The Firearm Blog

The 9mm compact Glock 19 and .40 S&W compact Glock 23 will both be offered with the Rough Textured Frame (RTF2). This frame does not replace the standard Glock frame, better known as the 3rd Gen Frame, on the G19 and G23, but will be available as an option.

From the press release:

The G19 and G23 are two of the most popular GLOCK models. The G19 9x19 compact is widely used all over the world. In addition, the G23 in .40 caliber is quite popular with both law enforcement and private individuals as a back up or concealed carry firearm. Adding the RTF2 finish to these compact models increases the options for law abiding

individuals and organizations. Along with the new RTF2 finish, each of these GLOCK pistols have the same time tested "Safe Action" system, durable exterior finish, cold hammer forged barrel, durability, reliability, and light weight that GLOCK is famous for.

Glock G22 .40 S&W with RTF2 frame. © Ken Lunde. Used with permission.

The first RTF2 pistol, the G22 RTF2, was unveiled in January after much speculation. This was followed a few months later by the G17 RTF2.

[ Errr ... that was a quick break! ]

Gun Holsters and Gear has info on the Fourth Generation Glock.

We all thought that the RTF2 Glock that come out this year was the 4th gen glock.

UPDATE: Gun Holsters and Gear takes a look at probable features of the next gen glock.

A few years ago, in a classic case of government bureaucracy covering their ass, the Portuguese Police decided that one requirement of their future pistol is that it must have a manual external safety. They, of course, then choose the one gun which is the epitome of manual safety-less pistols, the Glock. Glock shipped them 42,000 Glock 19s with external thumb safeties, similar to the Glock 17 safety I blogged about recently, worth 13 million Euros.

Portuguese Police Glock 19. Photo from Portal das Curiosidades forum.

The police upper management then proceeded to tell the public how wonderful their new pistols were. The cops on the street must have been given a different gun because their pistols were having all sorts of problems. They had magazines randomly falling out of the guns, magazines refusing to drop out when the mag release was pressed, brass being ejected into the shooters face and just plain failing to cycle. The Portuguese IPSC community, where I believe Glocks are popular, were not at all surprised.

FORÇA DE SEGURANÇA translates to Security Force (Police force)

A few weeks ago the Portuguese media discovered that the police have signed a contract with Glock to retrofit all their pistols with normal, safety-less, Glock 19 frames. No doubt at a significant cost to the tax payer.

The government fears that the other pistol manufacturers such as HK, Beretta, Walther and Mannlicher, who were passed over in the search for the new pistol, will sue them for choosing a faulty pistol and for stipulating that a safety was a requirement, only to drop the requirement a few years later.

Many thanks to my anonymous Portuguese source for the links and translations he sent me.

Taking 1911 and Glock rivalry to new heights

This Glock 17 pistol, with thumb safety, was designed by Glock for use by the British Army. It was on display at DSEi '09.

Safety in the on position (the safety is the button above the magazine release)

This is not the first Glock designed with a manual safety. Glock has previously designed a Glock 17 for the Tasmanian Police force that featured a standard 1911-style thumb safety.

This safety works differently. In order to engage the safety, it is pushed through the frame with the thumb, much like the magazine release. Disengaging the safety is done with the trigger finger.

At first I thought what a ridiculous mechanism this was until it was explained to me that the SA-80, the British Army service rifle, has a very similar safety which is manipulated in the same way. Glock designed this safety so that it would be familiar to British troops. Very clever!

The SA-80

One problem I do see is an operator going for the magazine release and accidentally engaging the safety. At best it would make the magazine change take longer, at worst the operator could forget to disengage the safety and pull the trigger at a bad guy only to find nothing happens.

I do not know if the British Army are considering replacing their current service pistols or if Glock is just making sure they have a model ready if they do in the future.

Big thank you to Lusaka for the information and photos.

Caleb spotted a fellow IDPA competitor using .45 GAP cartridges in a revolver! I had never heard of such a thing before.

The .45 GAP (Glock Auto Pistol) was designed to duplicate the .45 ACP ballistics but in a shorter cartridge more suited to high capacity semi automatics. It is the last thing I would have thought of using in a revolver, but the owner of the wheelgun had some good reasons.

.40 S&W (left) and .45 GAP

Business Week has published an article about the intrigue behind one of the most iconic handgun manufacturers of recent history. It is only a matter of time before the story of Glock hits the silver screen.

On the afternoon of a meeting scheduled at Ewert's office near the tony Rue Royale in central Luxembourg, Glock was attacked in an underground garage. The hit man, a former professional wrestler and French Legionnaire named Jacques Pecheur, bashed the businessman on the head with a rubber mallet, a technique apparently aimed at making it look like the victim had fallen down and fatally injured himself. Glock, physically fit from daily swimming—often in the frigid lake abutting his home near Klagenfurt, Austria—fought back. When police arrived, they found Glock bleeding from gashes to his skull. Pecheur, 67, was unconscious.

The assassination attempt on Mr. Glock is well documented, but it remains to be seen how much of the tax evasion, extreme right wing connection and money laundering is fact and what is fiction.

I was interested to learn the estimated profit margin on the manufacture of Glock pistols.

the Glock costs relatively little to make. In a 1994 patent lawsuit in the U.S., Glock estimated its profit margin per pistol at 68%. The guns typically sell for $450 to $600 in U.S. retail gun stores.

The Glock 17 RTF: The Latest in the Glock line.

Glock is like the Apple Computers of the gun world. They have a less is more philosophy towards their product design and yet maintain high profit margins and market share.

The author of the above article actually spent from time behind a Glock pistol, as part of his research, with blogger Massad Ayoob (Hat Tip: SayUncle). I wish more journalists would try that.

Many thanks to Daniel Watters and LeisureGuy for the link.

UPDATE:

Forbes wrote two articles about the Glock saga back in 2003:

• Top Gun
• Follow-Through

Thanks to Daniel Watters for the link.

The ENDO Tactical Stock Adapter Glock Edition (TSA-G) is an adapter that allows any AR-15 / M16 compatible stock to be attached to a Glock pistol.

Glock with Magpul UBR stock, 33 round magazine and sling.

The adapter can be easily attached and removed in about 30 seconds. The benefits of such a system are numerous. Even with the stock attached it is small enough to be carried concealed under a jacket – unlike a rifle or carbine. The stock improves accuracy by steadying the pistol against the shoulder. This also helps soak up recoil allowing faster followup shots.

The downside of such a system, for civilians, is that any pistol it is used with must first be registered as a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) with the BATFE. I am no expert, so don’t quote me, but my understanding is that carrying an SBR concealed, even without the stock, would not be allowed with a CCW permit in many, or all, states.

Another downside is the total cost of the weapon system. If we assume a new Glock 17 costs $500, then add $200 for the ATF stamp, $154.99 for the ENDO stock adapter and $60 for a Magpul MOE Carbine Stock, we get a total cost of 914.99! This is a lot more than a 9mm carbine such as the $400 Kel-Tec SUB-2000.

Cost aside, I really like the system. I don’t think there will be a shortage of enthusiasts who will be willing to pay. I expect ENDO will be marketing this heavily to Law Enforcement Organizations who carry Glock pistols.

The system is compatible with the G17, G22, G24, G31, G34, G35 and G18 (including the L, C and RTF versions).

On a side note, I am surprised by the attachment mechanism. A steel detent pin must be manually pushed through the pistol backstrap. Compared to the system used by the FAB Defense (Israel) stock which clips in, it takes longer to install and is more of a fiddle. I wonder if the clip system is patented.

The FAB Defense stock

The ENDO stock

A big thanks to Kevin for links and information.

The NY Times reports that the Glock Saddam Hussein had with him when he was captured may go on display at the George W. Bush Presidential Center

Before Mr. Bush left the White House in January, he made arrangements for the gun to be shipped to a national archives warehouse just 18 miles north of his new home in Dallas. His foundation said a final decision had not been made on including the gun in the presidential library. But his associates and visitors to the White House said Mr. Bush had told them of his intention to display it there.

I actually had no idea the pistol found on Saddam was a Glock 18C. In my mind I always pictured him clutching an old Makarov. The Glock 18C is a fully automatic machine pistol and is probably the best choice of weapon for someone hiding in a spider hole, although the pistol was ironically unloaded at the time he was captured.

Hat Tip: Conservative Scalawag

SayUncle shares a tip on keeping your Glock running smoothly.

Next month the 9mm Glock 17 will be available with the RTF2 (Rough Textured Frame version #2) frame. The RTF2 frame is often called the “4th Generation” frame.

Glock 17 RTF2

Earlier this year at SHOT Show Glock introduced the RTF2 variant of the Glock 22. From the press release:

The G22 RTF2 has been received with excellent reviews and is one of the top 10 sellers for FY 2010. In addition to the G22 RTF2, GLOCK, Inc. is proud to announce that on May 1, 2009, they will offer the 9×19 G17 RTF2 pistol, as they continue their pursuit to expand their RTF2 series. The G17 RTF2 is the second pistol that GLOCK, Inc. has released with the new rough textured frame and slide serration pattern. The newly designed frame incorporates more than 4,000 raised pyramids on the front, rear and sides of the polymer receiver and has a newly designed crescent shaped serration pattern located at the rear of the slide.

Recently, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was the first local agency in the United States to convert to the G22 RTF2, while at the same time the Louisiana State Police and Louisiana Department of Public Safety purchased 1300 G22 RTF2 and G17 RTF2 pistols, which has made them the first state agency to convert to both RTF2 series of GLOCK pistols.

German firm HERA Arms make a glock carbine kit called the GCC (Glock Carbine Conversion). REMOV told me the kit costs only 250 EUR and are available in various European states without any restrictions. The SD model is a suppressor compatible version of the kit .

Click to expand the photos.

SD model. Photo ⓒ Remigiusz Wilk (REMOV). Used with permission

Standard Model.

Other Glock carbine kits include the CAA Glock Carbine kit and the Stellar Rigs Carbine Kit.

$10,500 will buy this gold inlaid 9mm Glock 19. Engraved by Glock’s (Austria) master engraver. Click to expand photos.

Hat Tip: Say Uncle

According to OnPointSupply Glock’s factory in in Smyrna, GA are unable to keep up with overwhelming demand. The factory is running two 8 hour shifts and producing 4000 pistols a day!

They have started to import Glock 19 pistols from Austria to meet the demand. These pistols can be identified by the Austrian proof mark which is an eagle next to the letters NPv (”Nitro Powder proofed”). Austrian guns are proofed with loads that are 30% more powerful that regular loads.

These photos are from a Glock 19 offered for sale at the GlockTalk forum: