Gaston Glock, the Austrian engineer who transitioned from creating curtain rods to revolutionizing the manufacturing of internationally acclaimed handguns, passed away at the age of 94.
Glock Inc. officially announced the passing of its founder on the company’s website, without specifying the cause of death.
The website displayed a somber tribute, “In Memoriam Gaston Glock 07/19/1929 – 12/27/2023,” accompanied by a photo of Glock dressed in a dark suit and maroon tie, standing with crossed arms against a black backdrop.
The company also acknowledged Glock’s significant impact, noting that he not only revolutionized the small arms industry in the 1980s but also established the Glock brand as the preeminent leader in the global handgun industry.
The Glock pistol, favored by law enforcement agencies, left its mark in blockbuster movies such as “Die Hard 2” and “U.S. Marshals” and was referenced in numerous rap songs, including Wu-Tang Clan’s “Da Glock.”
Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1929, Glock initially supplied knives and bayonets to the Austrian Army during the 1970s. In 1980, he identified the army’s need for a new handgun.
Despite not personally owning a handgun, Glock assembled a team of experts to assist in the creation of the “pistol of the future.” Throughout the project, he underwent training on handguns and test-fired prototypes with his left hand to ensure the continuity of his design work in case of accidents.
The result was the Glock 17, a revolutionary semi-automatic handgun made from industrial plastic or polymer, featuring a magazine capacity of 17 rounds and an additional round in the chamber.
The Austrian Army adopted the Glock as its new service pistol in 1983, and the Norwegian Army followed suit the next year, designating it as their standard sidearm.
Glock’s influence extended to the United States, where the company established its headquarters in Smyrna, Georgia, in 1985. It claimed that over 65% of U.S. federal, state, and local agencies have been equipped with Glock pistols.