The Heckler and Koch SR9 is a series of hunting and target rifles derived from the Heckler & Koch HK91 incorporating parts from the PSG1 and MSG-90 marksman rifles.
95-479: The SR9s are modified HK91-series rifles intended to qualify for import as sporting rifles after the US ban on imported "assault weapons" in 1989. The visible differences include the removal of the flash suppressor, bayonet lugs, and pistol grip (on the base model) in order to improve the design's acceptance as a sporting rifle. The SR9s have a medium weight barrel that is slightly less than 20". Internal differences include
190-444: A metal detector . The Glock pistol has a relatively low slide profile, which holds the barrel axis close to the shooter's hand and makes the pistol more comfortable to fire by reducing muzzle rise and allows for faster aim recovery in rapid firing sequences. The rectangular slide is milled from a single block of ordnance-grade steel using CNC machinery. The barrel and slide undergo two hardening processes prior to treatment with
285-419: A 17-round capacity (which can be extended to 19 with an optional floor plate) or optional 24 or 33-round high-capacity magazines . For jurisdictions which restrict magazine capacity to 10 rounds, Glock offers single-stack, 10-round magazines. The magazines are made of steel and are overmolded with plastic. A steel spring drives a plastic follower. After the last cartridge has been fired, the slide remains open on
380-459: A barrel featuring a revised style of polygonal rifling (called the "Glock Marksman Barrel" by Glock), a deeper recessed barrel crown, omission of the finger grooves on the grip, a flared magazine well, and a reintroduction of a half-moon-shaped cutout on the bottom front of the grip. The locking block pin located above the trigger pin that was introduced in the third generation is omitted. Many internal parts were less conspicuously revised. "Gen 5"
475-407: A bayonet, grenade launcher, night sights, or flash suppressor. The HK91, HK93 and HK94 models were all on the import ban list. At the time of the ban, about 130 or so HK91s had already been delivered to the U.S. but had not yet cleared customs. H&K complied with the ban by renaming those HK91s as HK911 (basically stamping another "1" after the name) and adding a Bell-Carlson thumbhole stock. H&K
570-521: A bipod. It is, however, replaceable with standard HK91 furniture. The barrel has the same bore profile as the PSG1, including polygonal rifling, and lacks a muzzle device. The basic SR9 is fitted with a reinforced fiberglass thumbhole stock containing an MSG90 buffer. The 1989 Import Ban, enacted by US President George H. W. Bush , bans from importation all semi-automatic rifles with a folding or telescoping stock, separate pistol grip, bipod, ability to accept
665-489: A bright red frame, and Simunition-adapted practice pistols ("T" models) a bright blue frame for easy identification. In 2009, the Glock 22 RTF2 (Rough Textured Frame 2) (chambered in .40 S&W ) was introduced. This pistol featured a new checkering texture around the grip and new scalloped (fish gill-shaped) serrations at the rear of the sides of the slide. Many of the existing models became available in
760-505: A comparison microscope and an ABIS (Evofinder). Glock pistols lack a traditional on-off safety lever, which Glock markets as an advantage, especially to police departments, as the user is able to fire immediately without separately manipulating a safety. Instead, the pistols are designed with three independent safety mechanisms to prevent accidental discharge. The system, designated "Safe Action" by Glock, consists of an external integrated trigger safety and two automatic internal safeties:
855-530: A contract to Glock to provide new 9×19mm Parabellum chambered duty pistols. The solicitation specifications deviated from the specifications of Glock fourth-generation models. Features found in the M series pistols evolved into what become Glock's Fifth Generation or Gen5 pistols. In August 2016, the Indianapolis Metro Police Department (IMPD) started training with a batch of Glock 17M pistols. The most obvious difference with
950-410: A firing pin safety and a drop safety. The external safety is a small inner lever contained in the trigger. Pressing the lever activates the trigger bar and sheet metal connector. The firing pin safety is a solid hardened steel pin that, in the secured state, blocks the firing pin channel (disabling the firing pin in its longitudinal axis). It is pushed upward to release the firing pin for firing only when
1045-437: A height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) onto a steel plate. After firing 15,000 rounds of standard ammunition, the pistol was to be inspected for wear. The pistol was to then be used to fire an overpressure test cartridge generating 5,000 bar (500 MPa; 73,000 psi). The normal maximum operating pressure (P max ) for the 9 mm NATO is 2,520 bar (252 MPa; 36,500 psi). Glock became aware of
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#17327906689231140-409: A larger number of edges have shallower corners, which provide a better gas seal in relatively large diameter bores. For instance, in the pre-Gen 5 Glock pistols , octagonal rifling is used in the large diameter .45 ACP bore, which has an 11.23 mm (0.442 in) diameter, since it resembles a circle more closely than the hexagonal rifling used in smaller diameter bores. The principle of
1235-407: A lower impact 6.1 mm (0.24 in) sight, and two higher impact versions – 6.9 mm (0.27 in) and 7.3 mm (0.29 in). The Glock pistol accessories available from the factory include several devices for tactical illumination, such as a series of front rail-mounted "Glock tactical lights" featuring a white tactical light and an optional visible laser sight. An alternate version of
1330-668: A matte gray-colored, nonglare surface with a 64 Rockwell C hardness rating and a 99% resistance to salt water corrosion (which meets or exceeds stainless steel specifications), making the Glock particularly suitable for individuals carrying the pistol concealed as the highly chloride-resistant finish allows the pistol to better endure the effects of perspiration. Glock steel parts using the Tenifer treatment are more corrosion resistant than analogous gun parts having other finishes or treatments, including Teflon , bluing , hard chrome plating , or phosphates. During 2010, Glock switched from
1425-546: A modified extractor that serves as a loaded chamber indicator , and the locking block was enlarged, along with the addition of an extra cross pin to aid the distribution of bolt thrust forces exerted by the locking block. This cross pin is known as the locking block pin and is located above the trigger pin. The polymer frames of third-generation models can be black, flat dark earth, or olive drab . Besides that, non-firing dummy pistols ("P" models) and non-firing dummy pistols with resetting triggers ("R" models) have
1520-448: A modified rough-textured frame (RTF-4), front grip strap with finger grooves, interchangeable backstraps of different sizes, and an accessory rail. "Gen4" is rollmarked on the slide next to the model number to identify the fourth-generation pistols. The basic grip size of the fourth-generation Glock pistols is slightly smaller compared to the previous design. A punch is provided to remove the standard trigger housing pin and replace it with
1615-527: A new buffer system and a change to polygonal rifling . All SR9s are marked "Made in W-Germany" on the right side of the receiver. SR9s imported after September 1994 were sold with a 5-round magazine because of the US Federal ban on magazines that could accept more than 10 rounds. The SR9-series rifles have unreinforced receivers fitted with iron sights and a semiautomatic-only trigger group. The safety
1710-503: A notch cut on both sides of the magazine body. Earlier versions of the magazines will not lock into the Gen4 pistols if the user has moved the magazine release button to be operated by a left-handed user. Gen4 magazines will work in older models. Mechanically, fourth-generation Glock pistols are fitted with a dual recoil spring assembly to help reduce perceived recoil and increase service life expectancy. Earlier subcompact Glock models such as
1805-435: A polygonal profile consisting of a series of six or eight interconnected noncircular segments (only the .45 ACP and .45 GAP have octagonal polygonal rifling). Each depressed segment within the interior of the barrel is the equivalent of a groove in a conventional barrel. Thus, the interior of the barrel consists of smooth arcs of steel rather than sharply defined slots. Instead of using a traditional broaching machine to cut
1900-506: A practical standpoint, any accuracy issues resulting from the residual stresses of hammer forging are extremely unlikely to be an issue in a defense or service pistol, or a typical hunting rifle. Different manufacturers employ varying polygonal rifling profiles. H&K, CZ and Glock use a female type of polygonal rifling. This type has a smaller bore area than the male type of polygonal rifling designed and used by Lothar Walther. Other companies such as Noveske Rifleworks (Pac Nor) and LWRC use
1995-432: A proprietary nitriding process called Tenifer . The Tenifer treatment is applied in a 500 °C (932 °F) nitrate bath. The Tenifer finish is between 0.04 and 0.05 mm (0.0016 and 0.0020 in) in thickness, and is characterized by extreme resistance to wear and corrosion; it penetrates the metal, and treated parts have similar properties even below the surface to a certain depth. The Tenifer process produces
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#17327906689232090-520: A recoil spring exchange program in which the manufacturer voluntarily offers to exchange the recoil spring assemblies of its fourth-generation pistols (with the exception of the "subcompact" Glock 26 and Glock 27 models) sold before 22 July 2011 at no cost "to ensure our products perform up to GLOCK's stringent standards", according to the company. On 29 June 2016, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) awarded
2185-424: A rifling more like the conventional rifling, with both of each land's sides being sloped but having a flat top and defined corners; this type of rifling is more a canted land type of rifling than polygonal rifling. Polygonal rifling prevents the forensic firearms examiner from microscopically measuring the width of land and groove impressions (so-called " ballistic fingerprinting ") because the polygonal riflings have
2280-458: A rounded profile instead of well-defined rectangular edges, which causes few noticeable surface deformations. In the FBI GRC file, the land and groove widths for these firearms are listed as 0.000. However, forensic identification of firearms (in court-cases, etc.) is based on microscopic examination of tooling marks on the surface of the bore, produced by the manufacturing process and modified by
2375-403: A white dot on the front post and a rectangular border on the rear notch. Some newer rear sights can be adjusted for windage (on certain models due to the windage sights not coming as factory default), as it has a degree of lateral movement in the dovetail it is mounted in. Three other factory rear sight configurations are available in addition to the standard 6.5 mm (0.26 in) height sight:
2470-529: Is a short recoil –operated, locked-breech semi-automatic pistol that uses a modified Browning cam-lock system adapted from the Hi-Power pistol. The firearm's locking mechanism uses a linkless, vertically tilting barrel with a rectangular breech that locks into the ejection port cut-out in the slide (the SIG Sauer system ). During the recoil stroke, the barrel moves rearward initially locked together with
2565-442: Is almost always one of cut vs. button rifled barrels, as traditional rifling is dominant. Polygonal rifled barrels are used competitively in pistol action shooting , such as IDPA and IPSC competitions. Part of the difference may be that most polygonal rifling is produced by hammer forging the barrel around a mandrel containing a reverse impression of the rifling. Hammer forging machines are tremendously expensive, far out of
2660-687: Is less common in rifles ; however, some extremely high end precision rifles like the Heckler & Koch PSG1 and its Pakistani variant PSR-90 , and the LaRue Tactical Stealth System sniper rifle use polygonal bores. A number of advantages are claimed by the supporters of polygonal rifling. These include: However, precision target pistols such as those used in Bullseye and IHMSA almost universally use traditional rifling, as do target rifles. The debate among target shooters
2755-498: Is often called the "sharpshooter" because of its superior accuracy compared to other rifled muskets of its era (far surpassing the breechloading Sharps rifle used by the Union Army) and is considered one of the earliest examples of a sniper rifle . The Whitworth sharpshooters killed multiple high-ranking Union officers, most famously Major General John Sedgwick , who was fatally shot at a range of 1,000 yards (910 m) during
2850-457: Is pinned to the trigger mechanism housing. Pistols after 2002 have a reshaped extractor that serves as a loaded chamber indicator. When a cartridge is present in the chamber, a tactile metal edge protrudes slightly out immediately behind the ejection port on the right side of the slide. The striker firing mechanism has a spring-loaded firing pin that is cocked in two stages that the firing pin spring powers. The factory-standard firing pin spring
2945-402: Is rated at 24 N (5.4 lb f ), but by using a modified firing pin spring, it can be increased to 28 N (6.3 lb f ) or to 31 N (7.0 lb f ). When the pistol is charged, the firing pin is in the half-cock position. As the trigger is pulled, the firing pin is then fully cocked. At the end of its travel, the trigger bar is tilted downward by the connector, releasing
Heckler & Koch SR9 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3040-461: Is rated at 25 N (5.6 lb f ), but by using a modified connector, it can be increased to 35 N (7.9 lb f ) or lowered to 20 N (4.5 lb f ). In response to a request made by American law enforcement agencies for a two-stage trigger with increased trigger pull, Glock introduced the NY1 (New York) trigger module, which features a flat spring in a plastic housing that replaces
3135-481: Is retained in the frame by a steel axis pin that holds the trigger and slide catch. The trigger housing is held to the frame by means of a polymer pin. A spring-loaded sheet-metal pressing serves as the slide catch, which is secured from unintentional manipulation by a raised guard molded into the frame. Because of its polymer construction, there were initially fears that Glock pistols would be invisible to airport X-ray machines , making them easy to illegally import into
3230-483: Is rollmarked on the slide next to the model number to identify the fifth-generation pistols. The "Gen 5" slide can feature front serrations (FS) to provide an additional tactile traction surface choice. The magazines were also revised for the fifth-generation models: the redesigned magazine floor plates feature a frontward protruding lip to offer grip for manual assisted extraction and the magazine follower became orange colored for easier visual identification. The Glock 17
3325-449: Is thumb operated on the left side of the receiver with an indicator marked "0" (in white) for safe and "1" (in red) for fire on both sides. The cocking handle is forward on the left and folds flat just like the rest of the G3 platform. The magazine release is push button only from the right side of the receiver. The forearm is a sure-grip style new to this model which precludes the attachment of
3420-646: The Austrian Armed Forces announced that it would seek tenders for a new, modern duty pistol to replace their World War II –era Walther P38 handguns. The Federal Ministry of Defence of Austria formulated a list of 17 criteria for the new generation service pistol, including requirements that it would be self loading ; fire the NATO -standard 9×19mm Parabellum round; the magazines were not to require any means of assistance for loading; be secure against accidental discharge from shock, strike, and drop from
3515-553: The Austrian Army 's planned procurement, and in 1982, assembled a team of Europe's leading handgun experts from military, police, and civilian sport-shooting circles to define the most desirable characteristics in a combat pistol. Within three months, Glock had developed a working prototype that combined proven mechanisms and traits from previous pistol designs. In addition, the plan was to make extensive use of synthetic materials and modern manufacturing technologies, which led to
3610-587: The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House . The last service rifles to use polygonal rifling were the British Lee–Metford rifles, named after their proprietary Metford rifling, American M1895 Lee Navy rifles (both designed by James Paris Lee ), and the Japanese Arisaka rifles designed by Colonel Arisaka and Colonel Nambu . The Lee-Metford rifle turned out to be a failure after the switch to
3705-926: The Browning Hi-Power , and the Austrian Steyr Mannlicher entered the competition with the GB ). The results of the Austrian trials sparked a wave of interest in Western Europe and overseas, particularly in the United States, where a similar effort to select a service-wide replacement for the M1911 had been going on since the late 1970s (known as the Joint Service Small Arms Program ). In late 1983,
3800-497: The United States . The hammer forging process produces large amounts of stress in the barrel that must be relieved by careful heat treatment , a process that is less necessary in a traditionally cut or button rifled barrel. Due to the potential for residual stress causing accuracy problems, precision shooters in the United States tend to avoid hammer forged barrels, and this limits them in the type of available rifling. From
3895-681: The United States Department of Defense inquired about the Glock pistol and received four samples of the Glock 17 for unofficial evaluation. Glock was then invited to participate in the XM9 Personal Defense Pistol Trials, but declined because the DOD specifications would require extensive retooling of production equipment and providing 35 test samples in an unrealistic time frame. In 1985, after joint Norwegian and Swedish trials from 1983 to 1985,
Heckler & Koch SR9 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3990-452: The "fifth generation" or "Gen 5". The revisions centered on ergonomics and improving reliability. Many parts of fifth-generation Glock pistols cannot be interchanged with those of the previous generations. The two fifth-generation models announced were the Glock 17 and Glock 19, chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum. Some conspicuous changes on the fifth-generation models are ambidextrous slide stop levers, DLC surface finish for barrel and slide,
4085-861: The Austrian Armaments and Defence Technology Agency, the Glock P80 was clearly superior to other handguns in terms of performance, handling, charging capacity and price. The handgun was adopted into service with the Austrian military and law enforcement in 1982 as the Pistole 80 (P80), with an initial order for 25,000 guns. The Glock 17 outperformed eight different pistols from five other established manufacturers ( Heckler & Koch of Germany offered their P7M8 , P7M13 , and P9S , SIG Sauer of Switzerland bid with their P220 and P226 models, Beretta of Italy submitted their model 92SB-F , FN Herstal of Belgium proposed an updated variant of
4180-509: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had not determined what was considered acceptable as to what grips were fitted to the rifles by H&K USA, and the new rules were not set to be "in force" until November 1990. For years, it was acceptable to reconfigure standard SR9 rifles to a T or TC configuration. T and TC rifles were probably not imported in that configuration and that is why the receivers are hand-stamped and not finished. The stamping
4275-409: The Glock 17 becoming a cost-effective candidate. Several samples of the Glock 17 (so named corresponding to its magazine capacity or because it was the 17th patent procured by the company) were submitted for assessment trials in early 1982, and after passing all of the exhaustive endurance and abuse tests, the Glock emerged as the winner. According to Friedrich Dechant, former head of
4370-615: The Glock 17 was accepted into service as the P80 in Norway, and in 1988 as the Pistol 88 in Sweden, where it surpassed all prior NATO durability standards. As a result, the Glock 17 became a standard NATO-classified sidearm and was granted a NATO Stock Number (1005-25-133-6775). By 1992, some 350,000 pistols had been sold in more than 45 countries, including 250,000 in
4465-488: The Glock 19 and Glock 23, the reduced size "compact" versions of the Glock 17 and Glock 22, became available for retail. In late 2010, Glock continued the introduction of fourth-generation models with the Glock 26 and Glock 27 "subcompact" variants. In January 2013, more fourth-generation Glock pistols were introduced commercially during the annual SHOT Show, including the Glock 20 Generation 4 along with other fourth-generation Glock models. In September 2011, Glock announced
4560-558: The Glock 26 and Glock 30 have already used a dual recoil spring assembly that was carried over to the fourth-generation versions of those models. The slide and barrel shelf have been resized, and the front portion of the polymer frame has been widened and internally enlarged, to accommodate the dual recoil spring assembly. The trigger mechanism housing has also been modified to fit into the smaller-sized grip space. The introduction of fourth-generation Glock pistols continued in July 2010 when
4655-409: The Glock pistols involved the addition of checkering on the front strap and trigger guard and checkering and serrations to the back strap. These versions, introduced in 1988, were informally referred to as "second-generation" or Gen2 models, though Glock did not mark the pistols Gen2. In 1991, an integrated recoil spring assembly replaced the original two-piece recoil spring and tube design. The magazine
4750-489: The Glock third- and fourth-generation models on published images is the omission of finger grooves on the grip. In October of that year, the IMPD issued a 17M voluntary recall following failures encountered while dry firing the pistols during training. According to Major Riddle with the IMPD, "Glock is working to correct the problem and we hope to begin issuing the new [17Ms] as soon as December." In August 2017, Glock presented
4845-542: The ILS renders the Glock unfireable, as well as making it impossible to disassemble. When disengaged, the ILS adds no further safety mechanisms to the Glock pistol. The ILS is available as an option on most Glock pistols. Glock pistols cannot be retrofitted to accommodate the ILS. The lock must be factory-built in Austria and shipped as a special order. The Glock 17 feeds from staggered-column or double stack magazines that have
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#17327906689234940-482: The Internal Locking System (ILS) safety feature named Glock Safety Lock. The ILS is a manually activated lock located in the back of the pistol's grip. It is cylindrical in design and, according to Glock, each key is unique. When activated, the lock causes a tab to protrude from the rear of the grip, giving both a visual and tactile indication as to whether the lock is engaged or not. When activated,
5035-797: The R9GSP trials. The French Armed Forces (FAF) in 2020 began replacing their MAC Mle 1950 and, to a lesser extent, their PAMAS G1 pistols with Glock 17 Gen 5 models specifically made for the FAF. The French preferred the Glock 17 Gen 5 over the HS2000 and CZ P-10 offerings that also made it to the final selection phase. Glock has updated its basic design several times throughout its production history. The first-generation (Gen 1) Glock pistols are most notably recognized by their smoother "pebble finish" grip and finger groove-less frames. The Gen 1 frame pattern and design
5130-533: The RTF2 version, including the 17, 31, 32, 23, 21, and 19. Some of those did not have the fish gills. At the 2010 SHOT Show , Glock presented the "fourth generation", now dubbed "Gen4" by Glock itself. Updates centered on ergonomics and the recoil spring assembly. The initial two fourth-generation models announced were the full-sized Glock 17 and Glock 22, chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum and .40 S&W cartridges, respectively. The pistols were displayed with
5225-641: The US were from the AF000 series in January 1986, followed by AH000, AK000, and AL000. These early Glock (Gen 1) pistols (serial number prefix AF through AM) were also manufactured with a barrel that had a smaller overall diameter and thinner bore walls, later known as "pencil barrels". These early Glock 17 "pencil barrel" pistols are considered rare and highly desirable by Glock collectors. The barrels were later redesigned with thicker bore walls, and manufacturing continued to evolve and improve
5320-726: The United States alone. Starting in 2013, the British Armed Forces began replacing the Browning Hi-Power pistol with the Glock 17 Gen 4, due to concerns about weight and the external safety of the Hi-Power. The British preferred the Glock 17 Gen 4 over the Beretta Px4 Storm , FN FNP , Heckler & Koch P30 , SIG Sauer P226 , Smith & Wesson M&P , and Steyr M 9A1 of which 19 pistols each, all chambered in 9×19 mm Parabellum, were entered in
5415-560: The United States in 1985 failed to meet the BATF import "points" requirement, requiring Glock to quickly develop an adjustable rear sight which allowed for the pistols to be imported and sold commercially in 1986. It is believed that Glock designed and created this adjustable rear sight over a weekend in order to meet the ATF's importation requirements, and so it was dubbed the "weekend" sight. These first-generation adjustable rear sights extended past
5510-565: The United States. In actuality, 84% of the gun's weight is from steel, and Polymer 2 is visible to X-ray machines. The myth's prevalence is believed to be connected to a scene that perpetuated the myth in Die Hard 2 , which released a few years after the Glock was invented. In 1988, the Undetectable Firearms Act was passed in the United States, banning the manufacture or import of any gun that could pass undetected through
5605-527: The barrel, slide, frame, magazine, and recoil-spring assembly. The firearm is designed for the NATO-standard 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, but can use high-power (increased pressure) +P ammunition with either full-metal-jacket or jacketed hollow-point projectiles. The hammer-forged barrel has a female type polygonal rifling with a right-hand twist. The stabilization of the round is not by conventional rifling , using lands and grooves, but rather through
5700-491: The combustion gases trapped behind the bullet, slightly greater (consistency in) muzzle velocities, and increased accuracy and ease of maintenance. The newer lines of Glock pistols—i.e. Gen5, G42/43—are equipped with the Glock Marksmanship Barrel , or GMB. While older barrels were somewhat difficult to identify a bullet as coming from a particular barrel with high enough reliability for evidentiary use,
5795-697: The concept on small arms , believing that polygonal rifling could be used to create a more accurate rifled musket to replace the Pattern 1853 Enfield . During the American Civil War , Whitworth's polygonally rifled Whitworth rifle was successfully used by the Confederate States Army marksmen (known as the Whitworth Sharpshooters ) to terrorize Union Army artillery crews. The muzzle-loading Whitworth rifle
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#17327906689235890-420: The design of Glock pistols. Many of the first-generation Glocks were shipped and sold in the iconic " Tupperware " style plastic boxes. The earliest Glock boxes had ammunition storage compartments that allowed for 17 rounds of 9mm to be stored with the pistol. This box design was later changed by Glock to meet BATF import requirements, and the ammunition storage compartments were removed. A mid-life upgrade to
5985-469: The drag of bullet jackets on that same surface. Thus, the bore surface of individual firearms is always unique. Glock pistol Glock ( German: [ˈglɔk] ; stylized as GLOCK ) is a brand of polymer - framed , short-recoil -operated, striker-fired , locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H . The firearm entered Austrian military and police service in 1982 after becoming
6080-575: The erosive Cordite proved too much for the smooth and shallow Metford rifling, which had been designed to reduce barrel fouling for black powder ammunition. When the Metford rifling design was dropped, the Lee–Metford became the Lee–Enfield rifle in favour of Enfield type rifling, which was deep-grooved for longer service life. Lee Navy shared the same fate since Rifleite adopted for 6 mm Lee Navy
6175-433: The firing pin to fire the cartridge. The connector resets the trigger bar so that the firing pin will be captured in half-cock at the end of the firing cycle. This is known as a preset trigger mechanism, referred to as the "Safe action" trigger by the manufacturer. The connector ensures the pistol can only fire semiautomatically. The factory-standard, two-stage trigger has a trigger travel of 12.5 mm (0.49 in) and
6270-562: The importation of all HK SR9s on April 6, 1998 because they could accept a standard capacity magazine. There were a total of 125 TCs. Initially, 25 were made in response to requests for an SR9T with the PSG1 buttstock. H&K did not have these in their catalog. The next year, HK added the SR9TC to their catalog and imported 100 guns. They were marked "TC" in Virginia as were the SR9Ts. In 1989,
6365-429: The longer cross pin needed to mount the medium or large backstrap that will increase the trigger distance by 2 mm (0.079 in) or 4 mm (0.16 in). With the medium backstrap installed, the grip size is identical to the third-generation pistols. The magazine release catches are enlarged and reversible for left-handed use. To use the exchangeable magazine release feature, fourth-generation Glock magazines have
6460-476: The newer GMB ones are designed differently. A study by Stephen Christen and Hans Rudolf Jordi, published by Forensic Science International in February 2019, shows that the new GMB barrels leave more identifiably unique markings on the fired projectile. These marks were more easily identified than previous pistol barrel markings, and were sufficient for reliably tying a bullet to a particular barrel. The study used
6555-526: The outbreak of the war. The process addressed the need to produce large quantities of more durable gun barrels in less time than those produced with traditional methods, as the MG 42's infamously fast rate of fire tended to overheat the barrel quickly and thus warranted frequent barrel changes. The MG 42's successor, the Rheinmetall MG 3 machine gun, can also have polygonal rifling. Heckler & Koch
6650-493: The pistol to be fired immediately after being submerged in water. They feature additional openings that allow liquids to flow and escape around them, offering enhanced reliability when water has penetrated into the firing pin assembly channel. Magazine floor plates (or +2 baseplates), which expand the capacity of the standard magazines by two rounds, are available for models chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum, .45 GAP, .40 S&W, .357 SIG , and .380 ACP cartridges. In addition to
6745-453: The polygonal barrel was proposed in 1853 by Sir Joseph Whitworth , a prominent British engineer and entrepreneur. Whitworth experimented with cannons using twisted hexagonal barrels instead of traditional round rifled barrels and patented the design in 1854. In 1856, this concept was demonstrated in a series of experiments using brass howitzers . The British military, however, rejected Whitworth's polygonal designs. Afterwards, Whitworth adopted
6840-507: The reach of custom gunsmiths (unless they buy pre-rifled blanks), and so are generally only used for production barrels by large companies. The main advantage of a hammer forging process is that it can rifle, chamber, and contour a bored barrel blank in one step. First applied to rifling in Germany in 1939, hammer forging has remained popular in Europe but was only later used by gunmakers in
6935-452: The rifling into the bore, the hammer forging process involves beating a slowly rotating mandrel through the bore to obtain the hexagonal or octagonal shape. As a result, the barrel's thickness in the area of each groove is not compromised as with conventional square-cut barrels. This has the advantage of providing a better gas seal behind the projectile as the bore has a slightly smaller diameter, which translates into more efficient use of
7030-434: The salt bath nitriding Tenifer process to a not exactly disclosed gas nitriding process. After applying the nitriding process, a black Parkerized decorative surface finish is applied. The underlying nitriding treatment will remain, protecting these parts even if the decorative surface finish were to wear off. A fourth generation Glock 17 consists of 34 parts. For maintenance, the pistol disassembles into five main groups:
7125-552: The second stage to fire a shot. The Glock's frame, magazine body, and several other components are made from a high-strength nylon-based polymer invented by Gaston Glock, called Polymer 2. This plastic was specially formulated to provide increased durability and is more resilient than carbon steel and most steel alloys . Polymer 2 is resistant to shock, caustic liquids , and temperature extremes where traditional steel/alloy frames would warp and become brittle. The injection-molded frame contains four hardened steel guide rails for
7220-418: The slide about 3 mm (0.12 in) until the bullet leaves the barrel and chamber pressure drops to a safe level. A ramped lug extension at the base of the barrel then interacts with a tapered locking block integrated into the frame, forcing the barrel down and unlocking it from the slide. This camming action terminates the barrel's movement while the slide continues back under recoil, extracting and ejecting
7315-466: The slide and magazine release. For example, the subcompact Glock 26 will accept magazines from both the full-size Glock 17 and the compact Glock 19, but the Glock 17 will not accept magazines from the smaller Glock 19 or the Glock 26. The magazines for the Glock 36, the Glock 42, the Glock 43, and the Glock 44 are all unique; they cannot use magazines intended for another model, nor can their magazines be used in other models. The first Glock pistols sent to
7410-457: The slide and were susceptible to breaking. Even on later models, the front sight can easily become misshapen from friction against the holster, leading to replacements with metal sights, or tritium illuminated night sights. More commonly today, the Glock 17 has a fixed polymer combat-type sighting arrangement that consists of a ramped front sight and a notched rear sight with white contrast elements painted on for increased acquisition speed –
7505-520: The slide stop. The slide stop release lever is located on the left side of the frame directly beneath the slide and can be manipulated by the thumb of the right-handed shooter. Glock magazines are interchangeable between models of the same caliber, meaning that a compact or subcompact pistol will accept magazines designed for the larger pistols chambered for the same round. However, magazines designed for compact and subcompact models will not function in larger pistols because they are not tall enough to reach
7600-428: The slide: two at the rear of the frame, and the remaining pair above and in front of the trigger guard. The trigger guard itself is squared off at the front and checkered. The grip has an angle of 109° and a nonslip, stippled surface on the sides and both the front and rear straps. The frame houses the locking block, which is an investment casting that engages a 45° camming surface on the barrel's lower camming lug. It
7695-482: The spent cartridge casing. The slide's uninterrupted rearward movement and counter-recoil cycle are characteristic of the Browning system. Glock pistols incorporate a number of features intended to enhance reliability in adverse conditions, such as utilizing advanced metal coatings, "stub" slide guides instead of true frame rails, and an unusual cocking mechanism wherein the trigger is partially responsible for cocking
7790-518: The standard nonadjustable polymer sight line, three alternative sight lines are offered by Glock. These consist of steel, adjustable, and self-illuminating tritium night rear sights and factory steel and self-illuminating tritium contrast pointer steel front sights. The Glock 17 along with many variants can accept pistol conversion kits, with one such example being the FAB-Defense KPOS Scout. They can also accept special stocks like
7885-407: The striker. By relying partially on force from the shooter's trigger finger to cock the striker, a Glock effectively reduces the load on the recoil spring as the slide moves forward into battery, whereas almost all other striker-fired pistols on the market rely fully on the recoil spring to cock the striker. The slide features a spring-loaded claw extractor , and the stamped sheet metal ejector
7980-498: The tactical light using an invisible infrared light and laser sight is available, designed to be used with an infrared night vision device . Another lighting accessory is an adapter to mount a flashlight onto the bottom of a magazine. Polymer holsters in various configurations and matching magazine pouches are available. In addition, Glock produces optional triggers, recoil springs, slide stops, magazine release levers, and maritime spring cups. Maritime spring cups are designed to allow
8075-402: The time his first pistol, the Glock 17, was being prototyped . Glock had extensive experience in advanced synthetic polymers , which was instrumental in the company's design of the first commercially successful line of pistols with a polymer frame. Glock introduced ferritic nitrocarburizing into the firearms industry as an anticorrosion surface treatment for metal gun parts. In 1980,
8170-524: The top performer in reliability and safety tests. Glock pistols have become the company's most profitable line of products, and have been supplied to national armed forces, security agencies, and police forces in at least 48 countries. Glocks are also popular firearms among civilians for recreational and competition shooting , home- and self-defense, both in concealed or open carry . The company's founder and head engineer, Gaston Glock (1929–2023), had no experience with firearms design or manufacture at
8265-459: The trigger bar's standard coil spring. This trigger modification is available in two versions: NY1 and NY2 that are rated at 25 N (5.6 lb f ) to 40 N (9.0 lb f ) and 32 N (7.2 lb f ) to 50 N (11.2 lb f ), respectively, which require about 20 N (4.5 lb f ) to 30 N (6.7 lb f ) of force to disengage the safeties and another 10 N (2.2 lb f ) to 20 N (4.5 lb f ) in
8360-429: The trigger is actuated and the safety is pushed up through the backward movement of the trigger bar. The drop safety guides the trigger bar in a ramp that is released only when direct rearward pressure is applied to the trigger. The three safety mechanisms are automatically disengaged one after the other when the trigger is squeezed, and are automatically reactivated when the trigger is released. In 2003, Glock announced
8455-476: Was also referred to as the "Orion". Soon, H&K switched to black stocks. Right after the black stock guns were brought in, H&K also included a standard 91 stock set along with the SR9 thumbhole mounted stock set. Then the "T" and "TC" models got in, even though they had pistol grips. They got exempted as they were then thought of as target rifles of the currently allowed SR9 series. President Bill Clinton halted
8550-413: Was also required to put a spot weld over the end cap detent because the ATF considered the hole to be a bayonet lug. This prevented addition of the bayonet. The HK911 did have the standard HK91 threaded barrel but this was covered by a pinned thread hider/cover. The HK911 eventually turned into the SR9 in 1990 which had the new 20-inch polygonal barrel. The first SR9s imported had wood grain stocks. The SR9
8645-683: Was analogous to Cordite. However, the Arisakas were manufactured extensively for the Imperial Japanese Army from 1897 to 1945 with no excessive rifling erosion problems, as the Japanese had adopted a better, non-erosive, rifle powder. During World War II , polygonal rifling emerged again in the German MG 42 general-purpose machine guns , as an outgrowth of a cold-hammer forging process developed by German engineers prior to
8740-405: Was done at H&K USA. Polygonal rifling Polygonal rifling ( / p ə ˈ l ɪ ɡ ə n əl / pə- LIG -ə-nəl ) is a type of gun barrel rifling where the traditional sharp-edged "lands and grooves" are replaced by less pronounced "hills and valleys", so the barrel bore has a polygonal (usually hexagonal or octagonal ) cross-sectional profile. Polygonal riflings with
8835-571: Was slightly modified, changing the floorplate and fitting the follower spring with a resistance insert at its base. In 1998, the frame was further modified with an accessory rail (called the "Universal Glock rail") similar to a Picatinny rail to allow the mounting of laser sights , tactical lights , and other accessories. Thumb rests on both sides of the frame and finger grooves on the front strap were added. Glock pistols with these upgrades are informally referred to as (early) "third-generation" models. Later third-generation models additionally featured
8930-536: Was the first manufacturer to begin using polygonal rifling in modern small arms like the G3A3 battle rifle and several semi-automatic hunting rifles like the HK SL7 . Companies that utilize this method today include Tanfoglio , Heckler & Koch, Glock (Gen 1-4), Magnum Research , Česká Zbrojovka , Kahr Arms , Walther and Israel Weapon Industries . Polygonal rifling is usually found only in pistol barrels, and
9025-438: Was used by Glock from 1982 through 1988 and pre-dates the checkered grip patterns used in the second generation of Glock pistols. The first Glock 17s imported to the US were serialized with an alphanumeric (two-letter prefix followed by three numbers) stamped into the slide, barrel, and a small metal plate inserted into the bottom side of the polymer frame. The first documented Glock 17s (by serial number) imported into
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