No details were released by firearms company Glock, Inc.
The Glock handguns began as a local product, and they were adopted as the Austrian Army’s service pistol in 1983. They quickly became popular due to their inexpensive plastic construction and safety features touted by the manufacturer.
The ubiquitous handgun grew out of the previous production of forged knives, ammunition clips and other small products in use by the Austrian military. The company even produced curtain rods.
Glock brought together a group of weapons experts, and what they produced became legendary. The frame was constructed of a strong, nylon-based polymer with only the slide containing metal.
This unique design won the lucrative military contract and soon made his product a household name.
Glock pistols transformed the U.S. market after they were introduced in 1985. American law enforcement quickly learned why they were so readily accepted in Europe, and an estimated two-thirds of all U.S. police departments now feature Glocks as standard issue.
According to a Forbes 2017 estimate, 65% of all American handgun sales are Glocks.
The weapons are prominent in pop culture, including rap songs and movies. And when American forces uncovered Iraqi President Saddam Hussein hidden in a hole in the ground, he was clutching a Glock.
That weapon was later given to President George W. Bush.
As for Gaston Glock, he led a mostly quiet life and shunned the spotlight. Media attention found him in 1999 when he survived an assassination attempt that involved a business partner.
According to court records, an investment banker who managed Glock’s assets hired a former wrestler to strike him with a rubber hammer.
Even as he drew harsh words from gun control radicals, Glock remained quiet. They charged that he made these weapons popular as they could hold several rounds and were easy to conceal.
