Glock pistols: myth and reality

One of the most popular types of small arms, adopted in more than thirty countries of the world, are Glock pistols. With their appearance they revolutionized the rifle industry and deservedly became the best of the best.

The first Glock-17 appeared in 1980, when the Austrian army decided to upgrade its weapons. The founder of the company, Gaston Glock, recruited a team of the best gunsmiths in Europe and in 3 months submitted to the contest a 9 mm gun with a magazine for 17 rounds. Two years later the Glock pistols were adopted by the Austrian army, and in 1986 they were already delivered to the United States.

There are rumors about the elusiveness of this mark by the metal detector frame at airports due to ceramic details. It's not true - instead of ceramics, high-strength plastic is used, from which the frame of the gun is cast. The remaining parts - the bolt, mechanism and trunk - are made of steel. The myth of the metal detector was dispelled personally by Gaston Glock, in order to reassure the US Secretary of Defense. He personally went through the frame several times at the airport, holding a Glock-17 pistol in his hands. The metal detector clearly reacted to the presence of weapons.

What is so good about Glock pistols? Their main advantage is light weight - only 870 grams with a full magazine (Glock-17). For comparison: the equipped 15-charger "Beretta" weighs 1095 g. Such a relief became possible thanks to the plastic frame. The use of polymers also increases corrosion resistance, and the processing of steel parts using unique technology makes them only slightly inferior in strength to diamonds. Another undisputable plus - the release of the company "families" for all pistol calibers - from 9 mm Luger / Parabellum to 11.43 mm in .45ACP. In each family there are three models: full-size, subcompact and compact. In addition, many parts from different pistols of the same caliber are interchangeable and do not require adjustment. The ergonomic handle makes it equally convenient to shoot both the right and left hand. And we can not fail to mention the reliability and durability of Glock - during the tests it was heated in water and dirt, it was cleaned from grease, the truck was parked on it - and the pistol continued to fire, as if nothing had happened!

Of course, there are drawbacks. Firstly, in the cold, the polymer from which the frame is made becomes very fragile - dropping the gun at a 40-degree frost, it can be "smashed". Secondly, the shock-trigger mechanism does not allow you to re-pierce the capsule in case of a misfire - it is easier to distort the bolt, sacrificing one cartridge. Thirdly, the absence of external fuses often results in a shot when trying to remove the pistol into the holster. Quite a lot of American policemen after the transition to the "Glock" were in hospitals with the shot through their legs because of the bad habit of not removing the finger from the descent, covering up the weapon.

Despite everything, Glock pistols are very popular all over the world. The company itself, updating the armament of the police, sells second-hand pistols to the population. Buyers in the secondary market risk buying a used Glock pistol, the cost of treating a wounded leg will block the economy. The new Glock-17 in the US costs about $ 800.