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GLOCK Arms Company Fact Sheet

Glock Pistols

SMYRNA, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- COMPANY DESCRIPTION: GLOCK revolutionized the firearms industry by redefining the modern pistol.

Today, GLOCK is a leading global manufacturer of firearms, precisely engineered to meet the needs of Military and Law Enforcement agencies worldwide.

GLOCK recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary in the United States. Over the past quarter century, GLOCK has become the preferred pistol for both Law Enforcement and consumers who choose GLOCK SAFE ACTION pistols because of their durability and reliability. GLOCK is the ultimate defensive armament for individuals at all skill sets because it is simple to operate and maintain, which delivers confidence.

The first GLOCK handgun model introduced in the United States was the GLOCK 17, a 9X19 Parabellum semi-automatic pistol with a magazine capacity of 17 rounds. The GLOCK pistol has since become the standard by which most modern handguns are compared.

GLOCK’s SAFE ACTION® gives users the confidence to know that when they draw their firearm it is ready to be fired. The SAFE ACTION® features three automatic safeties; the trigger, firing pin and drop safety mechanisms – making the pistol safe if dropped or impacted.

Austrian-engineered, the company has manufacturing facilities in Austria and the United States.

INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS:

• Polymer: GLOCK’s frame, magazine body and other components are made from a high-strength nylon-based polymer innovated by Gaston Glock to create the GLOCK pistol. The material is resistant to shock, caustic liquids and extreme environmental conditions where traditional steel/alloy frames would warp and become brittle. This polymer provides increased durability, while being more lightweight and resilient than carbon steel and most steel alloys.
• 34 parts: While other manufacturers’ pistols have more than 65 parts, the GLOCK pistol has only 34 parts. This simplifies spare parts logistics, reduces error susceptibility and maintenance costs, and creates a modular system of interchangeable parts, which results in unsurpassed parts compatibility among various GLOCK pistol models.

PRODUCTS:
Pistols: GLOCK’s superior engineering has designed firearms with only 34 parts and a rugged polymer frame, providing industry-leading reliability shot after shot. GLOCK is renowned for pistols which are safe, featuring three safeties; simple, offering a low number of components to provide ease of use; and fast, for superior reliability. GLOCK is the longest-performing polymer pistol in the United States with a more than 25-year track record of unparalleled reliability and durability.

GLOCK produces a variety of handguns renowned for their dependability, being able to function under extreme conditions and to fire a wide range of ammunition types due to their rugged construction. The pistols are designed to meet the defensive needs of law enforcement and consumers. The manufacturing of most metal components and the majority of frames are completed at the Austrian headquarters.

Tools and Accessories: GLOCK sells other products and accessories that include:

• Holsters Duty and Sport/Combat Holsters
• Field Knives Made of special hardened steel with polymer handles and black anti-corrosive coated blades for maximum durability and ruggedness. The knives come with or without a sawtooth spine.
• Entrenching Tools This versatile tool comes with a surface-treated blade that can be locked in three positions for multiple uses, an extendable handle for more leverage and a saw that can be detached and stored in the handle when not in use.
• Magazine Pouches and Loaders The pouch has an integral detent that provides retention without the need for straps or flaps. The magazine loader is essential for easy loading and is made of a durable, lightweight polymer.
• Tactical Lights and Laser Sights GLOCK has different levels of tactical lights; including light, light/ visible red laser and infrared illuminator that may include a laser. By adding an infrared
• Illuminator with the GLOCK Tactical Light/visible red laser module. The GLOCK Tactical Light provides operators a full range of options, from stealth illumination to Xenon white light identification.

LAW ENFORCEMENT:
The semi-automatic GLOCK 17 pistol revolutionized the Law Enforcement industry. For the first time, an officer’s firearm could hold a high-capacity magazine of ammunition. This helped to catapult GLOCK pistols to become the first choice among U.S. Law Enforcement – in 2011, approximately 65% of all Law Enforcement agencies in the United States carry GLOCK.

Dozens of Federal and State agencies have selected GLOCK pistol as their firearm of choice, including the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York State Police Department and Louisiana State Police Department.

SPONSORSHIPS:
Team GLOCK Shooting Squad: The Company’s shooting squad features World Champion Randi Rogers, and Junior Shooter Tori Nonaka. Team members participate in national and world competitions each year, as well as travel to the GSSF-sanctioned matches to provide shooting tips for GSSF members.

GSSF: The GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) is an organization of GLOCK that stages indoor and outdoor competitions for GLOCK owners. At these events, competitors have an opportunity to win GLOCK pistols, cash prizes and merchandise.

PHILANTHROPY:
GLOCK, Inc. donated $2.5 Million in 2011 to a variety of non-profit organizations. GLOCK’s charitable-giving focus is to assist those who go in harm’s way to defend the freedoms that all Americans currently enjoy. Among the organizations GLOCK supports include: Special Operation Warrior Fund (SOWF), Young Marines and Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), as well as several organizations associated with the National Rifle Association (NRA).

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GLOCK, Inc. About Us

Gaston Glock circa 1988 demonstrating the operation of a Model 17 to Pete Dickey of American Rifleman Magazine. From Peter Alan Kasler's GLOCK: The New Wave in Combat Handguns.

Glock Pistols

SMYRNA, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Gaston Glock, an Austrian engineer, successful businessman and manufacturer of injection molding parts and components, founded GLOCK Ges.m.b.H in 1963.

Based in Deutsch-Wagram, GLOCK manufactured metal and injection-molding commercial products for the Austrian consumer market.

In 1970, the company took its first foray into the weapons and firearms market with the development of a line of knives and grenade casings for Military and Law Enforcement professionals in Austria.

The company’s fortunes changed in 1980, when during a conversation with two Austrian colonels, Mr. Glock engaged them regarding the Army’s requirements for the development of a new pistol. The officers were criticizing the current gun manufacturers for being unsuccessful in designing an updated pistol that complied with the Army’s strict demands. At the time, Mr. Glock supplied the army with combined trench tools, non-moldering machine gun belts and casings for hand grenades.

Mr. Glock Begins Designing the “Perfect” Firearm
With no experience in firearms design and manufacturing, Mr. Glock went to work to create the “perfect” firearm. To Mr. Glock, “perfection” is the endless pursuit of design, engineering and manufacturing excellence to meet the demanding specifications of today’s Military, Law Enforcement and law-abiding consumers worldwide. This standard has resulted in GLOCK’s undisputed reputation as a high quality and reliable firearm known for its durability and performance, allowing Law Enforcement, Military and consumers to live their lives and perform their duty with confidence.

Mr. Glock began by investigating the construction and function of the leading pistols of the era, stripping them down and re-assembling them over and over. Using modern manufacturing methods and non-traditional materials such as polymer, which he had perfected in his consumer-market business, Mr. Glock developed a cost-effective 9×19 semi-automatic pistol.

Safe. Simple. Fast.
Since Mr. Glock was building the pistol for the Austrian Military and Law Enforcement, he knew the gun had to be ready to fire at a moment’s notice in life-threatening situations. To address this critical need, Mr. Glock designed his pistol with three internal safeties – trigger, firing pin and drop safeties – to provide assurance that the pistol would consistently perform when called upon, while providing best-in-class protection against accidental discharge of the handgun.

During the initial development, Mr. Glock tested all the guns by himself in his cellar; holding the pistol in his left hand, he wanted to shield his right hand in case of any potential accidents.

Additional requirements that Mr. Glock met to satisfy the demands of the Austrian Government included creating a firearm with a high-capacity magazine, utilizing lightweight materials, a trigger pull that is consistent from the first shot through the last and constructed with a hammer-forged barrel.

Mr. Glock understood reliability resided in simplicity, and therefore, he designed his pistol with as few parts as possible, minimizing its complexity. Today, the GLOCK pistol is made from only 34 parts, which is significantly fewer than any other pistol made. With fewer parts, GLOCK SAFE ACTION Pistols are more durable, reliable and easier to maintain.

GLOCK Named Service Pistol for Austrian Army
Mr. Glock’s innovative design successfully passed a series of stringent testing procedures against domestic and international competitors. In 1983, the GLOCK pistol was accepted by the Austrian Army as their new service pistol and was on its way to becoming an icon in the industry.

Shortly thereafter in 1984, the GLOCK 17 soundly passed the NATO durability test. As a result, the pistol was selected by the Norwegian Army as their standard sidearm, putting GLOCK on the road to becoming the preferred international sidearm.

GLOCK, Inc. Opens in U.S.
In November 1986, the company opened its U.S. headquarters, GLOCK, Inc., in Smyrna, Ga. Shortly thereafter, the semi-automatic GLOCK 17 pistol revolutionized the law enforcement industry with the redefining of the modern pistol.

The GLOCK pistol would become available in multiple model sizes and accept different caliber ammunition, offering a versatility to fit every situation. This combination continues to make GLOCK pistols the first choice among Law Enforcement, with approximately 65% of Federal, state and local agencies in the United States choosing GLOCK pistols.

Training and Accessories Part of Rich Tradition
The company also provides training, sales, support and service to their loyal customers. GLOCK’s training courses have received the highest recognition by Law Enforcement agencies both internationally and domestically on federal, state and local levels. The company strives to set the industry standard by highlighting firearm safety rules to all its customers.

Today, GLOCK, Inc. offers several models of pistols; however, the company has not forgotten its roots. GLOCK continues to manufacture other products that include pistol parts and accessories, magazines, holsters, field knives, entrenching tools, magazine pouches, magazine loaders, night sights, tactical lights and laser sights.

Sport Shooting
Team GLOCK Shooting Squad, the company-sponsored competitive shooting team, travels and competes in world-class competitions across the country and has won numerous championships at all levels of competition. Current team members include Randi Rogers and Tori Nonaka.

The company started the GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF), an organization that stages shooting competitions for GLOCK owners. GSSF hosts major indoor and outdoor matches each year, where competitors have an opportunity to win GLOCK pistols, cash prizes and merchandise.

GLOCK Today
In 2011, GLOCK, Inc. celebrated its 25th Anniversary in the United States by opening a new 25,000 sq. ft. facility and two new state-of-the-art shooting ranges at its North American headquarters in Smyrna, Ga. Also in 2011, GLOCK broke ground on a 75,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility on its Smyrna campus.

Other GLOCK subsidiaries include GLOCK Asia Pacific Ltd. (Hong Kong), GLOCK America S.A. (Montevideo, Uruguay) and GLOCK, Dubai. Visit: www.us.glock.com

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