Summary: In December, Gaston Glock, the visionary inventor behind the iconic Glock pistol, passed away at age 94. Before creating the revolutionary Glock 17, he was a prolific inventor, developing items such as field knives and folding shovels. The Glock 17, named after being his 17th patented invention and not for its magazine capacity, gained global success after being adopted by the Austrian army. Recently, Glock Inc. expanded its 5th Generation line with the G29 Gen5 and G30 Gen5 models, featuring over twenty design changes for improved performance and accuracy, including the new Glock Marksman Barrel and an ambidextrous slide stop lever.

Gaston Glock: A Look Back at the Inventor's Legacy and the Future of Glock Pistols"

In December, Gaston Glock, inventor of the polymer-framed line of handguns that bears his name, died at age 94. Before designing his original Glock 17, Gaston Glock was already a prolific inventor/tinkerer who filed his first patent in 1953. In the years that followed Mr. Glock invented field knives and a folding shovel among other products.

In 1981 he developed the polymer-framed striker-fired pistol and the rest is history. At least sort of… because it took a few years before the handgun maker found success. In fact, it wasn't until the Glock 17 was adopted by his country's army that it became a global success.

And perhaps to confuse matters his first handgun was named for his 17th invention to receive a patent, not for the fact that it held 17 rounds.

The Glock Keeps Getting Better

Though Gaston Glock had largely retired from the day-to-day operations years ago, his death came just weeks before Glock (the company) announced the expansion of the 5th Generation with the G29 Gen5 chambered in 10mm and the G30 Gen5 chambered in .45 Auto.

At the recent SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show) in Las Vegas, the company revealed how its G29 Gen5 and G30 Gen5 pistols had undergone more than twenty design changes, setting these newest releases apart from their Gen4 predecessors. Glock further noted how it had meticulously developed these new models to continue the 5th Generation product line. The precise engineering changes in these firearms were made to meet the demands of consumers globally.

The Glock 29 Gen5 arrives as a compact pistol that is still able to pack a powerful punch thanks to the 10mm Auto cartridge making it an excellent choice for concealed carry, while the Glock 30 Gen5 pistol chambered in .45 APC. It was also designed to offer excellent accuracy straight out of the box, with the added benefit of the ballistic power of the .45 cartridge.

"As perfection continues at Glock, we are continually in development of new technologies and expanding our product offering. We are excited to bring you these two new additions to the Gen5 line of pistols," explained Josh Dorsey, vice president at Glock, Inc.

Among the design enhancements to the new Gen5 pistols are the Glock Marksman Barrel (GMB), which promises to deliver increased accuracy with enhanced polygonal rifling and an improved barrel crown, the removal of finger grooves, and an ambidextrous slide stop lever for better versatility and control.

The Glock G28 Gen5 and G30 Gen5 are now available at select retailers.

Trigger Time

The international gun maker also introduced the Glock Performance Trigger for additional pistol models for this year. The Glock Performance Trigger 2024 release allows compatibility with Gen4 models, including the G26 Gen4/Gen5, G19 Gen4/Gen5, G17 Gen4/Gen5, G34 Gen4/Gen5, G19X, G45, and G47.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].