For everyone and about everything. Encyclopedia of weapons The Glock has an extremely complex design and a lot of parts

legendary pistol Glock is of increasing interest in Russia, it is used both for sports (without the ability to take a pistol home from a shooting range) and by special services. Since we are trying to comply with modern trends, we consider it necessary to talk about four very interesting models this gun Glock 17, Glock 19, Glock 26, Glock 34- all these models are structurally very similar, many of their spare parts are interchangeable, and the caliber for all is 9x19 Parabellum.

Studying the awareness of our fellow citizens about this wonderful pistol, we noticed that Glock 17 is often confused with Glock 19, and very few people have heard about models 26 and 34. In this article, we will collect information on Glocks 17, 19, 26, 34 in one place, see how the pistols differ and which one was originally designed for what.

Glock 17 was developed by Glock specifically for the Austrian army, later the pistol was adopted by the armies of several more countries, entered the FBI, the police and was put on sale among citizens of countries where the COP was legalized.

Video diagram of the Glock 17

Generations (generations) of the Glock 17 pistol

Since the pistol was launched into the series in the early 80s, and the requirements for weapons have been constantly increasing since then, the company had to periodically make changes to the design to keep up with the times. In total, there are currently 4 generations of Glock 17, moreover, now in the wide sale of zero Glocks (not secondary) there are pistols of only 3 and 4 generations, that is, Glock 17 Gen3 and Glock 17 Gen4. Let's take a closer look at what's happening with generations.

Glock 17 Gen1

The main consumer of the first generation Glock 17 was the Austrian army. Pistols were produced until 88. Main visual difference Generation 1 can be considered a handle without recesses for fingers and the absence of corrugation on the back and front of the handle.

Glock 17 Gen2

Corrugation appeared on the front and back of the handle, pistols began to actively enter the FBI, the Finnish police and some European armies. Later, subfinger recesses appeared on the handle - this is also the second generation.

Glock 17 Gen3

If the first generation differed slightly from the second, then Gen3 introduced a bar for flashlights or a laser pointer, an additional pin that holds in place a part installed in a frame that interacts with the barrel. In addition, depressions appeared on the top of the handle, which allow you to better hold the gun. Guns Gen 3 can be found both standard and with a notch on the handle type RTF2 (Rough Textured Frame). This notch increases the confidence of holding the pistol with wet hands, but causes discomfort when wearing the pistol while wiping clothes.

Glock 17 Gen4

Visually, Glock Gen 4 differs from Gen 3 primarily in the inscription on the shutter “GEN4”, the RTF surface (large dots, rarely stand) and not RTF2 (small dots, often stand), and interchangeable “backs” of the handle: the back is thin from the factory, for those who are uncomfortable, they take a thicker or very thick back from the kit and put it on themselves. Besides Glock 17 Gen4 has an extended magazine reset button that can be rearranged to the other side (finally by the 4th generation they thought about lefties). After rearranging the store reset button to the right side of the stores from previous generations stop coming up. Instead of one bolt return spring, two springs are put on the rod, which increases the resource of each of the springs and reduces the pistol toss after firing.

The Glock 17 model is, as it were, the base one, many Glocks of various calibers have been developed on this basis, but we will talk about the Glock 19, Glock 26, Glock 34 in 9x19 caliber.

Glock 19

In fact Glock 19 is a more compact version of the Glock 17 pistol, the barrel has been reduced (102 mm instead of 114 mm for 17) and the handle, which is standardly designed for a 15-round magazine (instead of 17 for Glock 17). Otherwise, the pistol is almost completely identical to the Glock 17. It is popular with the police, special services, and citizens. It is a very balanced model in the sense that it is quite convenient to carry it hidden, but it has sufficient accuracy and power: that is, the golden mean between a military pistol and something subcompact.

Glock 26

A sub-compact pistol based on the Model 17, but more stripped down than even the Model 19: the barrel Glock 26 88 mm long, and a 10-round magazine is standardly placed in the handle. It was developed for the civilian market, but is also in some demand among employees. This pistol is so short that a telescoping recoil spring had to be developed. The rest of the design is the same Glock 17.

Glock 34

Version of the Glock 17 with an elongated barrel and a cutout in the front upper part of the bolt. The barrel length is 135 mm, which is 21 mm more than the base model 17, the bolt and return mechanism have been changed accordingly. Otherwise, the pistol is identical to the Glock 17. Pistol Glock 34 was created for sports, but also came in handy in the armies and special forces of Malaysia, the USA and Chile.

In the following materials, we plan to talk about tuning Glock 17, Glock 19, Glock 26, Glock 34:

Fortunately, a huge number of tuning kits are suitable for all these pistols, because they are developed on the same basis.

Mankind has always gravitated towards a compact but powerful version of personal weapons, which, in fact, was the glock 17 pistol, created by the Austrian company of the same name. However, his active participation in Hollywood projects made him legendary, which affected arms sales around the world. Various modifications are still used by the police and intelligence agencies of NATO countries.

Today we will talk about the ancestor of this line, the model under the index 17, which included only 34 parts, so a trained fighter without any effort could disassemble it in less than one minute. The weapon is distinguished by its small size, light weight, as well as practicality, because it has the ability to fire underwater.

The history of the creation and development of the Glock pistol

When did the second World War and Austria became independent state, her newly created army was equipped with pre-war pistols - Walther P38 and Colt M1911A1. The situation was worse for the police: they received a model produced in the 20s - Walther PP. However, Austria did not fight with anyone and maintained a clear neutrality in the Cold War, so they only thought about modernization in 1980, when the state organized a competition to create a new pistol, which would be received by both the police and the military.

The new version of the service weapon had to meet the requirements issued by war ministry countries:

• 9 × 19 mm Parabellum cartridges;
• the minimum number of cartridges in the store is 8 units;
• the pistol must be safe, so even when falling from a height of 2 meters there should not be a spontaneous shot;
• for every thousand shots there should be only 2 misfires;
• interchangeability of parts.

All these requirements Glock met or exceeded the recommended data.

The competition was strong, and few expected that the tiny Austrian company, founded back in 1963 under the name Glock, would win. However, she has been engaged in this project since 1970, which allowed her to present the best version of an automatic pistol. I was also bribed by the fact that the model of this company, with high performance, was 25% cheaper than its competitors. As a result, Glock easily outperformed its competitors, and already in 1983 it was adopted by the Austrian army and police.

However, it is possible that if the pistol had been used only in Austria, it would have remained a locally successful option. However, the fact is that the Glock is almost entirely made of high-strength and heat-resistant plastic, so the screenwriters used it in the movie Die Hard 2. After that, these weapons began to be shown in almost all films, one way or another connected with shootings, which had a very good effect on sales and the overall popularity of the model.

In addition, another jump in popularity was that it began to be used in computer tactical shooters. Until now, it is Glock that remains the symbol of the legendary computer game Counterstrike.

Gun design

Structurally, the Glock had several innovations that eventually made it one of the most popular pistols in the world. First of all, the automation, which was incorporated in the first model, almost never changed, and all the variations are just an increase in the magazine, caliber and barrel length. There is only one exception - the model under the index 18 - it is capable of firing at speeds up to 1100 rounds per minute, so the internal parts of the sample were changed.

In addition, the original design of the automatic safety: it, being combined with the trigger, is removed only when the two components of the structure are pressed simultaneously. The magazine release button is located on the left side of the pistol, just below the trigger guard. Despite the large volume of the magazine (in some modifications, such as glock 20 -13 rounds), the weight is still one of the smallest in the world. The trigger guard was specially increased in order to be able to fire with two hands.

Principle of operation

The whole point of the work of automatic pistol is the recoil of the barrel with a short stroke. The designers decided to use the proven, but somewhat modernized Colt-Browning scheme. The essence of the operation of this system is as follows: a tide with an inclined groove is created under the breech breech, it coincides with the guide ledge of the frame. The Austrian designers made a groove at the required angle, which causes the driving barrel to decrease and it disengages from the shutter-casing. Then it stops, as a result of which the shutter rolls back.

Additions to the pistol

At the moment, there are two main additions to the Glock 17. The first is the sighting device, which is made of high-strength plastic and is installed in special transverse grooves, which we know as the "dovetail". To fire in low light, the designers put a luminous dot on the front sight, and a luminous frame on the rear sight. Starting in 1988, a special guide element was also installed on the glock, on which a tactical flashlight or a laser-type pointer is attached.

In addition, the weapon can be equipped with a silencer. However, only elite units get this modification without applying the luminous frame. There are, of course, custom additions, which are made in an artisanal way, and always belong to the pneumatic variants of weapons. The most popular of these was glock under the index 21.

Technical characteristics of the Glock 17 model

TTX of the first glock serial:

• Type: self-loading;
• Caliber - 9 × 19 mm Parabellum;
• Barrel length - 114 mm;
• Overall length - 186 mm;
• Weight without clip - 0.625 kg;
• Weight with a full magazine - 0.905 kg;
• The standard number of rounds is 17, but can be increased to 33;
• The initial speed of the bullet is 375 meters per second;
• Maximum effective range- 50 meters.

In general, for 1980, in terms of its characteristics, the Glock was one of the best.

Used ammunition

The Glock 17 uses the 9×19 mm Parabellum cartridge, which was developed back in 1902 by the Austrian gunsmith, the legendary Georg Luger, who used the projectile in his pistol of the same name. After the cartridge was adopted by the German Navy in 1904, it still remains relevant. At the moment, it is interesting not only to the NATO bloc, but also to the Russian Federation, whose gunsmiths are modifying Parabellum.

According to its design, the ammunition is a shortened cartridge case from 7.65 × 21 mm Parabellum. So it does not have a bottle-type shape, but a cylinder. The energy of the bullet is enough to inflict serious injury on a person, but not kill him. Therefore, Glock is used by the police and special services, who must stop the criminal and not bring the matter to a lethal outcome. Of course, the cartridge is not enough to break through a bulletproof vest, however, the resulting shock wave may well knock a person down.

Other ammo:

1. Cartridge 10 mm Auto. It was developed specifically for FBI agents, had a caliber of 10.16 mm, was used in modifications under the index 20, 29, 40. It has great lethal power, as a result of which it was necessary to abandon the use of these cartridges when training cadets;
2. Cartridge .40 S&W - quite popular in the USA, created in 1990. Caliber 10.16 mm, in fact, is an analogue of the 10 mm Auto cartridge, with reduced bullet energy;
3. The Glock 21 used the .45 ACP cartridge, developed at the beginning of the 20th century by Browning. In fact, this is a modernization of an even older .45 Colt cartridge. Caliber 11.51 mm;
4. Another cartridge designed by Browning, the .380 ACP 9mm, was used in the Glock 25;
5. In one of the current modifications under the index 31, the .357 SIG cartridge, developed in Switzerland, was used, caliber 9 mm.

Until now, Glock is being upgraded for various ammunition, which confirms its relevance in the world of weapons.

Glock pistol models

The line has now grown to huge size, but we will list only the main models:

1. 17L is the very first modification of the main pistol, the only difference of which is the elongated barrel. Was established in 1988;
2. 18 - a specialized version for firing bursts;
3. 19 is a more compact model. Has a short barrel 102 mm (original version - 114 mm). Until 1990, this modification had a Compact postscript, which was eventually abandoned;
4. 20 - this sample differs in that it was created specifically for the 10 mm Auto cartridge, and also has an enlarged magazine and a built-in compensator;
5. 21 - it is often thought that this is a special Glock model for 45 caliber, however, the .45 ACP cartridge, contrary to its name, has a caliber of 11.51 mm. Clip increased to 15 charges;
6. 22 - a model that was specially created in order to be used by the FBI. This version was created under caliber 40 S&W. Created back in 1990, the model is still relevant, and at the moment there is no news that service weapons will be changed in this US government agency;
7. 34 - one of the best modifications, which has an elongated barrel, has an increased accuracy of fire. In fact, this model was created in Austria specifically in order to be exported. And now the US police are armed with it, in almost all of its structures, as well as in Chile and Malaysia;
8. 39 is the penultimate sample of Glock, which is a shortened and reduced modification of it. In general, now there is a tendency to create from the Glock, which is already a small pistol, some kind of "ladies' weapon" of a completely miniature look.

Almost all options are export goods, which are developed under the order of other states.

If you have any questions, as well as suggestions for improving the quality of the material, feel free to express your opinion, because constructive criticism and good suggestions are very valuable to us!

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Despite the fact that our fellow citizens have a personal handgun for self-defense, you won’t see it for a long time, you need to be able to understand it at least a little. Let theoretically, let it be at the level of “click here, shoot there”, but it is necessary. You never know exactly how life will turn out ... And so we will tell you something interesting about Glock pistols.

Why Glock? Oh, there are as many as 7 reasons for this, or rather, myths that only grow around. So…

1. Glock pistols are the most common handguns in the world.

Partly true. Yes, Glocks are very fond of employees law enforcement. The same Glock 17 and its various variations are in service with the law enforcement forces of Norway, Austria, Canada, Mexico, the USA and a bunch of other NATO countries. Not to mention America, where Glock pistols are generally a ubiquitous phenomenon.

But other brands can boast of the enviable popularity of their pistols. We are talking about weapons companies CZ (Czech Republic), Beretta and Tanfoglio (Italy), Walther and Heckler & Koch (Germany), FN (Belgium) and Colt (America).

In Russia, among the “siloviki”, the APS pistols (Stechkin automatic pistol), PYa (Yarygin pistol) and PM (Makarov pistol) are extremely popular, and the Glock pistol is only gaining momentum.

2. The Glock is missing a fuse

This is perhaps the main feature of the pistol. The Glock has three safety locks (on the trigger, on the drummer and shockproof), and they are all automatic. In order to start shooting, you do not need to intentionally press the button or switch the fuse box, the protection system will work automatically.

And this is also the reason why Glock pistols are categorically not recommended for beginners, so that they don’t shoot something for themselves.

Glock is well suited for people who use weapons for work or for sports, and train daily for several hours. The same law enforcement officers are honing their skills in using the Glock to automatism. And they are very pleased with the absence of the need to make unnecessary movements to remove the gun from the safety.

3. Glock is invisible to metal detectors

Lies, of course, but there is a grain of truth here. The Glock is indeed quite poorly viewed on detectors, since half of the construction is heat-resistant plastic. At least the latest models.

Here are just a recognizable outline of the weapon, which is visible on the detector screen, is still preserved. Plus, it hasn’t worked out yet, so it will “ring” like any other weapon. And the myth that it can still be carried unnoticed appeared after the release of the film "Die Hard 2" and Bruce Willis's phrase about it.

4. Because of the plastic, the Glock pistol weighs too little

Yes, the gun is relatively light, but not too light. Simplifying the design main reason why they started using heat-resistant plastic. He really significantly reduced the weight of the gun, while maintaining the proper level of strength.

Discharged Glock 17 weighs about the same as three full ammunition for it - 51 rounds of 9x19 caliber. These are 649 and 612 grams, respectively. When fully loaded, the pistol weighs 941 grams (pistol with magazine and 18 rounds). Which is comparatively more than that of PM. But given the greater power, it is quite logical.

5. The plastic that Glock pistols are made of is brittle and short-lived.

And this myth is almost the opposite of the previous one. Official name plastic going to the production of "Glocks" - Polymer 2. There is information that this is just an alternative name for another material - DuPont's Glass-Reinforced Zytel® Nylon. Which is used, among other things, for the production of particularly durable sneakers. So far, no one has been able to refute this information.

6. The Glock has an extremely complex design and a lot of parts.

base model Glock 17 consists of only 34 components. For comparison, the same PM of the constituent parts has 32 positions. That is, Glock pistols are very easy to disassemble and maintain.

And given the fact that Western gunsmiths gravitate more towards reliability at the expense of complexity, the Glock was almost a revolutionary concept.

7. Glock is dangerous, it is very easy to get a random shot from it.

Partly true, but remember that "guns don't kill, people do."

Yes, the lack of a mechanical fuse can play a trick on the shooter. Gaston Glock himself, after creating experimental models, preferred to work with a new pistol, using only one hand - the left. That is, recharge, and pick up, and clean. The gunsmith rightly feared that even accidentally pulling the trigger could provoke a shot.

Novice Glock users are also afraid of this, but with practice, the fear goes away pretty quickly.

The Glock 17 pistol was first produced in 1982, starting what would become a revolution in the gun and military industry and forever changing the world of modern combat pistols.

The amount of Glock 17 in the hands of civilians, police departments and army units is staggering and second only to its little brother Glock 19. And for good reason: in the absence of a classic spirit and style, the Glock 17 pistol is a workhorse that will serve you faithfully for a lifetime.

With such a story, I can freely use the term "long-term operation". And I can guarantee that to this day, the first generation samples are used, thirty years old and hundreds of thousands of shots fired.

My third generation pistol has only 7000-8000 shots in five years. And again, there is nothing outstanding in these numbers, but I cannot remember what else I carried with me almost every day for five years and what other of my pistols can boast of such a record.

Comfort and appearance

Manufactured in 2009, this Glock 17 features a Tenifer finish, widely known for its corrosion resistance and surface hardness. Sometime in 2012, Glock switched to using a nitride coating on their guns, which drew criticism from some fans who claimed it wore out faster and was less resistant to corrosion than the Tenifer. But even with the well-proven Tenifer coating, my Glock 17 still has holster scuffs on the slide edges.

I would probably be disappointed if there were no individual marks left on my pistol: this is a tool, not a sample from a display case.

The resin frame, aside from my choice of dot-knurled overlay, is nearly flawless. Although I have always been good with my pistol (I am not a SWAT operator), he has seen different climate, from the dry and dusty plains of Colorado to hot and humid summers in New England. But there are no signs of fading, cracking or deformation on the frame.

The guides and internal parts of the gun are also in perfect condition. You'll have a hard time telling this one from the one that left the assembly line in Smyrna last week.

A cursory examination of the chamber and rifling also reveals nothing out of the ordinary, except that I should be more diligent in cleaning. This barrel will outlive me and will continue to serve.

Functioning

After 7000+ shots, I can honestly say that this Glock 17 never failed.. And we, who carry weapons every day, sometimes take this quality on faith, but we should not. If your trust and hopes are tied to any mechanism, its reliability must be supported by real (and personal) evidence.

Basically, my pistol was on a constant diet of Winchester Ranger 147gr JHP, Federal HST 124gr and 147gr JHP, and Army +P FMJs. This Glock 17 is truly omnivorous when it comes to ammo types and has yet to choke on anything.

Perhaps the most controversial feature of Glock pistols is their trigger. I can guarantee that the trigger of the Glock 17 doesn't even come close to the smooth action of a redesigned trigger. And rightfully so, since the Safe Action System used by Glock negates the need for external fuses.

That being said, I like the Glock trigger; it's crisp and has a distinctly felt reset that allows for quick and accurate bursts of shots. Of course, trigger pull and feel is a matter of personal preference, but for myself I still haven't found a trigger that's as comfortable as the Glock trigger. with a force of 2.49 kg.

The second controversial point in Glock pistols is the angle of the handle. And here I will be softer and agree that the criticism of the handle is quite legitimate. The curvature (and angle) of the handle is quite steep. Many owners, when shooting Glock pistols for the first time, hit a little higher, slightly lifting the muzzle when aiming. Having to lower the muzzle of the gun down makes me tense my wrist and makes the stance stiffer and more stable.

Being completely open, I decided to switch to professional grips from Business End Customs, which will allow me to more comfortably position my giant palms around the handle. But I wouldn't have to do that if I bought a fourth generation Glock 17 with interchangeable rear grips.

The longer length, added weight of a larger pistol, and 9x19 caliber make the Glock 17 a reasonably stable pistol, with very little muzzle flip even when firing in rapid bursts. It's not unusual for me to score three accurate hits with three well-aimed shots while drawing a pistol from its holster in less than two seconds. I am not an athlete, but this is a decent indicator for a similar series when firing full power cartridges.

Wearing a Glock 17

I don't think the Glock engineers were thinking about concealed carry when they created the G17. It was designed for open wear and official use, mainly due to the length of the bolt and handle. Although with the right holster and body type, the Glock 17 is very comfortable for concealed carry.

And if you're a bit petite, the equally popular Glock 19 is a better fit, as it's 2.5 centimeters shorter in both dimensions. My pistol is even bigger due to the built-in flashlight, the Surefire x300, which, in my opinion, is a must-have on any combat pistol.

The entire life of my Glock 17 has been spent in a Raven Concealment Phantom holster, with the exception of rare trips in the open hip Safariland. There are hundreds of holster options on the market now, but Raven is still at the top of the list and is a great fit for the Glock 17. Someday I will talk about Raven products, because they are really high-quality things.

Aside from the large size of the pistol, the Glock 17 is an excellent choice to carry as a self-defense weapon. With a standard capacity of 17 plus one in the chamber, I rarely feel the need to carry a spare magazine with me.

And in my case, the Taran Tactical Innovations (TTI) magazine heel adds two or three more rounds. This is great ammo for a concealed carry pistol. And another advantage of TTI heels is their smooth aluminum surface, which will not cling to a shirt or jacket.

conclusions

I strongly believe that there is no perfect pistol for self-defense. Each shooter will have their own priorities, and everyone will have to compromise based on their life situations. For me, the Glock 17 is probably the all-time favorite. This opinion is based on the feeling of confidence when you pick up a Glock 17 or just know that it is strapped to your hip.

In any case, this is a classic pistol with a good reputation and every weapon fan should have one in their arsenal, no matter if it will be used every day.

Take care of yourself!

Characteristics:

Price: $539+

Caliber: 9×19

Length: 20.3 cm

Height: 13.7 cm

Width: 2.99 cm

Weight (unloaded): 710 grams

Weight (charged): 910 grams

Magazine capacity: 17 rounds

Descent force: 2.49 kg

Modifications/Accessories:

Sights: Trijicon Night

Handle pads: Business End Customs

Shop heels: Taran Tactical Innovations

Glock 17 is the original creation of the company small arms Glock, released for the new needs of the Austrian army in 1979. The main goal was to replace obsolete samples with fundamentally new sample.

As a result, the Glock 17 turned out to be a very high-quality and comfortable-to-use development, thereby earning the recognition of the Austrian army and many policemen in the world. Also thanks to their technical specifications the pistol gained great popularity among the civilian population as an excellent means of self-defense.

History of creation

Glock GmbH was founded in 1963 by an engineer named Gaston Glock. Based in Austria, the company manufactured steel and plastic parts. In the 70s, Glock began to produce knives, training grenades and other products for the Austrian military.

Thanks to his connections, which Glock maintained and constantly strengthened with the military, led him to new opportunities. In 1980 he received official offer Austrian military, which proposed to develop new pistol.

The army wanted to replace their old World War II models (Walter P38).

The Austrian Ministry of Defense has formulated a list of a number of criteria for a new generation pistol:

1. The design had to be as simple as possible.
2. The pistol was to use NATO-standard 9×19mm parabellum rounds.
3. Magazines should not need any means of loading.
4. Stores were required to have a minimum of eight rounds.
5. The gun should be comfortable for shooting with the left and right hand.
6. The gun must be absolutely safe from accidental shot due to impact from a fall from a height of 2 m onto a steel plate.
7. Disassembly of major parts for maintenance and reassembly must be possible without the use of any tools.
8. Maintenance and cleaning of the gun was carried out without the use of tools.
9. The design of the pistol must not exceed 58 individual parts (P38 equivalent).
10. Gauges, gauges, and precision test devices should not be necessary for long-term gun maintenance.
11. The manufacturer had to provide the Ministry of Defense full set engineering drawings. They had to be provided with all the necessary explanations for the manufacture of a pistol.
12. All components are fully interchangeable between pistols.
13. During the first 10,000 shots, no more than 20 delays were allowed, even the most minor ones, which could be eliminated without the use of any tools.
14. After firing 15,000 rounds of standard ammunition, the pistol had to be inspected for wear. The gun would then be used to run an overpressure test rig generating 5,000 bar (500 MPa, 73,000 psi). Normal operating pressure for 9mm NATO is rated at 2520 bar (252 MPa, 36,500 psi). Under this test, critical components must continue to function properly and meet specifications or the gun will be rejected.

Gaston Glock had no experience in designing firearms, but nevertheless accepted the order and set about creating a new pistol for the Austrian military. Glock put together a team to pinpoint the traits and qualities that make up the perfect pistol.

A few months later, Glock developed a prototype. The company introduced the semi-automatic model no. 17 for approval and review by the various committees of the ministry.

The model was so named because it was Glock's 17th patent.

The tests carried out by competing firms were rigorous and very demanding.

In the end, the Austrian Ministry of Defense decided to choose the Glock variant, and the Model 17 became the pistol for the Austrian military. Thus, Mr. Glock and his team became the winners in the competition to create a new pistol, ahead of many Austrian and international companies.

Video - history of creation

Since 1982, the Austrian military and police began to use this en masse. firearms, and in just a few years the brand has spread all over the world. So, soon after the appearance of the Glock, the Norwegian and Swedish armed forces wanted to adopt it. To date, the army and police in more than 30 states are armed with this pistol.

Generations of Glock

The Glock 17 has gone through various modifications over the years. Glock users simply gave the nickname "generations". Since then, the company itself has adopted the term of generations and also released its latest Glock 17 as "Gen 4" meaning "Generation 4".

Temporary list:

• 1982 - Glock releases the Glock No. 17. A distinctive feature was the evenly distributed roughness on the handle. This is a model known as Gen 1. About 500 thousand samples were produced.
• 1988 - Gen 2. One major change is that the recoil spring is now one instead of two as on the Gen 1. The grip is also different, as Glock added knurling that forms vertical and horizontal lines, which greatly improved grip pistol in hand. In the second generation, the pistol was adopted by the FBI, as well as the armies of the Scandinavian countries.
• 1996 - Gen 3. In addition to the corrugations, the pistol received the ability to mount tactical flashlights and laser designators. For better grip in the hand, the company made a notch in the upper part of the handle for thumb.
• 2010 - Gen 4 is released. This generation has changed the most in relation to the previous pistols in this line. In the corrugated handle, the distance between the points has increased, now there are 25 of them per square centimeter. Such a corrugation is called RTF2. The magazine latch button is made larger and more convenient. Same for Glock 17 fourth generation began to install two springs of different diameters (on one guide rod with a separator between them), instead of one return. Thus, the company has achieved a reduction in the effect of pistol recoil when firing and an increase in the survivability of each individual spring.

Specifications

Design features

Most parts of the Glock are made of high-strength nylon-based polymer. The rest of the pistol is made of steel. The polymer (called polymer-2) in the weapon is an invention of Gaston Glock himself. The substance was unconventional when it was first introduced.

Over time, it became clear that Glock knew what he was doing when the company released this revolutionary new pistol. Polymer-2 is a substance that is primarily stable. It is more elastic than most of the various steel alloys. This substance can withstand very high temperatures, shocks and various liquids.

The pistol is treated with Tenifer, a substance that is also extremely resistant and is the standard in the gun industry.

Once finished, the gun has a matte gray appearance to its surface, and that is when the final finish is applied to the gun to give it its final look.

Tenifer treatment of the pistol helps to protect the steel parts that are inside. This means that you can even technically fire these weapons underwater. Glock steel parts using the Tenifer treatment are more resistant to corrosion than similar parts of the gun with other finishes or treatments, including Teflon, blue, hard chrome or phosphate.

During 2010, Glock switched from the Tenifer nitriding process to a salt bath. After completion of the nitriding process, a black decorative surface is applied. The nitriding treatment will remain, protecting the parts of the gun, even if the decorative surface wears off. Due to the simplicity and reliability of the design, the gun can be completely disassembled and assembled and carried out a technical inspection without improvised means.

The disassembled pistol has 33 parts, along with a magazine.

The pistol is equipped with a standard magazine for 17 rounds, but if necessary, it is possible to use enlarged magazines for 19 and 33 rounds.

Thanks to the innovative solutions of Glock in the field of polymers, it was possible to significantly reduce the weight of the pistol. For comparison, at 15 rounds it weighs 950 g unloaded, while the Glock 17 has a clean entire pistol at 650 g, and with a full magazine 900 g. The pistol is so light that 25% of it full weight constitutes ammunition.

The Glock 17 pistol has earned worldwide fame and respect due to its high reliability of all components and mechanisms. At the end of the 20th century, it was believed that if a pistol could fire up to 40,000 shots without any problems, then it could be considered durable and reliable, but the Glock pistol exceeded all expectations, firing up to 350,000 shots, which is many times higher than the standard indicators. This advantage is due to the widespread use of polymer components and the unique barrel manufacturing technology patented by Glock.

In parts that are subjected to the greatest load, plastic is reinforced with special metal plates.

Steel inserts are inserted in the guide frame along which the shutter casing moves. For implementation incomplete disassembly pistol (disconnecting the bolt barrel along with the return spring from the frame) there are special latches that are located on the pistol frame, near the trigger guard.

Possible additional gadgets and tuning

The Glock 17 pistol has a wide range of magazines that have increased ammo capacity and weight for quicker removal of the magazine from the shaft of the handle, which can save important fractions of a second at critical moments.

One of the most common pistol upgrades is the installation of flashlights or laser designators on it by attaching them to a bar under the barrel. Such devices began to appear in the 3rd generation of Glock pistols. It has become a modern fashion to install a knife rail bar.

There are several complex tuning models for the Glock pistol line.

Viridian C5L - a device that includes a flashlight with a power of 110 lumens and laser pointer green color, its brightness and clarity is determined by 5 mW. Thanks to this device, you can point the target at a distance of up to 100 meters during the day and at night up to 1500 meters.

Tactical buttstock GRL-400, thanks to the buttstock, the pistol will become more comfortable to wear and stable during assault operations. The clear advantages of this device are as follows:

• improve accuracy over long distances
• perfect for concealed carry
• folds easily and quickly
• polymer construction provides the necessary strength.

Stock compatibility is possible with all generations of Glock pistols, except for the fourth and other subcompact models.

Tactical kit Kpos G2. Such a device, weighing almost 1 kg., Will make the gun an excellent weapon for special operations, turning it into a real carbine. This layout is used by elite special forces to maximize the intensity and accuracy of shooting at medium and short distances, without significantly increasing the length of the weapon. The advantages of this design:

• durable aluminum frame made from a single sheet;
• fire transfer handle;
• removable flame arrester;
• ease of removal and installation, no additional tools or modifications to the gun are required;
• all parts are on the same frame.

Various modifications

Glock 17 laid the foundation for the development of the entire line of Glock pistols. All models, on the designation of which there is a symbol "C", were produced with a recoil compensator.

Thanks to this, it was possible to improve the accuracy of fire and, of course, reduce recoil.

1. Glock 17L - A model that appeared in 1988 with an extended barrel. Used in sports competitions
2. Glock 17C - Model equipped with built-in compensator
3. Glock 17R - Model designed for shooting practice without cartridges
4. Glock 17T - Model with case of blue color, was also intended for training purposes. When shooting, uses blue balls
5. Glock 17A - Model designed for the Australian market to meet local barrel length requirements. The only differences between the Glock 17 and the Glock 17A are that the 17A has a 120mm barrel that protrudes noticeably from the frame and the magazine capacity is 10 rounds.
6. Glock 17Pro is a special edition released only for the Finnish market
7. Glock 17P80 - used by the Norwegian Armed Forces

A distinctive feature of Glock pistols was the ability to shoot under water. Fire can be fired without fear for the barrel itself, it does not inflate and, moreover, does not break. But for practical effectiveness, a striker with transverse grooves is required in order for the primer to fire constantly. This problem can also be solved by installing the amphibious Spring cups kit.

The peculiarity lies in the fact that shooting can be carried out exclusively with a 9 mm Parabellum cartridge. Bullet energy efficiency is highest when fired to a depth of one and a half meters, but the practical threshold is 3 meters. If you shoot at close range from under the water, then you will not hear the sounds of shots.

There is an erroneous stereotype that, allegedly due to the widespread use of plastic components in the Glock 17 pistol, it poses a threat to society, since metal detectors do not fix it. In fact, everything is completely different, because the gun used a lot of metal parts, with a total weight of 400 grams. Gaston Glock himself dispelled this myth, passing through a metal detector with a pistol, and he was detected in a timely manner.

The second common myth is that supposedly Glock pistols have increased fragility due to the predominance of plastic parts. However, people who claim this are simply ignoring the fact that during state tests, the pistol withstood a two-meter drop onto a metal surface.

If the gun broke, then it would not have been adopted by the Austrian army.

The Glock 17 pistol was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as a pistol that passed extremely tough tests while maintaining full combat capability.

Glock 17 has unique opportunity shooting under water, with heavy dust, with high humidity, and even after total immersion in liquid mud or sand. According to these criteria, it can be compared with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. We can say that the Glock 17 is a Kalashnikov in the pistol world.

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