Gaston Glock, the Austrian gun manufacturer who helped develop one of the most popular handguns in the world, died Wednesday at 94, according to Reuters. Austrian news outlet APA was the first to report the news.
Glock co-founded his company, Glock Ges.m.b.H., with his then-wife, Helga, in 1963, and it manufactured items such as military knives and grenade casings. It wasn't until the late 20th century that his company's name became widely associated with handguns—both among firearm enthusiasts and in pop culture—when the company designed and released its first pistol, the Glock 17.
At 52, Glock, an engineer, spearheaded the development of the Glock 17 as a response to the Austrian military's search for a new pistol for its service members in the early 1980s. At the time, Glock—both the man and the company—had no experience in designing firearms.
Glock's company patented the semi-automatic Glock 17 in 1981, and it was adopted by the Austrian military and police agencies the following year. It got its name because the handgun was the company's 17th patent.
From there, the gun built a reputation for its reliability, durability and unique-at-the-time polymer construction. By the early 21st century, the Glock's various models became the go-to service weapons for law enforcement agencies across the United States and around the world. Glock also entered the lexicon as shorthand for any type of handgun thanks to its extensive use in movies and TV shows and references in rap songs.
"Following this guiding principle, our founder, Gaston Glock not only revolutionized the world of small arms in the 1980s, but also succeeded in establishing the GLOCK brand as the global leader in the handgun industry," the company's website states. "His internationally renowned GLOCK Perfection stands for uncompromising quality and maximum customer satisfaction."
By 2021, Glock and his company were thought to be worth roughly $1.1 billion, according to Forbes. But as the reputation and popularity of Glock the brand grew, Glock the person stayed away from the spotlight.
In 1999, a close financial adviser who had been embezzling money from Glock hired a man to kill the then 70-year-old gun manufacturer. The would-be assassin wore a mask and attacked Glock in a parking garage with a rubber mallet when Glock had planned to confront his adviser, according to Forbes.
Glock fought off his 67-year-old attacker and knocked out some of the hitman's teeth. The attacker collapsed onto Glock, and the two were eventually found by police. The attacker and the financial adviser were convicted and jailed in the incident.
"I was fighting for my life," Glock told Forbes in a 2003 interview.
"The attack was the best thing that happened to me," he added. "Otherwise, I would have gone on trusting (the financial adviser)."
Glock and his first wife divorced in 2011 after 49 years of marriage. He married his second wife, Kathrin, that same year. He is survived by Kathrin, a daughter and two sons.
