Gaston Glock, 1929 - 2023

simonrichter · December 27, 2023, 02:48 PM

I hope it is not off topic to announce here that Gaston Glock has passed away today. He was undoubtedly in the same league as Samuel Colt, John Moses Browning or Eugene Stoner when it comes to the development of modern firearms and apart from that a prominent figure in Austria though he tried to avoid publicity as much as possible.

**44 AMP** · December 27, 2023, 03:28 PM

General forum is the right place.

He didn't go tragically early, and all things do come to an end.

Personally I wouldn't put him on the same level as Browning, but on a tier beneath that. Like Stoner and Kalashnikov, and, even Colt, he created one outstandingly successful design, and variants of it. Browning created dozens of very successful designs, rifles, shotguns, pistols, and machine guns. Pumps. lever actions, semi autos and full autos, nobody did as much as Browning did, and likely nobody ever will again.

RIP Herr Glock

2damnold4this · December 27, 2023, 08:13 PM

RIP to an innovator in the firearms industry.

Double Naught Spy · December 27, 2023, 09:41 PM

Quote:

he created one outstandingly successful design, and variants of it.

And geniusly marketed the heck out of it.

I have never liked Glock pistols (grip issues), but they are outstanding for what they are and I think contributed heavily to the demise of revolver favor with their stock reliability.

Indeed, RIP Gaston Glock.

FITASC · December 27, 2023, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Personally I wouldn't put him on the same level as Browning, but on a tier beneath that. Like Stoner and Kalashnikov, and, even Colt, he created one outstandingly successful design, and variants of it. Browning created dozens of very successful designs, rifles, shotguns, pistols, and machine guns. Pumps. lever actions, semi autos and full autos, nobody did as much as Browning did, and likely nobody ever will again.

You have something against his single shot?........

**44 AMP** · December 28, 2023, 12:29 AM

well I just plum forgot, should have added "and more".

"More" including the guns I didn't list and all those cartridges he invented to go in them.

Herr Glock deserves full credit for what he did.

simonrichter · December 28, 2023, 05:15 AM

what I found interesting about his biography is that he wasn't a gunsmith from the start but more of a generalist inventor and manufacturer who came to designing the P80 / G17 relatively late in his career. The only other popular items produced by Glock are far less spectacular, namely a quite simplistic knive, an entrenching tool and plastic clips and buckle for a M56-style pistol belt the still AAF uses.

**Mike Irwin** · December 28, 2023, 08:53 AM

Personally, I wouldn't put Glock in the same league as true firearms designers. He's not even remotely in the same league as Browning, Pedersen, Tokarev, Siminov, or Saive.

Glock didn't design his pistol. He brought together a group of experts, including firearms design engineers, who all contributed to the gun. Glock's primary contribution was the injection molding process, which his company had been employing for years.

Glock is, however, in the same league as Oliver Winchester. Winchester wasn't a gun designer, he was a businessman who knew how to capitalize on the strengths of the products that his company produced.

**JohnKSa** · December 28, 2023, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Personally, I wouldn't put Glock in the same league as true firearms designers. He's not even remotely in the same league as Browning, Pedersen, Tokarev, Siminov, or Saive.

Agree. He had vision and the ability to carry through.

He definitely made an impact, but not so much in terms of design. The team he assembled gets the credit for any innovation in the design of the guns.

Double Naught Spy · December 28, 2023, 05:25 PM

Well, if you are going to be a one trick pony, make it a really good trick.

bamaranger · December 29, 2023, 12:57 PM

Somehow I thought Gaston Glock was younger.......the man was 93! By rough estimate, he was working on his poly pistol about the time some folks retire.

Was there a poly pistol before the Glock? The Glock 17 set the gold standard for hi-cap 9mm autos even to this day in my estimation. Simple, durable, reliable and accurate (enough). All a handgun should be.

Thanks Gaston.

**44 AMP** · December 29, 2023, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Was there a poly pistol before the Glock?

The H&K VP-70 comes to mind. There might have been others.

MarkCO · December 29, 2023, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Irwin

Personally, I wouldn't put Glock in the same league as true firearms designers. He's not even remotely in the same league as Browning, Pedersen, Tokarev, Siminov, or Saive.

Glock didn't design his pistol. He brought together a group of experts, including firearms design engineers, who all contributed to the gun. Glock's primary contribution was the injection molding process, which his company had been employing for years.

Glock is, however, in the same league as Oliver Winchester. Winchester wasn't a gun designer, he was a businessman who knew how to capitalize on the strengths of the products that his company produced.

Yep, great marketer in the right place at the right time. I feel fortunate to have met him at SHOT once.

RIP regardless

My intrigue now lies in the company direction. His wife (now 99% owner) did not enjoy the gun biz, but loves horses and animals. They did not have children. His first wife, whose 3 children Gaston fired, no longer have anything to do with the company. It does look like ex-wife still has a non-voting 1%.

My bet is a sale. My bet is that the top execs had a plan.

Dfariswheel · December 29, 2023, 06:51 PM

Younger people may not remember the huge controversy when Glock was introduced in America.

Politicians like Upchuck Schumer raged that it was a plastic gun specifically made for terrorist so it could slip by airline inspection to be used in hijackings.
There were news stories claiming even the barrel was made of either plastic or ceramic.
The polygonal rifling was supposed to not leave any markings on a fired bullet so the bullet couldn't be traced to a crime gun.
All the usual suspects were demanding it be banned in the USA.

A few years later virtually every lawman in America was using a Glock.

FITASC · December 29, 2023, 07:33 PM

Quote:

His wife (now 99% owner) did not enjoy the gun biz, but loves horses and animals.

And the money she makes from her ownership share will keep her in horses and animals as long as she has competent folks running the company

MarkCO · December 29, 2023, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FITASC

And the money she makes from her ownership share will keep her in horses and animals as long as she has competent folks running the company

Maybe, but she apparently likes to give money to various groups. 1.09 Billion goes a long ways. Even with taxes, she would have more from a sale than she would get over many years of owning something she does not like.

FITASC · December 29, 2023, 11:07 PM

Well, maybe Beretta or CZ will buy them as a subsidiary

Ricklin · December 30, 2023, 01:14 PM

RIP Gaston Glock. Genius inventor like Browning, uhh no, not even close. A brilliant marketer, yes and a man who recognized talent. Genius businessman, again yes. We can only hope to be so fortunate, his wife will be just fine. How old is she?

MarkCO · December 30, 2023, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricklin

his wife will be just fine. How old is she?

43 years old.

bamaranger · December 30, 2023, 05:37 PM

I'm old enough to remember the stink about the Glock. More than one person of my acquaintance bought the fuss about undetectable plastic pistols. People that should have known better. The Glock is still maligned by the anti's, now for it's capacity, supposed ghost gun potential and Glock switches. A "32 shot Glock" is apparently a big deal with the gang bangers. I still hear people that should know better complain about "no safety".

It took a while for me to warm up to the Glock, I was a blue steel and wood grips guy, and didn't particularly care for the feel of the Glock trigger either. But the reliability and durability of the platform won me over. I know own 4 of the dang things, two for SD, one to compete, one to hunt.

Thanks again Gaston.

**44 AMP** · December 30, 2023, 06:04 PM

I remember the BS that people used to create controversy. The ones who fell for it were idiots or pushing an anti gun agenda, but I repeat myself,

I never warmed up to the design, I have shot some, but the gun doesn't have the features I want, and does things I don't like.

I've had a couple fail to function properly a time or two during new gun break in testing, which puts them in exactly the same place as my "blued steel and wood grip" guns. Never worn out any gun (though have worn out parts) so the fabled "reliability and durability" is the same for me as my other pistols.

What bothered me more than the design was the company's attitude particularly in the early days when they were focused on dominating the police market. And then, they advertised that they were "perfection".

That made sure I was never a big fan. No question about it, their guns do work, nearly always work really well. They just never attracted me enough to become a fan.

Herr Glock belongs in the group with Winchester, and the others who ran gun companies with good design and engineering teams which let them design build and market a sucessful product.

NEPrepper · January 1, 2024, 10:21 AM

RIP to the legend who built the Toyota of handguns

December 27, 2023, 02:48 PM	#1
simonrichter Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2011 Location: Austria Posts: 758	Gaston Glock, 1929 - 2023 I hope it is not off topic to announce here that Gaston Glock has passed away today. He was undoubtedly in the same league as Samuel Colt, John Moses Browning or Eugene Stoner when it comes to the development of modern firearms and apart from that a prominent figure in Austria though he tried to avoid publicity as much as possible. __________________ "Get off of my lawn!" Walt Kowalski . ISSC PAR .223

December 27, 2023, 03:28 PM	#2
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,870	General forum is the right place. He didn't go tragically early, and all things do come to an end. Personally I wouldn't put him on the same level as Browning, but on a tier beneath that. Like Stoner and Kalashnikov, and, even Colt, he created one outstandingly successful design, and variants of it. Browning created dozens of very successful designs, rifles, shotguns, pistols, and machine guns. Pumps. lever actions, semi autos and full autos, nobody did as much as Browning did, and likely nobody ever will again. RIP Herr Glock __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 28, 2023, 12:29 AM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,870	well I just plum forgot, should have added "and more". "More" including the guns I didn't list and all those cartridges he invented to go in them. Herr Glock deserves full credit for what he did. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 28, 2023, 05:15 AM	#7
simonrichter Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2011 Location: Austria Posts: 758	what I found interesting about his biography is that he wasn't a gunsmith from the start but more of a generalist inventor and manufacturer who came to designing the P80 / G17 relatively late in his career. The only other popular items produced by Glock are far less spectacular, namely a quite simplistic knive, an entrenching tool and plastic clips and buckle for a M56-style pistol belt the still AAF uses. __________________ "Get off of my lawn!" Walt Kowalski . ISSC PAR .223

December 28, 2023, 08:53 AM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Personally, I wouldn't put Glock in the same league as true firearms designers. He's not even remotely in the same league as Browning, Pedersen, Tokarev, Siminov, or Saive. Glock didn't design his pistol. He brought together a group of experts, including firearms design engineers, who all contributed to the gun. Glock's primary contribution was the injection molding process, which his company had been employing for years. Glock is, however, in the same league as Oliver Winchester. Winchester wasn't a gun designer, he was a businessman who knew how to capitalize on the strengths of the products that his company produced. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

December 27, 2023, 08:13 PM	#3
2damnold4this Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2009 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 2,526	RIP to an innovator in the firearms industry.

December 28, 2023, 05:25 PM	#10
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Well, if you are going to be a one trick pony, make it a really good trick. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

December 29, 2023, 12:57 PM	#11
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,318	Herr Glock Somehow I thought Gaston Glock was younger.......the man was 93! By rough estimate, he was working on his poly pistol about the time some folks retire. Was there a poly pistol before the Glock? The Glock 17 set the gold standard for hi-cap 9mm autos even to this day in my estimation. Simple, durable, reliable and accurate (enough). All a handgun should be. Thanks Gaston.

December 29, 2023, 06:51 PM	#14
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Younger people may not remember the huge controversy when Glock was introduced in America. Politicians like Upchuck Schumer raged that it was a plastic gun specifically made for terrorist so it could slip by airline inspection to be used in hijackings. There were news stories claiming even the barrel was made of either plastic or ceramic. The polygonal rifling was supposed to not leave any markings on a fired bullet so the bullet couldn't be traced to a crime gun. All the usual suspects were demanding it be banned in the USA. A few years later virtually every lawman in America was using a Glock.

December 29, 2023, 11:07 PM	#17
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Well, maybe Beretta or CZ will buy them as a subsidiary __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

December 30, 2023, 01:14 PM	#18
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,018	RIP Gaston Glock. Genius inventor like Browning, uhh no, not even close. A brilliant marketer, yes and a man who recognized talent. Genius businessman, again yes. We can only hope to be so fortunate, his wife will be just fine. How old is she? __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

December 30, 2023, 05:37 PM	#20
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,318	controversy I'm old enough to remember the stink about the Glock. More than one person of my acquaintance bought the fuss about undetectable plastic pistols. People that should have known better. The Glock is still maligned by the anti's, now for it's capacity, supposed ghost gun potential and Glock switches. A "32 shot Glock" is apparently a big deal with the gang bangers. I still hear people that should know better complain about "no safety". It took a while for me to warm up to the Glock, I was a blue steel and wood grips guy, and didn't particularly care for the feel of the Glock trigger either. But the reliability and durability of the platform won me over. I know own 4 of the dang things, two for SD, one to compete, one to hunt. Thanks again Gaston.

December 30, 2023, 06:04 PM	#21
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,870	I remember the BS that people used to create controversy. The ones who fell for it were idiots or pushing an anti gun agenda, but I repeat myself, I never warmed up to the design, I have shot some, but the gun doesn't have the features I want, and does things I don't like. I've had a couple fail to function properly a time or two during new gun break in testing, which puts them in exactly the same place as my "blued steel and wood grip" guns. Never worn out any gun (though have worn out parts) so the fabled "reliability and durability" is the same for me as my other pistols. What bothered me more than the design was the company's attitude particularly in the early days when they were focused on dominating the police market. And then, they advertised that they were "perfection". That made sure I was never a big fan. No question about it, their guns do work, nearly always work really well. They just never attracted me enough to become a fan. Herr Glock belongs in the group with Winchester, and the others who ran gun companies with good design and engineering teams which let them design build and market a sucessful product. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 1, 2024, 10:21 AM	#22
NEPrepper member Join Date: October 21, 2023 Posts: 25	RIP to the legend who built the Toyota of handguns