{"id":207334,"date":"2022-04-28T07:00:34","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=207334"},"modified":"2025-06-05T12:38:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T17:38:46","slug":"glock-faqs-history-generations-and-model-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/glock-faqs-history-generations-and-model-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Glock FAQs: History, Generations, and Model Numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you automatically think \u201cthey\u2019re all the same\u201d when you hear the word \u201cGlock,\u201d you\u2019re not alone. However, there are a lot of different Glocks out there. From caliber to grip width to being optics-ready, there\u2019s practically a Glock out there for everyone. In fact, there\u2019s an entire backstory to Glock history. Whether you\u2019re curious about the history of the brand or wondering what all the different generations mean, we can help. Keep reading for a crash course in Glocks.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_207341\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-207341\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-207341 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/G48-3.jpg\" alt=\"Glock 48 slide and slide release\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/G48-3.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/G48-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/G48-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/G48-3-150x113.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/600;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-207341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Glock 48 is part of Gen 5 of the handgun line and was welcomed by many shooters thanks to its Slimline grip. (Photo credit: Kat Ainsworth Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Glock History<\/h2>\n<p>Glock Ges.m.b.H. was founded by Gaston Glock in Austria in 1963, but it didn\u2019t start with firearms. In the early days, the company made totally unrelated products like curtain rods, but it didn\u2019t take long for them to start considering designing and manufacturing weapons. By the early 1970s, Glock was making knives for the Austrian army, but that wasn\u2019t all. The Austrian manufacturer was also producing grenade casings and machine-gun belt links. It was only a matter of time until Gaston Glock turned his sights to guns. First, he had to get into polymer molding, though.<\/p>\n<p>In 1980, Gaston Glock bought a machine to handle the injection-molding process necessary for the grips and sheaths that went with the knives he was making for the Austrian military. It wasn\u2019t his first exposure to the process, but it was the initial step in what would end up being major breakthroughs in firearm manufacturing (at least according to some gun lovers).<\/p>\n<p>That same year, the Austrian military voiced a desire for new guns. They wanted specific features on their new duty guns, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lighter overall weight<\/li>\n<li>Higher capacity<\/li>\n<li>Reliable, consistent trigger pull weight<\/li>\n<li>Hammer-forged barrel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_207340\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-207340\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-207340 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/walther-p38.jpg\" alt=\"Walther P38\" width=\"800\" height=\"633\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/walther-p38.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/walther-p38-300x237.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/walther-p38-768x608.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/walther-p38-150x119.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/633;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-207340\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Walther P38 was the Austrian military&#8217;s standard-issue handgun until the Gen 1 G17 came along. (Photo credit: Historic Investments)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At that time their duty gun was the Walther P38, a hammer-fired 9mm-chambered handgun. The P38 had a double-action\/single-action (DA\/SA) trigger and <a href=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/walther-p38-p1-9mm-8-round-magazine.html\">an 8-round magazine<\/a>, meaning the soldier in question could load 9 total if a round was chambered in addition to a loaded magazine. It\u2019s really no wonder they wanted a new gun entirely. The P38 was a remnant of Nazi Germany, and although it was a good gun for its era, it was past time to move on.<\/p>\n<p>In 1983, the first Glock ever was officially adopted as the duty weapon of the Austrian Army. It was the Gen 1 Glock 17 (G17)&nbsp; and by 1984, it had also passed NATO testing. Gaston Glock had chosen to invent a simple platform with approximately 35 parts, a far cry from the number of parts in the average semi-auto or revolver of that time. Clearly, his idea was a winner, because the polymer pistols were poised to take the gun world by storm.<\/p>\n<p>As a matter of fact, decades later, Glock states more than 65% of state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies in the United States use Glocks. There\u2019s something to be said for the reliable performance of what many refer to as tactical Tupperware.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_207339\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-207339\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-207339 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-20-4.jpg\" alt=\"Glock 20 Gen4 10mm slide\" width=\"800\" height=\"550\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-20-4.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-20-4-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-20-4-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-20-4-150x103.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/550;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-207339\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">10mm chambered Glocks were introduced with the Gen 2 pistols. (Photo credit: Kat Ainsworth Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What Are The Glock Generations?<\/h2>\n<p>At the time of this writing, there are five generations of Glocks available. Of course, you\u2019re going to be hard-pressed to locate the earlier generations for sale, and if you do, the price might be a little steeper than you\u2019re used to for this make of gun.<\/p>\n<p>The timeframe for the generations of Glocks is as follows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Generation 1 (Gen 1): 1982-1987<\/li>\n<li>Generation 2 (Gen 2): 1988-1997<\/li>\n<li>Generation 3 (Gen 3): 1998-2009<\/li>\n<li>Generation 4 (Gen 4): 2010-2016<\/li>\n<li>Generation 5 (Gen 5): 2017-Present<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You might be curious what the difference is between, say, a Gen 1 Glock and a Gen 5. There actually have been changes made to the guns with each new generation, some of which are readily visible from the outside and others that are internal. There have been so many changes it would take far more space than we have here to list them all. Highlights of those changes include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Gen 1 Glocks<\/strong>: This generation was comprised of the first Glock 17 only. It had a smooth grip with no finger grooves, was chambered in 9x19mm, and was textured, but not like today\u2019s models.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gen 2 Glocks<\/strong>: Among other changes, Glocks of Gen 2 had some changes made to the magazine floorplates and greater resistance added to the magazines by making changes beneath the follower spring. If you\u2019ve ever complained about breaking in a new magazine, you could always point at Gen 2. Other new features included checkering at the forward and rearward portions of the grip, an upgraded internal safety mechanism, and a built-in, serialized steel plate. New calibers were also introduced in Gen 2 such as 40 Smith &amp; Wesson, 380 ACP, 10mm, and 45 ACP.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gen 3 Glocks<\/strong>: This is the generation where finger grooves appeared on the grips. Aside from the grooves, there was also an indentation added as an intended thumb rest at the top of the grips, on either side. Glock also added a pin above the existing trigger pin and came up with the great idea of making an accessory rail standard. New calibers of Gen 3 included 357 Sig and 45 GAP.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gen 4 Glocks<\/strong>: Modularity was the key to this generation. Gen 4 is when Glocks started coming with a number of interchangeable beavertail backstraps and the base of the grip was made a bit smaller. This is also the generation when the long-awaited single-stack G42 and G43 were introduced. Dual springs were also added to magazines to increase longevity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gen 5 Glocks<\/strong>: For Gen 5, Glock decided to focus first on 9mms and wait for the other calibers until further down the generational road. The <a href=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/glock-43x-48-9mm-10-round-factory-magazine.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">G43X and G48<\/a> were launched at this time, both 9mm Slimline models that have proven exceptionally popular. Gen 5 actually saw a lot of alterations like the removal of finger grooves on the grip, the addition of the match-grade Glock Marksman barrel, and flared magazine wells. Magazines also began sporting neon orange followers in this generation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_207338\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-207338\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-207338 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-PHLster.jpg\" alt=\"Glock in PHLster holster with extra magazine attachment\" width=\"800\" height=\"451\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-PHLster.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-PHLster-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-PHLster-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-PHLster-150x85.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/451;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-207338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">There are a lot of holsters out there designed to fit Glocks, but <a href=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/brands\/phlster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHLster is one that stands out<\/a>. (Photo credit: Kat Ainsworth Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What Do Glock Model Numbers Mean?<\/h2>\n<p>When you look at a list of Glock model numbers there doesn\u2019t really seem to be any rhyme or reason. The G17 was the first design to be patented. The G20 is a 10mm, and the G27 is a .40 Smith &amp; Wesson.<\/p>\n<p>According to Glock, the model numbers are based on the date the gun\u2019s design process began. This sort of lines up with the order in which they are patented, but it isn\u2019t an exact science, and not everything is patented. The result is a seemingly random list of numbers that don\u2019t sync up with the caliber or any other readily definable feature.<\/p>\n<p>This is just one reason people sigh when the phrase \u201cGlock 40\u201d is uttered. For some reason, some people think Glocks are, by and large, 40s\u2026and that the Glock 40 is also a 40 Smith &amp; Wesson. The G40 is actually <a href=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/ammunition\/10mm-auto\">chambered in 10mm Auto<\/a>, while 40 Smith &amp; Wesson models include the G22, G23, G27, and G35. Don\u2019t try to make it make sense. Either you can memorize the chamberings of every model Glock has ever made or you can learn as you go.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_207345\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-207345\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-207345 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-K-1.jpg\" alt=\"Kat Ainsworth Stevens shooting handgun\" width=\"800\" height=\"553\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-K-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-K-1-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-K-1-768x531.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-K-1-150x104.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/553;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-207345\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The author with one of her Glocks. They might be plastic, but they&#8217;re reliable, accurate, and tough. (Photo credit: Kat Ainsworth Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Should I Get A Glock?<\/h2>\n<p>Normally I\u2019d say this comes down to personal preference, but there\u2019s almost no reason not to have at least one Glock in your gun collection. They\u2019re reliable and durable. A countless number of ridiculous tests have proven they can withstand just about anything. The old excuse that they\u2019re double-stacks doesn\u2019t work anymore, either; there are quite a few single-stack\/Slimline models available. That means Glock has a model that\u2019s likely to fit your hands well. Of course, Glocks aren\u2019t for everyone, and if you can\u2019t bring yourself to run one, leave it on the gun store counter to go to a good home. There are plenty of gun owners out there who love these plastic fantastic pistols.<\/p>\n<p>Do you have a Glock? Or Glocks? Tell us about it in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Curious about Glock history and the difference between generations? Confused by random Glock model numbers? Do you just love Glocks? Read this.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":210297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2337],"tags":[2271,2510,94],"class_list":["post-207334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gunmagopedia","tag-throwback-thursday","tag-guns-and-history","tag-glock"],"small_media_thumbnail":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Glock-History-300x225.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207334"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207334\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":441396,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207334\/revisions\/441396"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}