Gaston Glock, creator of handgun that flooded the world, dies at 94

Gaston Glock, the German engineer and entrepreneur who developed the semi-automatic handgun that has been used by millions of people around the world, has died at the age of 94. Glock, who died on Tuesday in Vienna, created the first version of his famous pistol in 1982. His eponymous Glock GmbH company is now one of the world’s leading gunmakers, selling its pistols, rifles and other weapons to law enforcement agencies and civilians around the globe. . His pistol combined light weight, cheap production cost and its innovative “safe action” system – which made it easier to use safely but also deadlier in the right hands. Glock’s gun became the preferred weapon of choice for military and police forces around the world. It has been used in a number of high-profile shootings and has been involved in at least two presidential assassinations: that of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986. Though Glock wasn’t the first to invent a semi-automatic handgun, his pistol achieved widespread success due to its efficiency, affordability and wide availability. The gun is now so popular, the features and components of the weapon, including the magazine, have become genericized terms throughout the industry. Glock received no formal training or education in weapons design, but his innovative use of polymers and other composite materials revolutionized the gun industry. Glock also earned a patent for a series of enhancements, including a loaded chamber indicator, which provides visual and tactile cues to the user that there is a round in the chamber. Glock’s guns have been the subject of controversy, most recently in the wake of recent high-profile mass shootings in the United States. Some argue that Glock’s gun makes it too easy for untrained people to carry firearms. But others assert that his pistol has opened the door for those who want to protect themselves without having to invest in expensive and complex weapons. Whatever his critics may say, Gaston Glock changed the world with his invention, and he will long be remembered as one of the key innovators in the 20th century arms industry.