Glock Inc. confirmed his death on the company's website without specifying the cause.
The website paid tribute, saying, "In Memoriam Gaston Glock 07/19/1929 – 12/27/2023," accompanied by a photo of Glock in a dark suit and maroon tie, standing with crossed arms against a black backdrop.
The company acknowledged Glock’s impact, stating that he not only changed the small arms industry in the 1980s but also made the Glock brand a leading name in the global handgun industry.
The Glock pistol, popular among law enforcement, appeared in blockbuster movies like “Die Hard 2” and “U.S. Marshals” and was mentioned in rap songs, including Wu-Tang Clan’s “Da Glock.”
Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1929, Glock’s company initially supplied knives and bayonets to the Austrian Army in the 1970s. In 1980, he learned of the army’s need for a new handgun.
Despite not owning a handgun, Glock gathered experts to help create the “pistol of the future.” During the project, he trained on handguns and test-fired prototypes with his left hand, ensuring continuity in case of accidents.
The result was the Glock 17, a groundbreaking semi-automatic handgun made from industrial plastic or polymer, with a magazine capacity of 17 rounds and an additional round in the chamber.
The Austrian Army adopted the Glock as its new service pistol in 1983, and the Norwegian Army followed suit the next year, designating it as their standard sidearm.
Glock’s influence reached the United States, where the company established its headquarters in Smyrna, Georgia, in 1985.
They claimed that over 65% of U.S. federal, state, and local agencies have been equipped with Glock pistols.
