To most people, Glock is known as the “police gun” and it has been for decades. Glock is also a favorite among citizens for self-defense and sports shooting. Glocks are priced well for the quality of the gun and the option for accessories is endless. Have you ever wondered how the handgun that originates from Austria became the standard-issue sidearm for most American law enforcement agencies? That’s what we’re talking about today.
Before Glock
The legendary 1911 created by John Moses Browning was the standard issue sidearm in the US Military from 1911 to 1985. It stayed in service for so long because it is a well-designed weapon. Why fix what is not broken, right? The problem within the law enforcement world is that it doesn’t like change and they don’t fix what isn’t broken.
The Colt Army Special came out in 1908 and was renamed in 1927 as the “Colt Official Police.” It became the bestselling police revolver ever made. Other models were used by law enforcement, but they were still revolvers. They came with a variety of barrel lengths and 5-6 shot cylinders. But law enforcement was not about to be outdone by the Military in keeping the same gun for a long. The cops were still carrying 6-shot revolvers well into the 1980s. The only problem was the bad guys were not. The firepower of the good guys did not match the firepower that criminals were packing around.
What started the move to Glock?
It wasn’t that Law Enforcement didn’t know they needed a more modern handgun. The problem was a combination of budget, policy, and political issues that complicated the switch. For smaller agencies, this was not as hard, but it was a different story for larger agencies. First, there needed to be a strong reason for the switch. The obvious was not enough, and it would unfortunately take more than that. It would take some losing their lives before agencies knew they had to do something.
One of these horrific events was the FBI Miami shootout on April 11, 1986. FBI agents clashed with two bank robbers Michael Platt and William Matix in a shootout. Platt was a Veteran with military special forces training and Matix was a former Military Police Officer. Both had weapons that outgunned the ill-prepared FBI agents. In short, eight FBI agents were in the shootout with the two criminals. By the time Platt and Matix were dead, two FBI agents were dead, three were permanently disabled and two more were injured. After other similar incidents around the country, police departments were on the search for a more modern gun.
What gave Glock the edge?
When agencies around the country started looking for a new gun, Glock was a new, barely known company that had made a “plastic” gun for the Austrian military. There were rumors (later to be disproven) that Glocks could pass undetected through metal detectors and should not be allowed in the US. There was also plenty of skepticism about a plastic gun being reliable or durable. But the facts could not be ignored.
Glock started testing its handguns to show their durability. When the Austrian Military tested the Glock, their standard was 10,000 rounds with no more than 20 stoppages. The Glock 17 malfunctioned one time. Glocks torture test of the G17 included continuous firing for 15,000 rounds, a sand test, mud test, rain test, ice test, and heat and humidity test. They also dropped a chambered Glock 17 onto a steel plate from two meters proving it would not fire unless the trigger was deliberately pulled. Glock had proven itself and agencies started making the switch.
Who uses them today?
While police use plenty of different types of weapons, the most common sidearm is still Glock. Glock has tailored their company to be law enforcement friendly. They offer programs like the Blue Label Program and agency buy-back programs. Because of this, some of America’s largest agencies carry Glock guns.
In 2022, more than half of the largest agencies in the country (including NYPD) were carrying Glock handguns. Most federal agencies including the FBI, ATF, and DEA also carry Glock handguns. In 2021, Glock was listed as the most-sold handgun in the USA, keeping its trend of being the most popular handgun in the country. But keeping that status could be challenging.
Glock was able to jump on the market in the early 90s because it created a lightweight, high-capacity gun that was extremely reliable, durable, and accurate. Other gun companies were still pushing out revolvers or metal-framed semi-auto guns. Those guns, however, were much heavier than the Glock17. The popularity of Glock pistols and the availability of their magazines, holsters, and other accessories has kept them a front-runner. And not just for law enforcement but for citizens as well.
Glock and their mags
I talk a lot about Glock mags. While the focus is normally on the gun, Glock has managed to create one of the most durable and reliable magazines on the planet. Because of Glock’s popularity, other gun manufacturers are now making handguns and PCC (pistol caliber carbines) rifles that use Glock mags. This allows the unique ability to carry one mag for all your guns. My agency added PCC 9mm rifles to their patrol cars to give them another option besides the AR-15 rifle. For populated areas, a 9mm is more feasible than a 5.56 round, and the ability for deputies to use their standard Glock 17 mags from their belt is a big plus.
Glock 17’s are the most common handgun carried in this area, as well as the rest of the country, so having interchangeable mags with other agencies was also important to us. A shootout I was involved in with an armed suspect not long ago attracted deputies, troopers, and officers from multiple agencies. All were carrying Glock 17’s. Another factor for Glock magazines is the number of other companies producing their version of the mag.
Summary
Glock handguns are not the most attractive-looking guns on the market. There are also plenty of other guns that are very reliable and durable, but they are not as popular—yet. If you don’t like Glock, there’s nothing wrong with that. Find what you like. Determining if Glock will remain the most popular gun for law enforcement is unclear, but for now, they have a firm hold on the market.
They have been around for a long time with very few changes to their design. Gaston Glock created a gun with just 34 components that can be frozen, drug through the sand, and mud, and dropped on a steel plate, and keep firing when you pick it up. It has already created history and it forces other companies to try and make something that can beat it. Ultimately, we are the winners. We get to enjoy our 1911, Beretta 92F the reliable G17, and then stand back and see what else the gun market will produce for us in the future.
