Coronavirus in Austria: locals are actively buying weapons

Humanity has always gravitated towards a compact but powerful version of personal weapons, which, in fact, became the glock 17 pistol, created by the Austrian company of the same name. However, his active participation in Hollywood projects made him legendary, which affected arms sales around the world. Various modifications are still used by the police and intelligence services of NATO countries.

Today we will talk about the founder of this line, the model under the index 17, which included only 34 parts, so a trained fighter could disassemble it without any effort in less than one minute. The weapon is small in size, light in weight, and also practical, because it has the ability to fire underwater.

Appearance of the classic version of the Glock pistol under index 17

The history of the creation and development of the Glock pistol

When World War II ended and Austria became an independent state, its newly created army was equipped with pre-war pistols - the Walther P38 and the Colt M1911A1. The police had a worse situation: they received a model produced in the 20s - a Walther PP. However, Austria did not fight with anyone and maintained strict neutrality in the Cold War, so they started thinking about modernization only in 1980, when the state organized a competition to create a new pistol that would be available to both police and military personnel.

The new version of the service weapon had to meet the requirements issued by the country's military ministry:

• 9×19 mm Parabellum cartridges;
• the minimum number of cartridges in the magazine is 8 units;
• the gun must be safe, so even if dropped from a height of 2 meters there should not be a spontaneous shot;
• for every thousand shots there should be only 2 misfires;
• interchangeability of parts.

The Glock met or exceeded all of these requirements.

Design of the Glock 17 pistol. As mentioned, only 34 parts

There was a lot of competition, and few expected that the tiny Austrian company, founded back in 1963 under the name Glock, would win. However, she has been involved in this project since 1970, which allowed her to present the optimal version of an automatic pistol. I was also captivated by the fact that the model from this company, with its high specifications, was 25% cheaper than its competitors. As a result, Glock easily outperformed its competitors, and already in 1983 it was adopted by the Austrian army and police.

However, perhaps if the pistol had been used only in Austria, it would have remained a locally successful option. However, the fact is that the Glock is almost entirely made of high-strength and heat-resistant plastic, so it was used by the screenwriters in the movie “Die Hard 2”. After which these weapons began to be shown in almost all films that were in one way or another related to shootings, which had a very good effect on sales and the overall popularity of the model.

In addition, another surge in popularity was that it began to be used in computer tactical shooters. To this day, Glock remains the symbol of the legendary computer game Counter-Strike.

Europe is hit by a second wave of coronavirus

With the arrival of autumn, the number of new cases of coronavirus infection skyrocketed: by November, in many European countries, the daily increase was in the tens of thousands of cases. Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, more countries have reimposed numerous restrictions in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent the collapse of their healthcare systems.

Pistol design

Structurally, the Glock had several innovations that ultimately made it one of the most popular pistols in the world. First of all, the automation, which was built into the first model, has almost never changed, and all variations are just an increase in the magazine, caliber and barrel length. There is only one exception - the model under the index 18 - it is capable of firing at speeds of up to 1100 rounds per minute, so the internal parts of the sample were changed.

In addition, the automatic safety design is original: it, being combined with the trigger, is removed only when two components of the structure are pressed simultaneously. The clip release button is located on the left side of the pistol, just below the trigger guard. Despite the large magazine volume (in some modifications, such as the glock 20, there are 13 rounds), the weight still remains one of the smallest in the world. The trigger guard was specially enlarged so that it could be fired with both hands.

Shooting from a modified Glock pistol

Germany: soft lockdown

By the beginning of November, a new anti-record for the number of infections was set in Germany - the daily increase in those infected with SARS-CoV-2 exceeded 20 thousand. Trying to reduce it, the authorities introduced a soft lockdown on November 2. Chancellor Angela Merkel called on the country's residents to understand the need for the anti-epidemiological measures introduced. By mid-November, daily rates began to decline.

Principle of operation

The whole point of how a pistol automatic works is the recoil of the barrel with a short stroke. The designers decided to use the proven, but somewhat modernized Colt-Browning scheme. The essence of the operation of this system is as follows: a tide with an inclined groove is created under the breech of the barrel; it coincides with the guide protrusion of the frame. The Austrian designers made a groove at the required angle, which causes the moving barrel to decline and it disengages from the bolt-casing. After which it stops, as a result of which the shutter rolls back.

Austria: hard lockdown until December 6

In the fight against coronavirus, the Austrian authorities introduced a strict lockdown. From November 17 to December 6, leaving home is allowed only for certain reasons - for example, to visit grocery stores and pharmacies, travel to work, or to see a doctor. Walking and jogging are also allowed. All shops except supermarkets are closed, pharmacies, banks and gas stations will continue to operate.

Pistol Attachments

At the moment, there are two main additions to the Glock 17. The first is a sighting device, which is made of high-strength plastic and is installed in special transverse grooves, which we know as a “dovetail”. To fire in low light, the designers added a luminous dot to the front sight and a luminous frame to the rear sight. Since 1988, a special guide element has been installed on the glock, on which a tactical flashlight or laser-type pointer is attached.

Glock 34 with a laser pointer is one of the best modifications of this pistol

In addition, the weapon can be equipped with a silencer. However, only elite units receive this modification without using a glowing frame. There are, of course, custom additions that are made in an artisanal way, and always belong to the pneumatic versions of the weapon. The most popular option of these was the glock under the index 21.

Germany: Clubs and gyms closed, restaurants open only for takeaway

The soft or partial lockdown in Germany mainly affected the sphere of leisure and entertainment: clubs, discos, gyms and theaters are closed; restaurants, cafes and bars can only sell takeaway. Schools and kindergartens continue to operate. The restrictions are expected to remain in effect until the end of November.

Technical characteristics of the Glock 17 model

Performance characteristics of the first serial glock:

• Type: self-loading;
• Caliber - 9x19 mm Parabellum;
• Barrel length - 114 mm;
• Total length - 186 mm;
• Weight without clip - 0.625 kg;
• Weight with a full magazine - 0.905 kg;
• The standard number of rounds is 17, but can be increased to 33;
• The initial bullet speed is 375 meters per second;
• The maximum sighting range is 50 meters.

In general, in 1980, Glock was one of the best in terms of its characteristics.

Ukraine: the film industry and restaurant business are afraid of not surviving the weekend lockdown

The level of daily coronavirus infections in Ukraine by mid-November reached its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic, exceeding 12 thousand. The country has introduced a weekend lockdown: on Saturdays and Sundays, only grocery stores, pharmacies, transport and gas stations are open. Restaurants, bars and cafes can offer takeaway services. Restaurateurs, representatives of the film industry and the trade sector fear for their business.

Ammunition used

The Glock 17 uses the 9x19 mm Parabellum cartridge, which was developed back in 1902 by the legendary Austrian gunsmith Georg Luger, who used the projectile in his pistol of the same name. After the cartridge was adopted by the German Navy in 1904, it still remains relevant. At the moment, it is of interest not only to the NATO bloc, but also to the Russian Federation, whose gunsmiths are modifying the Parabellum.

The design of the ammunition is a shortened cartridge case from 7.65x21 mm Parabellum. So it is shaped not like a bottle, but like a cylinder. The energy of the bullet is enough to seriously injure a person, but not kill him. Therefore, Glock is used by police and intelligence agencies, who must stop the criminal and not lead to death. Of course, the cartridge will not be enough to penetrate the body armor, however, the resulting shock wave may well knock a person down.

Other ammunition:

1. Cartridge 10 mm Auto. It was developed specifically for FBI agents, had a caliber of 10.16 mm, was used in modifications under the index 20, 29, 40. It has great destructive power, as a result of which it was necessary to abandon the use of these cartridges when training cadets;
2. The .40 S&W cartridge is quite popular in the USA, created in 1990. The 10.16 mm caliber is essentially an analogue of the 10 mm Auto cartridge, with reduced bullet energy;
3. The Glock 21 used the .45 ACP cartridge, developed at the beginning of the 20th century by Browning. It is essentially an upgrade from the even older .45 Colt cartridge. Caliber 11.51 mm;
4. Another cartridge developed by Browning, the .380 ACP 9mm, was used in the Glock 25;
5. One of the current modifications, index 31, used the .357 SIG cartridge, developed in Switzerland, with a caliber of 9 mm.

Until now, Glock is being modernized for various ammunition, which confirms its relevance in the world of weapons.

Glock 19 with silencer

Demand for firearms training is growing

During the first lockdown this spring, Austrian gun stores sold more rifles and pistols than usual. And now the demand for courses on safe handling of weapons has also sharply increased, after completing which a corresponding certificate (Waffenfürerschein) is issued, which is necessary to obtain a license.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz paid tribute to the victims at the site of the terrorist attack in Vienna

“Certificates about the ability to handle weapons are selling like hot cakes,” Schweiger is pleased. It issues up to 40 such certificates a week - this is three to four times more than before. The influx of customers was also influenced by the recent high-profile terrorist attack: two weeks ago in the center of Vienna, a radical Islamist killed four people and was shot dead by the police.

“Since that attack, people have been coming to us endlessly,” admits Markus Schweiger, who, due to the coronavirus, is teaching courses online, with only exams taking place at his shooting range. According to him, in three weeks he earns a five-figure sum. “It’s going well,” Schweiger does not hide his satisfaction.

Glock pistol models

At the moment, the line has grown to enormous proportions, but we will list only the main models:

1. 17L is the very first modification of the main pistol, the only difference being the elongated barrel. Was created in 1988;
2. 18 - a specialized version for firing in bursts;
3. 19 is a more compact model. It has a shortened barrel of 102 mm (the original version was 114 mm). Until 1990, this modification had the Compact designation, which was eventually abandoned;
4. 20 - this sample is distinguished by the fact that it was created specifically for the 10 mm Auto cartridge, and also has an enlarged magazine and a built-in compensator;
5. 21 - It is often thought that this is a special Glock model for 45 caliber, however, the .45 ACP cartridge, contrary to its name, has a caliber of 11.51 mm. The clip is increased to 15 charges;
6. 22 is a model that was specially created to be used by the FBI. This version was created for the .40 S&W caliber. Created back in 1990, the model still remains relevant, and at the moment there is no news that they will change the service weapon in this US government agency;
7. 34 is one of the best modifications, which has an elongated barrel and has increased accuracy of fire. In fact, this model was created in Austria specifically in order to be exported. And now the US police are armed with it, in almost all its structures, as well as in Chile and Malaysia;
8. 39 is the penultimate Glock model, which is a shortened and smaller modification of it. In general, there is now a tendency to turn the Glock, which is already a small pistol, into some kind of “ladies’ weapon” of a completely miniature appearance.

Almost all options are goods for export, which are developed to order from other countries.

If you still have any questions, as well as suggestions for improving the quality of the material, feel free to express your opinion, because constructive criticism and good suggestions are very valuable to us!

Special forces soldier with a Glock pistol

Russia: anti-records in the number of infections and deaths

The daily increase in coronavirus infections in the Russian Federation exceeded 22 thousand by November. On November 17, the country recorded an anti-record mortality rate - 442 people died from the consequences of COVID-19 per day. Regions are having difficulty coping with the second wave: the media write that in some hospitals, beds and cots are placed in the corridors, patients do not have enough oxygen, and they have to wait for days for an ambulance.

Italy: hugging parents through a plastic curtain

Italy is among the ten countries most affected by the coronavirus. The number of infections since the start of the pandemic has exceeded one million. The country has been under a curfew since November. The territory of Italy is divided into three risk zones; in the “red zone” regions there is a partial lockdown. Many nursing homes are closed to visitors. One of them set up a room with plastic curtains so people could hug each other.

France: COVID-19 patients are sent for treatment to Germany

France has the fourth highest rate of coronavirus spread in the world. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1.9 million infections have been identified here. The country's healthcare system is overloaded, some patients are transported to Germany for treatment. There has been a lockdown in the country since the end of October. Residents are given one hour a day to go to the store, see a doctor, or take a walk within a radius of no more than one kilometer from their home.

Sweden: Coronavirus has become the third leading cause of death

In the first half of 2022, the consequences of coronavirus infection became the third leading cause of death in Sweden. About 10 percent of the total number of deaths in the country died from the consequences of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said in a report.