Glock Pistols

Conceived in 1982 by Gaston Glock, an Austrian steel and plastic product manufacturer, the Glock arrived in the United States during the '80s violent crime epidemic. In "Glock: The Rise of America's Gun," Paul M. Barrett wrote that the brand "inherited all aspects of the American firearm heritage: It was seen as an instrument of law and security, but also menace, danger and fear."

The lightweight polymer guns were initially mocked by U.S. manufacturers, who were troubled by its polymer construction and innovative safety mechanism. The Glock's safety is released by simply pulling the trigger, a rare feature in semiautomatics that has caused many self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Detractors said that no American police officer would buy a plastic gun, especially not a foreign one. They were wrong.

The popularity of Glock handguns grew so that they were everywhere from innumerable television shows and big-screen movies to the hips of law enforcement personnel throughout the U.S. Today, Glock pistols, sidearms that were once the subject of U.S. congressional hearings and banned in several American cities, are still favored by many police departments for official use and civilians for self-defense. Glock pistols have gained extraordinary market success and an unmatched cachet in the world of firearms.

Quick Facts

• Before producing their first firearm, Glock specialized in manufacturing plastic curtain rod rings, cabinet hinges, and door knobs
• In 2012, a Glock 22 hand-engraved Statue of Liberty pistol sold at a SHOT Show charity auction benefiting American hunting and shooting sports for $15,025
• In a December 2010 Profiles in History auction, the blank-firing Glock 19 pistol used by Angelina Jolie in the film "Salt" sold for $3,250