Important Guns in History #10

Glock 17, 1982

Austrian Gaston Glock came from the world of polymer engineering rather than that of gunsmithing, and his revolutionary 9-mm Glock 17 is a simplified handgun made mainly from plastic, except for the barrel. The frame is lighter and more durable than steel and absorbs some of the recoil on firing. The 17, which takes its name from its 17-round magazine being Glock's 17th patent, was designed with improved ergonomics and three independent safety mechanisms; it will not fire unless the trigger is pulled and all safeties are off. The Glock rapidly won a two-thirds share of the U.S. police market.