How much does a glock 17 weigh. Encyclopedia of weapons. Possible additional gadgets and tuning

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 World War II ended and Austria became an independent state, its 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 that would be received by both the police and the military.

The new version of the service weapon had to meet the requirements issued by the country's military ministry:

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 Counter-Strike.

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 gun

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 receive this modification without applying the glowing 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;
The maximum sighting range is 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:

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;
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;
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;
Another cartridge designed by Browning, the .380 ACP 9mm, was used in the Glock 25;
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

At the moment, the line has grown to a huge size, but we will list only the main models:

17L is the very first modification of the main pistol, the only difference of which is the elongated barrel. Was established in 1988;
18 - a specialized version for firing bursts;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.

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In the 80s of the 20th century, the Austrian military department announced a competition for the creation of a new pistol model. The new weapon was supposed to be more practical and better in all respects than the old weapons. Important criteria were reliability and ease of use.

appearance of the Glock-17 pistol

Several large arms companies took up the right to fulfill the departmental order. When demonstrating various models of small arms, the Glock GmbH company provided a model of its Glock-17 pistol for public viewing and, by the 82nd year, it was recognized as the best of the best, and subsequently adopted by law enforcement agencies.

Firearm Features

Small arms were so well thought out that they contained all the qualities necessary for the defense department. The main distinguishing feature is the materials used. The frame of the pistol with a handle was made of a polymer material that could withstand temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius, and was also not afraid of physical impact. All this gave the firearms the necessary margin of safety, despite its low weight.

A design feature of the Glock-17 is the presence of a special valve in the chamber from below. Thanks to him, in the event of excessive pressure, due to the influence of powder gases, they are removed through the pistol grip. The design feature of the casing is a U-shaped design.

On the surface of the gun there are the following factory markings:

on the casing - shutter and frame on the right on the casing - shutter on the left

A standard firearm magazine holds 17 rounds of . They are arranged in two rows in a checkerboard pattern. There are modifications of magazines for 33 or 10 ammunition. The latch that holds the magazine at the base of the handle is located at the point where the trigger guard and the handle of the weapon join.

Glock-17 firearms do not have a standard system fuse. Safety when using a pistol is ensured by a special system that has three independent automatic type fuses. The entire system is turned off during the application of force on the trigger. There are several types of fuses in the security system:

trigger;
combat;
shockproof.

As an aiming system in small arms, an open type of sight is used, the main elements of which are fixed on the flat surface of the bolt. The sighting system consists of a front sight and an interchangeable sight. The front sight has a special luminous marker, the slot in the sight also has a pleasant illumination.

The main performance characteristics of the Glock-17 pistol are presented in the table

As mentioned earlier, the frame of the firearm and the outer part of the body is made of a special polymer material - plastic, which can have different color shades. As a rule, the main color is black. However, it can be replaced with other colors. In places of heavy load, special iron inserts are mounted in the body of the pistol, which increases the strength of small arms.

The work of parts and mechanisms of weapons inevitably leads to the formation of unique traces of a shot on the ammunition. Traces characteristic of the Glock-17 pistol are presented below:

trace: 1 - reflector, 2 - the edges of the window in the shutter under the striker, 3 - ejector hook,
4 - striker (shape - rounded rectangle)

On the one hand, an additional dynamic trace from the tip of the striker adjoins the striker trace, which is displayed in the form of traces, the specified trace is formed when the barrel swings in a vertical plane.

Advantages and disadvantages of firearms

The assembly of the Glock-17 uses a large number of polymer parts, which avoids the adverse effects of corrosion. Also, the barrel undergoes a special processing technology. Polymer parts make it possible to achieve smoothness during firing, which, of course, increases accuracy.

The characteristics of the material make it possible to use small arms without much difficulty in any climatic conditions, with the exception of the far north and areas with sharp temperature fluctuations.

The weight of the Glock-17 is slightly less than that of short-barreled weapons of a similar class. This makes the new weapon a bargain, practical and easy to handle. The process of disassembling the gun does not require special tools.

The disadvantages include the fact that the ingress of various debris between parts of the mechanisms can lead to jamming of the gun during firing. Some experts do not consider the probability of jamming due to small debris to be too great. In order to avoid this, it is enough to periodically clean small arms.

The characteristics stated high rates of temperature effects on the Glock-17 pistol. However, at -40 degrees, small arms become brittle. And at a temperature of more than 200 degrees - parts and mechanisms can be deformed.

Pistol Glock 17 third generation

Pistol Glock 17 Gen 4 fourth generation

The Austrian Glock 17 is currently one of the most popular and recognizable self-loading pistols, in constant high demand from both police and military forces around the world, and ordinary citizens who buy their own weapons for sports shooting and self-defense. Many experts in the field of personal weapons and its combat use consider Glock pistols to be the best in the world due to the excellent combination of such qualities as reliability in the harshest operating conditions, accuracy more than sufficient for combat shooting and self-defense, both aiming and speed "instinctive" offhand shooting, high safety, convenience, comfort with constant concealed or open wear, maximum ease of use, ease of maintenance, huge service life, interchangeability of parts, very high strength and resistance of the coating of steel parts to corrosion and wear, and finally, relatively low cost.

Update: in 2017-2018, the manufacturer released the fifth generation of pistols. More about Glock 17 Gen5

This weapon is preferred by professionals participating in military operations and special operations, fighters of the best special forces in the world. People living in countries where personal short-barreled weapons are allowed to be sold to civilians, choosing a Glock for shooting or for wearing for self-defense, are guided by the same principles as the military and police. It's always better to own a gun that won't let you down on the range or on the street. It is better to have a weapon that is convenient and easy to use than one that is difficult to handle, which is especially true for those who do not have the opportunity to regularly train with their pistol in the use of weapons in extreme situations. It's no secret that owners in conditions where there is simply no time to think, and all actions are performed automatically, sometimes they simply forget whether the fuse on their pistol is on or not, and often about its location. Of course, this is not a problem for a trained professional, but for an ordinary person who is not used to often face extreme situations, ease of handling his pistol is vital.

Today, there are many easy-to-handle models of large and well-known manufacturers that have earned a good reputation on the arms market around the world. Compliance with this requirement is achieved primarily by the presence of only a self-cocking trigger mechanism and the absence of a manually controlled safety lever, or the pistol is equipped with a double-action trigger with a safe trigger release lever from the cocking and, again, without a safety lever. There are, of course, a lot of options. But the choice of police, military and civilians is dictated not only by ease of use, but also by the presence of other advantages of Glock pistols, which make these weapons practical and suitable for any task.

Shooters competing in the IPSC field shooting competition, in the mass-produced firearm class, also often prefer the simple, accurate, reliable, and user-friendly Glock 17 over more expensive handguns. Of course, the design features of its trigger and the need to ensure safe handling imply a rather large force and length of the trigger, which are generally quite acceptable, but nevertheless negatively affect the accuracy of aimed shooting, say at a distance of 14 meters, in comparison with pistols equipped with a double or single action trigger. However, not to mention the advantages in combat over such classic designs, it should be noted that Glock pistols consistently demonstrate quite good accuracy for a combat pistol with a variety of shooter stances and weapon holding methods. In addition, its accuracy is quite enough even for fans of precisely aimed shooting from serial pistols and achieving maximum results. With a new, just bought Glock pistol, you can immediately go to the shooting range and it will shoot accurately.

However, controversy continues over the design of these popular Austrian pistols. Let's just say that most of the self-loading pistols on the market today are more visually pleasing than the monotonous Glocks with a strictly functional and, so to speak, ascetic design. Although many people like strict forms more than elegant models. But this is a matter of taste. This controversy does not subside in the gun press, shooting clubs and forums on the Internet. Moreover, shooters and gun lovers are mostly divided into those for whom Glock is the best pistol in the world, and those who hold the opposite opinion, or argue in favor of other manufacturers and their models that are superior to Glock in one way or another.

Sometimes those who prefer the Glock 17 choose another weapon as their main pistol, and opponents of these Austrian pistols become their ardent supporters. There were many legends about the pistols of this company at the very beginning of their entry into the market that detectors at airports could not recognize these weapons. Of course, this was pure fiction, blown up by incompetent journalists. There are more than enough metal parts in the gun to detect it. However, Gaston Glock had to personally demonstrate in public the "visibility" of his company's pistol detectors, as a result of which the myth was dispelled. In any case, Glock has achieved tremendous success, supplying its products to the arms markets of various countries around the world. And those who have tried these pistols in shooting, even in the case of a not particularly positive attitude towards their design, choose Glock for themselves to use as a main, one of the main or reserve weapons.

Glock, was created in 1980 by a group of designers with the participation of Friedrich Dehant under the direction of Gaston Glock from an Austrian company founded in 1963, which had never before been engaged in the design and manufacture of weapons. At first, the company specialized in the manufacture of tools, then began the production of military goods - machine-gun belts, grenades and knives. By the way, the company still produces high quality knives. And the search for a new personal weapon by the Austrian army in 1980 prompted the production of Gaston Glock pistols. The designers managed to implement solutions that were revolutionary at that time, which, as practice has shown, work great in combat pistols. The result was one of the leading positions of the company in the global arms market and the widest popularity of its products. The Glock 17 is the first plastic-framed pistol to have achieved great success in the global firearms market. The frame, trigger and magazine are made of high-strength polymer.

The pistol for the first time combines light weight, large magazine capacity, compactness and safety in use, when carried with a cartridge in the chamber. The Austrians borrowed the barrel lock from the Sig Sauer P220 pistol. Designers abandoned the flag, manually operated, fuse in favor of automatic ones. The trigger mechanism was the simplest, created on the basis of the same Austrian Roth-Steyr M1907 pistol. It should be clarified that index 17 does not indicate the number of rounds in the magazine. This is the patent number of Gaston Glock. In 1982, under the designation P-90, the pistol was adopted by the Austrian army and police. Glock 17 was equipped with the anti-terrorist unit of the Austrian Federal Police EKO Cobra (Einsatzkommando Cobra).

Later, the Glock 17 pistol began to be used by the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and special forces of Sweden and Finland, and since 1986 it was adopted by the Norwegian army. Since the start of production of the first Glock model, three generations of these pistols have already changed, and the fourth generation, Gen 4, is currently in production. The first generation did not have a notch on the front and back surfaces of the handle, which appeared on the second, which began to be produced in 1990. The third generation, in addition to notches and chaotic corrugations on the sides of the handle, also received recesses for fingers on the front surface of the handle and recesses with a lower protrusion for the thumb, both on the left and right surfaces of the handle, as well as guides in the front of the frame for attaching accessories.

In the late 1990s, the Glock 17 replaced the Jericho 941 in the YAMAM, a special unit of the Israeli police. After that, some special units of the Israel Defense Forces adopted it to replace the Sig Sauer P226 and Sig Sauer P228. Currently, Glock pistols are used in the armies and various law enforcement agencies in about 60 countries around the world. In 1986, Austrian pistols began to be imported into the United States. The first law enforcement agency to adopt Glock 17 pistols was the police department of Colby, Kansas, and the first large batch was delivered to the department of St. Paul, Minnesota. Noteworthy are the tests of Austrian pistols, conducted by 25 police officers from Miami.

The weapon was tested for safety when dropped onto steel and concrete from a height of 18 meters with a cartridge in the chamber. The shot didn't happen. The weapon was kept in salt water and a fully equipped magazine was fired at a high pace. There wasn't a single delay. It fired 1,000 rounds of expansive bullets continuously for 45 minutes without any problems. After these tests, the Miami Police Department adopted the Glock 17 pistols into service. Currently, various variants of Glock's personal short-barreled weapons are in service with the US FBI (models 22, 23 and 27), the New York Police Department (with the New-York Trigger trigger, which has a greater trigger force), the police departments of Florida, Miami, Boston, Kansas and South Carolina State Police (South Carolina police first adopted the Glock 22 pistol) and Mississippi, the Customs Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as various special forces, for example US Navy Seals and Delta. Approximately 5,000 US federal and local police departments have adopted it.

Glock pistols make up slightly more than half of all handguns purchased by US law enforcement. They are used by police officers around the world, for example, the Glock is in service in Canada, Holland, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, India and the Philippines. Glock 17 is used by the Hong Kong police. Iraqi police also use Glock pistols along with other handguns from manufacturers such as Beretta and Sig Sauer. In Germany, the Glock 17 is in service with the famous Special Forces Unit of the German Federal Police GSG9 (Grenzschutzgruppe 9 - Border Guard Group 9) and SEK - the special forces of the German police (Saxony-Anhalt Spezialeinsatzkommando). In France, Glock 17, along with models 19 and 26, are in service with the GIGN National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (Groupe d "Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale), the RAID Search, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion Anti-Terrorist Special Forces and the GIPN French National Police Investigation Group .

In Belgium, Glock is used by the assault unit of the National Gendarmerie - ESI (Esquadron d "Intervention Special) and the BBT special unit of the Antwerp Police Department. Glock pistols are used by the Polish Mobile Rapid Response Group GROM (Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego). Glock 17 is used in law enforcement agencies and departments of the Russian Federation, along with other Western models, such as CZ 75 B, and Russian ones - SPS, PYa, GSh-18, firing cartridges 9 × 19. For example, these pistols are adopted by the FSB, GRU, FSO, UFSIN RF and special forces Ministry of Internal Affairs. The success of the pistol is also promoted to a large extent by the wide advertising campaign of the manufacturer. But not only. In comparative tests, Glock has always withstood tests for reliability, ease and safety in handling, shooting accuracy. Glock is famous for its good service. All defective parts without problems replaced with new ones, and instead of the old coating with worn m external black layer is applied new for a nominal fee. At the moment, the manufacturer has sold more than 2,000,000 pistols of various modifications.

The principle of operation of the Glock 17 pistol

Automation works according to the scheme of using recoil with a short barrel stroke. Locking is carried out with the help of a descending breech breech, which enters with its rectangular ledge located above the chamber into the window for ejecting spent cartridge cases of the shutter-casing. The reduction occurs when the bevel of the lower tide of the breech breech interacts with the protrusion of the frame. The firing mechanism of the striker type, with a preliminary, partial cocking of the firing pin when the shutter-casing moves back and additional cocking when the trigger is pressed. Glock calls the trigger of this design only self-cocking (DAO). However, this system is in fact a classic single-action trigger with an additional firing pin. In Glock pistols, the drummer is cocked by moving the shutter-casing back, and the relatively long trigger stroke and the slightly larger force than the conventional single-action trigger required to cock the drummer replace a manually controlled fuse. The length and force of the stroke in this case prevent an accidental shot in the absence of a safety lever.

In addition to this, the trigger of Glock pistols does not allow the shooter to re-trigger after a misfire by trying to initiate the primer again. It is necessary to extract the defective cartridge, thereby putting the drummer on a preliminary platoon, and send a new cartridge from the magazine into the chamber to fire a shot. This is also a sign of the classic single-action trigger, it's just that in this case the stroke and trigger pull are greater. The pistol is equipped with three independently operating automatic safety locks. Glock called this system Safe Action. The trigger safety lever blocks the movement of the trigger back and releases it only when the shooter is consciously pressed. The automatic fuse of the firing pin makes it impossible for the firing pin to strike the cartridge primer if the sear is accidentally released from the cocking due to external impact. The trigger rod, with its special protrusion, raises the fuse, which is a cylinder with a groove, and opens the way forward for the drummer. The shockproof fuse is a protrusion of the trigger rod, which has a cruciform shape, which is included in the groove of the shutter-casing. It prevents the disruption of the whisper from the cocking during an external impact.

In practice, this design turned out to be very simple and effective. It ensures the production of a shot in the shortest possible time and safe handling. Pistols of the latest releases are equipped with an ejector, which also acts as an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber. The trigger pull is 2.5 kg and can be adjusted from 2 to 4 kg. The polymer frame is equipped with four steel guides along which the shutter-casing moves. The ergonomically shaped handle has a 112 degree inclination. On the left side of the frame is a small slide stop lever. Its small surface area is often the reason for criticism, but the original lever can be easily replaced with an enlarged one if necessary. The barrel lock is double-sided, located above the trigger guard. The magazine latch is located at the base of the trigger guard.

Right-hand rifling has a hexagonal profile with rounded side edges, which reduces friction and evenly distributes the load on the barrel when a bullet passes through it. A barrel with such a profile lasts longer, and the bore is less covered with a layer of brass or copper from bullet shells and deforms the shells themselves less. That is, such a barrel is easier and faster to clean, and the integrity of the bullet shell increases accuracy. The shell of the bullet adheres more closely to the edges of the bore, creating a better obturation of the powder gases, due to which they betray it with somewhat more energy and initial speed, but in general this is hardly noticeable. Sights made of plastic consist of a rear sight with the possibility of making horizontal corrections by shifting it, and a front sight that can be replaced with another one with a different height for vertical correction. The double-row magazine holds 17 rounds, but higher capacities can also be used. The gun consists of only 34 parts and can be completely disassembled with a pin or nail in one minute. Glock pistols are currently chambered in .380 ACP, 9mm Parabellum, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, 10mm Auto, and .45 ACP.

Glock 17 pistol customization

Today, there is a huge amount of “customization” parts on the market for weapons, various additional devices and accessories from enlarged safety levers or bolt delays to adjustable sights and even steel frames, produced by both large and well-known, and small private firms. The most popular parts for Glock pistols are oversized magazine catches, recoil springs of various resilience, steel front sights and adjustable rear sights with tritium inserts. Practice has shown that replacing a standard magazine latch with an enlarged one for faster replacement can lead to its spontaneous loss in a holster and when removing a weapon. It is advisable to replace the return spring only if the shooting will be carried out with the same, as a rule, reinforced cartridges, since when using less powerful ammunition, there will be delays in firing due to insufficient opening of the shutter-casing.

The best solution to improve and increase the effectiveness of the pistol would be to replace the standard front and rear sights with sights such as TFO (Tritium Fiber Optic) from Truglo, equipped with green light-collecting fiber optic inserts containing tritium. Green color is distinguished better than red and white in good light. Fiber-optic plastic directs most of the light along the axis of the insert cylinder, resulting in the shooter's attention instantly focusing on them and aiming much faster. At the same time, at dusk or in a dark room, aiming is carried out using brightly luminous tritium. These sights, for obvious reasons, are of course more expensive than usual ones, but they work perfectly day and night, significantly increasing the speed of aiming.

The Glock range includes a series of pistols with integrated compensators. These pistols are designated by the letter C (Compensated) in addition to the index of the original sample - Glock 17C. Such models are intended mainly for practical shooting competitions, as well as for beginner shooters. The main function of the compensator is to reduce the toss of the weapon when fired. The jet stream of powder gases, directed upwards, counteracts the tossing of the pistol. As a result, the rate of fire and accuracy of high-speed fire increases. The disadvantage is a strong flash. In low light, the image of this flash is stored in memory for a short time, making it difficult to quickly fire the next shot accurately. Such a pistol gets dirty faster, and when firing from the hip, the flow of powder gases unpleasantly hits the shooter in the face. There are also delays if weak cartridges are used.

The frame, made of polymer, makes the weapon light and at the same time has high strength. Early release pistols had grips with flat sides and grooved front and back surfaces. The wide-angle handle is very comfortable to hold, with finger lugs on the front surface, thumb rests on both sides, and front and back knurling. Such a grip makes the weapon well controlled and ensures accuracy, both with careful aiming and with high-speed shooting. When firing with a doublet for all full-size and compact models, a characteristic feature is high accuracy and a strictly vertical arrangement of hits. Glock pistol grips do not "cool" the hand at low temperatures. On the front of the frame there are slots for attaching tactical lights and laser designators. The shutter-casing is produced by high-precision casting. A special treatment of steel parts called Tenifer, which is carbonitriding, increases their surface hardness to 64 HRC, and also greatly improves corrosion resistance.

The drum trigger was chosen by the designers not only because of the ease of production. It allows you to minimize the distance from the butt plate of the frame to the axis of the bore. In turn, the recoil shoulder decreases and, accordingly, the toss of the weapon when firing. This design also does not require the frame to be reinforced with steel inserts that increase the weight. The Glock 17 was the first pistol to use a helical recoil spring with rectangular coils. In modern models, this spring is fixed on its own guide, which simplifies and facilitates the disassembly and assembly of weapons. The magazine has a plastic body - the result of the absence of equipment for the manufacture of magazines from sheet steel in the production during the start of production of the pistol. They did not begin to produce a steel store in the future due to deunification.

Like any weapon, Glock pistols have their drawbacks. Often the cause of misfires is contamination of the channel of the striker, usually due to sand that has got there. With a weak grip, sometimes there are cases of missing a cartridge. Plastic front sights turned out to be not strong and get off the shutter-casing when hit from behind, but this drawback can be easily eliminated by replacing the sights with steel ones. Another disadvantage is the small dimensions of the slide stop and the magazine latch, but this is again eliminated by replacing them with larger ones. 17C pistols and other versions with integrated compensators, when using insufficiently powerful cartridges or loaded with light bullets, often do not extract spent cartridges and do not refill cartridges due to the fact that part of the energy necessary for the stable operation of the automation is consumed by the compensator. There were problems with the guides that broke from side impacts, which arose due to errors in production, but they were quickly eliminated. Glock pistols are easy to shoot, but in order to shoot very accurately, quite a lot of training is needed. The reason for the breakdown of parts and the destruction of frames are too powerful, as a rule, manually loaded cartridges, but this is no longer a direct drawback of the design itself. The disadvantages can also be indirectly attributed to the chattering of parts relative to each other, for example, the bolt on the frame and the magazine in the neck of the handle.

An interesting feature of Glock pistols is the ability to fire underwater. In this case, not only rupture does not occur, but also the swelling of the trunk. However, for stable triggering of the primer, a special striker with transverse grooves or a set of Spring cups amfibia is required - the mainspring of the striker with a plastic pallet with holes. Available only for pistols chambered for 9mm Parabellum. But for firing under water without the risk of blowing the barrel, it is recommended to use cartridges with full-shell bullets of the FMJ type. Glock pistols allow shooting underwater at a depth of up to three meters. The bullet retains great energy at a distance of up to two meters when fired at a depth of one meter. Shooting at close range from under the water is also effective, while the sound of the shot is absent. This method of shooting is taught in many special forces.

Tests in different conditions

It is necessary to mention a series of tests that the serial Glock 17 successfully passed. Ice: a pistol with a loaded magazine was frozen in an ice cube for 60 days. After that, he was removed from the ice and fired 100 shots of 10 rounds. Dirt: The gun was oiled, closed and immersed in mud of varying consistency: dry sand, clay, wet river sand. After each such procedure, repeated 5 times, 100 shots were fired. Mud: The gun was completely soaked in water and submerged in river mud. After a single shaking from a pistol with silt residues, 10 series of 10 shots were fired. Water: a fully equipped pistol was immersed in water for 1 hour to a depth of 1 meter, then the pistol was removed from the water and immediately fired 10 series of 10 shots. Durability: A loaded pistol was placed on coarse gravel, after which a heavy truck drove over it. The truck was then left parked with a wheel on a gun for an hour. After that, 100 shots were fired. All tests were carried out in the specified sequence with the same pistol and one magazine. None of them had any delays.

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. While I've always been good with my pistol (I'm not a SWAT operator), it's seen climates ranging from the dry and dusty plains of Colorado to the hot, 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 is crisp and has a distinctly felt reset that allows for fast and accurate bursts of fire. Of course, trigger pull and feel is a matter of personal preference, but for myself I still haven't found a trigger that is 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 fairly stable pistol, with very little muzzle flip even when firing fast 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!

Specifications:

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 Glock small arms company, released for the new needs of the Austrian army in 1979. The main goal was to replace obsolete samples with a fundamentally new model.

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, due to its technical characteristics, the pistol gained great popularity among the civilian population, as an excellent tool for 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 an official proposal from the Austrian military, which proposed the development of a 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:

The design had to be as simple as possible.
The pistol was to use NATO-standard 9×19mm parabellum rounds.
Magazines should not need any means of loading.
Stores were required to have a minimum of eight rounds.
The gun should be comfortable for shooting with the left and right hand.
The pistol must be absolutely safe from accidental firing due to impact from a fall from a height of 2 m onto a steel plate.
Disassembly of major parts for maintenance and reassembly must be possible without the use of any tools.
Maintenance and cleaning of the gun was carried out without the use of tools.
The design of the pistol must not exceed 58 individual parts (P38 equivalent).
Gauges, gauges, and precision test devices should not be necessary for long-term gun maintenance.
The manufacturer had to provide the Ministry of Defense with a complete set of engineering drawings. They had to be provided with all the necessary explanations for the manufacture of a pistol.
All components are fully interchangeable between guns.
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.
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 9 mm NATO is rated at 2,520 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 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 massively use this firearm, and after just a few years the brand has spread throughout 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 the 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. Also, on the fourth generation Glock 17, they began to install two springs of different diameters (on the same 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

Weight	650 gr., (without cartridges) 900 gr., (equipped)
Length	186 mm
barrel length	114 mm
Width	33 mm
Height	138 mm
Cartridge	9×19 mm Parabellum (+P, +P+)
Caliber	9 mm
Work principles	recoil of the barrel with its short stroke
starting speed bullets	375 m/s
Sighting range	50 m
Type of ammunition	magazine for 17+1 (standard), 19+1 or 33+1 rounds
Aim	removable open

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, impacts 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 pistol has a matte gray appearance to its surface, and that is when the final finish is applied to the pistol 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 pistol 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 its total weight is 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. To carry out partial disassembly of the pistol (disconnecting the bolt barrel together 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 magazine removal 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 is a device that includes a flashlight with a power of 110 lumens and a green laser pointer, 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 pistol 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.

Glock 17L - A model that appeared in 1988 with an extended barrel. Used in sports competitions
Glock 17C - Model equipped with built-in compensator
Glock 17R - Model designed for shooting practice without cartridges
Glock 17T - Model with a blue case, also intended for training purposes. When shooting, uses blue balls
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.
Glock 17Pro is a special edition released only for the Finnish market
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.

The Glock 17 has the unique ability to fire under water, under heavy dust, in high humidity, and even after being completely submerged 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.