Glock 17

Gaston Glock and his firm, Glock Ges.m.b.H., developed the firearm between 1979 and 1982 in response to a tender from the Austrian Armed Forces to replace the Walther P38. Despite the designer's lack of previous firearms experience, his expertise in synthetic polymers facilitated the creation of a working prototype within three months of assembling a technical advisory team. The design met 17 specific criteria established by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence regarding reliability, safety, and ease of maintenance. During selection trials, the prototype surpassed submissions from established manufacturers, including Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer, and Beretta. The Austrian military and police formally adopted the weapon as the Pistole 80 in 1982.

The firearm utilizes a short-recoil-operated, locked-breech mechanism with a linkless, vertically tilting barrel. This system employs a rectangular breech that locks into the slide's ejection port. The frame is constructed from Polymer 2, a proprietary high-strength, nylon-based synthetic material resistant to shock, caustic liquids, and temperature extremes. Metal components, including the CNC-milled steel slide, undergo ferritic nitrocarburizing or gas nitriding treatments to improve corrosion and wear resistance. The "Safe Action" firing system consists of a striker mechanism and three independent internal safeties—trigger, firing pin, and drop—which are disengaged sequentially during the trigger pull. Later iterations introduced an accessory rail, interchangeable backstraps, and the Glock Marksman Barrel featuring revised polygonal rifling.

Following its initial adoption in Austria, the handgun entered service with the Norwegian Armed Forces in 1985 and the Swedish military in 1988, eventually becoming a standard NATO sidearm. It has since been adopted by military and law enforcement agencies in at least 48 countries, including the French and British Armed Forces and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. The product line has transitioned through five distinct design generations. Notable variants include the selective-fire Glock 18, the compact Glock 19, and competition-focused models. In 2025, the manufacturer announced a streamlining of the product line, discontinuing numerous models while introducing the "V" series, which incorporates redesigned trigger bars and rear plates to prevent unauthorized conversion to automatic fire.