GLOCK Ges.m.b.H, is opened in Smyrna, Georgia. Its primary mission is to import GLOCK pistols into the United States.43 44 45 |
| 15 Jan 1986 | "Qaddafi Buying Austrian Plastic Pistols" was the headline of the Jack Anderson / Dale Van Atta article in the Washington Post. The opening of the article declares, "Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi is in the process of buying more than 100 plastic handguns that would be difficult for airport security forces to detect." The unnamed top US official mentioned in the article was Noel Koch, then United States Department of Defense counterterrorism chief.46 47 |
| 1986 | GLOCK, Inc. receives Federal Firearms License (FFL) and begins shipping pistols within the United States.48 49 50 |
| 1987 | GLOCK develops the G18 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum, select-fire) select fire machine pistol.51 52 53 54 |
| 1987 | GLOCK's second production plant opens in Ferlach, Austria.55 |
| 1988 | A GLOCK pistol appears in the hand of bad guy Juicy Mouth in Elmore Lenord's novel Freaky Deaky.56 |
| 1988 | GLOCK Asia Pacific Limited, the Asia/Oceania subsidiary of GLOCK Ges.m.b.H, is opened in Hong Kong.57 58 |
| 1988 | Production begins on the 19 (standard frame, compact-size, 9×19mm Parabellum).59 60 61 |
| 1988 | Production begins on the 17L (standard frame, full-size, 9×19mm Parabellum, long-slide).62 63 64 |
| 1988 | Gen2 GLOCKs are introduced to meet US BATFE regulations. This meant embedding a steel plate with a stamped serial number into the dust cover of the frame.65 66 67 |
| 1989 | GLOCK Pistols pass 350,000 units sold.68 69 |
| 1989 | Approximately 2,000 US police departments are carrying 150,000 GLOCK service pistols.70 71 |
| Mar 1989 | Design evolution: Gen2 checkered frame72 |
| 4 Jul 1990 | GLOCK pistols appear in the hands of the villains in the film Die Hard 2.73 |
| 1990 | GLOCK America S.A., the Latin America / Central America / Caribbean subsidiary of GLOCK Ges.m.b.H, is opened in Uruguay.74 |
| 1990 | GLOCK begins expansion of its original plant in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria.75 |
| 1991 | Production begins on the G20 (large frame, full-size, 10mm Automatic).76 |
| 1991 | Production begins on the G21 (large frame, full-size, .45 Automatic).77 |
| 1994 | Production begins on the G24 (standard frame, full-size, .40 S&W, long-slide).78 |
| 1994 | Production begins on the G24C (standard frame, full-size, .40 S&W, long-slide, compensated).79 |
| 1995 | Production begins on the G25 (no civilian sale in USA, standard frame, compact-size, .380 Automatic).80 |
| 1995 | Production begins on the G26 (standard frame, subcompact-size, 9×19mm Parabellum).81 |
| 1995 | Production begins on the G27 (standard frame, subcompact-size, .40 S&W).82 |
| 1996 | Production begins on the G28 (no civilian sale in USA, standard frame, subcompact-size, .380 Automatic).83 |
| 1996 | Production begins on the G17T (training pistol/marking cartridges).84 |
| 1997 | Production begins on the G29 (large frame, subcompact-size, 10mm Automatic).85 |
| 1997 | Production begins on the G30 (large frame, subcompact-size, .45 Automatic).86 |
| 1997 | GLOCK begins construction on a new headquarters building in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria.87 |
| 1998 | Production begins on Gen3 GLOCKs.88 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G31 (standard frame, full-size, .357 SIG).89 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G31C (standard frame, full-size, .357 SIG, compensated).90 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G32 (standard frame, compact-size, .357 SIG).91 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G32C (standard frame, compact-size, .357 SIG, compensated).92 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G33 (standard frame, subcompact-size, .357 SIG).93 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G34 (standard frame, full-size, 9x19mm Parabellum, competition-slide).94 |
| 1998 | Production begins on the G35 (standard frame, full-size, .40 S&W, competition-slide).95 |
| 1999 | Production begins on the G36 (large frame, subcompact-size, .45 Automatic, slimline). |
| 1999 | Production begins on the 17T AC.96 |
| 1999 | GLOCK Pistols pass 2,000,000 units sold.97 |
| 2000 | GLOCK finishes construction on a new headquarters building in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria.98 |
| 2001 | In response to new laws in some US states, production begins on GLOCK models that have integrated key locks.99 |
| 2002 | .45 Glock Action Pistol (G.A.P.) cartridge developed by a joint effort between GLOCK and Speer. |
| Dec 2003 | An empty GLOCK G18C (standard frame, full-size, 9×19mm Parabellum, compensated, select-fire) was found in Saddam Hussein’s spider hole when he was captured by US Army soldiers. |
| 2004 | Production begins on the G37 (standard frame, full-size, .45 Glock Action Pistol).100 |
| 2004 | Production begins on the G38 (standard frame, compact-size, .45 Glock Action Pistol).101 |
| 2004 | Production begins on the G39 (standard frame, subcompact-size, .45 Glock Action Pistol).102 |
| 4 Mar 2004 | Four soldiers from the US Army’s fabled Combat Applications Group presented the GLOCK G18C (standard frame, full-size, 9×19mm Parabellum, compensated, select-fire) that was found in Saddam Hussein’s spider hole, when he was captured, to President George W. Bush in the Oval Office. |
| 2007 | Production begins on the first short frame GLOCK pistol. The G21SF (large frame (short), full-size, .45 Automatic) was introduced with an ambidextrous magazine catch (since discontinued) and a picatinny accessory rail (since discontinued). |
| 2007 | Production begins on the G20SF (large frame (short), full-size, 10mm Automatic).103 |
| 2007 | Production begins on the G29SF (large frame (short), subcompact-size, 10mm Automatic).104 |
| 2007 | GLOCK Pistols pass 5,000,000 units sold.105 |
| 2008 | Production begins on the G30SF (large frame (short), subcompact-size, .45 Automatic). |
| 2009 | Production begins on Gen4 GLOCKs.106 107 |
| 23 Aug 2011 | Patrick Heraghty, Classic American Gunsmith's gunsmith, became a GLOCK Certified Armorer. |
| 2013 | Beavertail backstraps (medium / large) start to ship with some Gen4 GLOCKs. |
| 2013 | The G30S (specialty, .45 Automatic) is introduced. |
| 2014 | All C Model (compensated) GLOCKs are discontinued. |
| 2014 | The 20 Gen3 (large frame, full-size, 10mm Automatic) is discontinued. |
| 2014 | The 21 Gen3 (large frame, full-size, .45 Automatic) is discontinued. |
| 2014 | The 29 Gen3 (large frame, subcompact-size, 10mm Automatic) is discontinued. |
| 2014 | The G30 Gen3 (large frame, subcompact-size, .45 Automatic) is discontinued. |
| 2014 | The G41 Gen4 (large frame, full-size, .45 Automatic, competition-slide) is introduced. |
| 2014 | The G42 Gen4 (standard frame, subcompact-size, .380 Automatic, slimline) is introduced. Many of the internal parts of the G42 have been redesigned. |
| 17 Jul 2015 | Patrick Heraghty, Classic American Gunsmith's gunsmith, recertified as a GLOCK Certified Armorer. |
| 2015 | The Modular Optic System (MOS) is introduced at SHOT Show. It is immediately available on the G34 Gen4, G35 Gen4, and G41 Gen4. It became available on the G40 Gen4 long-slide in August. |
| 11-12 May 2016 | Patrick Heraghty, Classic American Gunsmith's gunsmith, certified as a GLOCK Advanced Armorer. |
| 2016 | Anibal Salinas makes a modification to a GLOCK frame that introduces transparent panels into the sides of the grip that when used with a transparent magazine allows the shooter to view the remaining rounds at a glance.108 |
| 2017 | Production begins on Gen5 GLOCKs.109 |
| 1 Jul 2017 | The Inaugural GLOCK ⇒ GSSF ⇒ Camp Perry National Challenge ⇒ hosted by the CMP ⇒ and the GSSF at Camp Perry.110 |
| 22 Jan 2018 | The GLOCK 19X Gen5 (standard full-size frame, compact size slide, 9x19 Parabellum) is available.111 |
| 14 Jul 2018 | The 2nd GLOCK ⇒ GSSF ⇒ Camp Perry National Challenge ⇒ hosted by the CMP ⇒ and the GSSF at Camp Perry.112 |
footnotes/sources:
- GLOCK 30th Limited Edition Pistols. ⇒ (n.d.). Retrieved Feb 9, 2016, from Glock, Inc.
- Timeline. ⇒ (n.d.). Smyrna, GA: GLOCK, Inc. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
- This was said by a GLOCK Professional in my presence. It very well may be true, but I am not sure how this statement could be made with certainty. I include it here to pass it along. I make no assertion as to the veracity of the statement.
- GLOCK Certified Armorer’s Course. (2014, Jun 17). Hampden Sydney College, Hampden Sydney, VA, USA.