Glock Date Code
Glock Austria vs. Glock USA made Pistols1/9/2018 Throughout the market we are seeing Glock pistols manufactured in both the United States, as well as, Austria. Of course, that presents a question many ask themselves, is one better than the other? How do you determine whether your pistol is made in Austria or the US? We will take a look at both of these questions. On the 6th of December of 2017, I had the opportunity to visit Glock in Smyrna, GA and go through the factory. I learned many interesting facts that relate to these questions. The answer in quality difference between the two is quite simple. Absolutely nothing! There are many reasons for this. The Glock USA pistols have American made frame, slide and barrel. The rest of the components come from Austria. All materials for manufacturing the frame, slide and barrels come from Austria and shipped to the US facility. There are no material procurements in the US. Glock Austria keeps 100% quality control of every aspect of production. Another interesting note, Glock manufactures in-house every single component of the pistol down to springs and pins. All tooling, molds, fixtures, gauging, etc is manufactured in-house in Austria. This allows Glock a unique opportunity most US manufacturers do not exercise. Most US gun manufacturers manufacture certain components in-house but subcontract out others. They may also send parts outside to get heat treated, finish or any other coatings. Whereas, Glock has 100% control. As far as process in manufacturing in the US, it is absolutely identical. All CNC machines come from Austria and have been programmed by the same people who do it in Austria. Even the concrete floors in the US facility are identical to the Austrian plant. The US hammer forge barrel machines also come from Austria. The mold machines manufacture both frames as well as the polymer Glock gun cases the pistols are received in. Those cases would be too expensive and bulky to ship from Austria. To assure ability to produce without interruption, Glock USA keeps one year worth of production materials (steel, polymer manufacturing materials and so on) on hand. The guns production capacity of US made guns were up to 10,000 per week (3 shifts running 7 days a week). The Austrian made guns come disassembled and are assembled and test fired in the US facility. Glock USA has about 25% of the production capability as the Austrian plant. The American facility employs over 400 people. As of December of 2017, The American Glock plant is running at 65% capacity with their most popular model being the Glock 19. In Austria, Glock has two different facilities, one deals with metal components and the other deals with the polymer components. All research and development are conducted in Austria. There is no model shop in the USA facility. All Glock models can be manufactured in the USA facility. But 100% of the G42 (380 Auto) pistols are made in the US due to ATF import regulations. The 380 Auto caliber Glock pistols do not meet the importation points to be imported into the US. The test firing procedures at Glock USA is quite interesting. Each pistol is tested with 2 proof cartridges and 5 standard cartridges. The pistols are inspected before and again after test firing. The fixture is fully automated. The pistol with the loaded magazine and slide open are dropped into a fixture. The fixture is closed, securing the firearm. The tester pulls the slide to the rear to chamber a round. Now a bullet proof clear door closes protecting the tester. The tester pushes a button and the pistol shoots all ammo to lock back. Every pistol does this process. Additionally torture testing can be done this way as well. The pistols are tested for accuracy and sight alignment during this process. The range used is 25 meters. The testing facility is top of the line with constant air circulation and filtration system. Glock USA is housed in several buildings on Highlands Parkway in Smyrna, Georgia. The headquarters at 6000 Highlands Parkway is the original facility that was bought by Mr. Glock in the early 80's. Originally, it was set up to assemble and test fire pistols and to distribute. In fact the operation was quite small at that time and he leased parts of the building out to other companies. As production grew, and when the tenants contracts were up, Glock would expand until the building was full. Today the original building is mostly administrative. The manufacturing facility is right behind the original building. Down the road you have Glock Professional which is the training facility. Here there is a state of the art range and classroom for armorer and operator classes. Down the road from that you have a facility that deals with web store and media including a large photo studio and broadcasting room. There is also a building that houses Glock Medical, which manufactures products for the medical industry. Identification of Austrian or American made pistols is quite easy. As previously stated the only components manufactured in the US are the frame, barrel and slide. The rest of the components come from Austria. On the frame of an American made pistol, the right side will say 'MADE IN USA, GLOCK INC SMYRNA GA'. In front of the slide lock you will see the Georgia proof mark which is the shape of the state of Georgia with a P in the center. On the slide of an American made pistol has on the right side behind the extractor the Georgia proof mark. On the left side it will be marked US instead of AUSTRIA. The barrel will be marked differently as well. The American pistols will not have the 5 sided proof mark from Austria but a football shaped proof mark with 3D in the center. Also on top of the barrel hood you will find the Georgia proof mark and it was say US. Hopefully this will shed some light on the Austria vs. US guns. There is not one better than the other. They are made from the same machines and with the same materials, and strict standards that Glock has set forth in both facilities with 100% quality control. 1/9/2018 07:53:51 am Well, that was informative. I've always had this inner desire for my first Glock to be Austrian made because I figured they'd do it best (and Ahhnald Schwarzenegger). I guess now I can feel assured that an American made Glock is just as good. Thanks again, Mr. Bartocci. 5/28/2019 07:17:56 pm Well if you buy in CA, you won't get a USA made piece. I have a G22 Gen3 made in Austria. The USA made Glock is not available for sale in California. 1/9/2018 09:18:29 am Wow that awesome love learning more about glocks 5/7/2018 01:21:51 pm Very informative article, thanks! I own several Austrian made Glocks and just purchased my first USA made Glock 26 Gen 5. On inspection it has a very high quality build. When I first picked it up it took me a while to realize the USA stampings, otherwise I would have thought it was Austrian made. This article makes me feel even more comfortable in my choice. 6/6/2018 02:05:34 am Well think have figured out where the quality for the Austrian Glocks vs the US would matter and have a key impact on the overall quality of the handguns...it might be the sub-contracting of the other parts of the pistol to other 3rd party part contractors that the US glock are practicing, wilst the overall in-house parts construction of the Austrian ones...its way easier to manage, control and check anything that are built in-house and with the same set of work culture as oppose to the other alternative though, that is my humble opinion only, just my two cents, not instigating anything negative here okay. Cheers yall! Peace out! 6/12/2018 01:10:48 pm Got a made in USA yesterday it's a gen 5 19. The fit and finish seems quite better? Didn't notice it was madein US till today. I owned both and I'm speaking the US pistol is nicer! 6/16/2018 11:03:57 pm Simple analogy, I would rather by a 1911 pistol from the US than buying it from other contries. 2/14/2020 12:53:07 pm You are right, Glock is something very specialized in Austria. 6/17/2018 08:48:09 am I wonder what has changed with Gen 5's? Also, looking through all my glocks I see AT 5 on the bbl hood as well as the football shape with 3D in it but no US or Austria. Almost like Austria made gun with US bbl? 8/2/2018 03:05:13 pm Thanks for the article! I am about to buy my first Glock which will be a Glock 26 Gen 5. The place I am buying them from have both made in USA and Austrian models. I didn’t know the difference and neither did they when asked. I put off buying one until I could find more information and appreciate what you have written. 8/17/2018 07:05:12 am The USA glocks are rougher and not as much quality as Austria. I can pick them up without looking and work the action and take the mag out and in and tell you where they come from. Just not as smooth as the Austrian made ones. 8/23/2018 06:27:52 am Well Jake you couldn't be any wronger about USA Glock pistols. I've owned three gen 5 19's. The 1st one got returned to Glock because it was defective, Glock replaced it. One day i was at the gun store and looked at the third gen 5 19, the fit and finish was totally different and I purchased it a USA made pistol. End of story. 9/6/2018 07:21:43 am No, you've had your experience with USA and I've had mine. You had one defective, well shouldn't that tell you they are not 'perfection.' You are basing your comments on one situation, I've been to a dozen gun stores and the dealers know that the USA guns are inferior. I have five glocks myself, one USA; the one that is rough and will be for sale. 3/30/2019 03:21:52 pm Agreed, on paper, they are the same but when you handle them, detail oriented people can make out difference: USA made had the roll mark on the slide not as nice as the AUSTRIA roll mark. I have seen a few polymer molding marks/imperfection marks, all on USA made. I also remember when the USA made Gen 4 started rolling out, the high round count ones I have seen definetly have a less-than-desireable finish comparted to AU. PLAY IT SAFE, GET AN AUSTRIAN ONE 10/28/2018 09:41:51 pm Jake Black, I see none of what you say you observe in my new Georgia-made 43. The fit, finish, and function is nothing but first rate Glock, while my Austria-made Gen 5 19, for example, had teething problems and I eventually went to a 3rd party barrel (Wheaton Arms) to fix it. 12/30/2018 09:31:59 am I have an Austrian G19. I have had it classified. As a Gen 1 by a pawn shop. Another guy that is supposed to be a gun expert said late model Gen 1.the two prefix letters on my serial number are EY which indicates manufacture date of Jan 87. I texted Glock with it for identification. I also called it in. The text came back and said Gen 1. The phone guy said import date of March 89 .He said that makes it a Gen 2.i texted back and said I was confused. He said look at the handle .It is Gen 2 style with the Austrian marks except it says Smyrna. I am not an expert but I was able to identify Gen 1 interior parts. Could it be a Gen 1 that awaited export to another country that didn't buy it so later during a shortage in the US it was fitted with the Gen 2 style handle and sent? I also saw a generation comparison video that showed my gun and said it was a late model Gen 1. Can anyone give me any info? 1/17/2019 06:50:05 am I just bought a 43 USA model and is my first glock. Im very impressed with the buold quality. Im gettimg another fpr my wife to carry but made in Austria. Im curious if there is a difference will post soon as i do. 1/20/2019 05:05:01 pm I just bought a gen3. The frame says made in Austria with glock inc. Smyrna ga. The slide says made in Austria and the barrel says AT. It does not have the Austrian proof marks on the frame though. 6/21/2019 11:49:47 pm Same with mine. Gen 3 that I purchased in CA, but it has all along with the AT the circled 3D on the hood, contrary to the article? 3/17/2019 03:09:29 pm How can I find out the manufacture date of my Glock 43? (Made at Smyrna, GA plant) 7/10/2019 12:34:00 pm I’ve owned 3 Glocks, the most recent purchase being a G42, the little 380. Since the 1968 law prohibits certain mouse guns from importation into the US, the G42 is made in USA. However, because the government says “no”, now I want an Austrian made G42, how can it be done, legally, ??? 7/22/2019 08:38:34 pm Regarding 'Made in USA,' I have worked for various U.S. companies for decades, in a field requiring strict tolerances, and, in my experience, quality is always boasted-of, but in reality, behind the scenes, it's always production speed that's pushed, not quality or tight tolerances. Glock may be different, but personally, I'd rather buy a Glock made - completely - in Austria. 12/8/2019 11:13:14 am Why aren't the G 25 &G 28 made in the US, to bypass the BATFE rules on imports so the 'Deplorables' may buy them? Chuck 1/11/2020 05:05:33 am I bought one of the first Glocks to come into the USA. A model 17 with a serial number DH followed by 3 numbers. That purchase was 1988. I carried it every day in the Detective Bureau until I retired in 1997. It also saw service as my primary weapon when I went to the Special Investigations Unit. I also was one of the primary department firearms instructors. The department issued a Sig P226. I was insturmental in the transitional training for over 400 Police Officers from the area, when we went from revolvers to semi autos in 1991. Since my rank allowed me to carry what I chose, I carried the superior Glock. My Glock 17 has a round count that I can not even begin to guess. It is my home protection primary weapon and my favorite 'hey, lets go punch holes in paper' weapon. It has been inspected just this year by a factory trained Glock rep and the gun shows ZERO indications of wear. 1/31/2020 10:10:52 am I have a 17L and a 21c both made in Austria. 5/4/2020 08:20:22 pm I have four Glocks three Australian and a new 17 gen 4 USA model, I’m finding that the USA model seems to be slightly off and the tolerances seem off, the weapon functions fine but removing and installing the pins or removing and installing the trigger and the firing pin the tolerances seem off they’re tight in someway nothing like I have experience with my other three Glocks, the Disassemble and reassemble of my Australian Glocks is fine can this be explained. 6/6/2020 11:32:29 pm Sorry to break it to yah, but they don't make any Glocks in Australia. They do, however, manufacturer them in Austria and the United States 6/12/2020 09:11:37 am Thanks for this article. As I read other articles and comments from other sources, I got the impression that the Glock 19 that I Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Leave a Reply. |
Look through the free shipping codes and pricing information of all Hunting retailers at hotdeals.com. Apart from Glock Store free shipping codes, you can take Glock Store other offers and prices into consideration. You can get more information about other discounts in Glock Store from here. The GLOCK 26 fires the popular 9mm Luger cartridge with minimum recoil and more on-target accuracy. Buy now from an authorized firearm dealer today. GLOCK Perfection - official website of GLOCK Ges.m.b.H - leading pistol manufacturer.
- Glock barrels used to or may have (I don’t know if any that still do but there may be) Proof Marks that included a 3 letter date code next to the pentagon. They’re a pain to remember how to read, I’ll post the code later. Since they’re not on all barrels the serial number is the better source.
- GlockStore Promo Code and Coupon September 2020. 100% Success; share; GET CODE. 234 Used Today. 20% OFF COUPON. 20% Discount on Any Order. 20% Off Nightstick Weapon Light. Search for your favorites styles at Glock Store and add them to your shopping cart and, this is the perfect time to save your money. Just feel free to receive: '10% off.
Glock Serial (Barrel) Number Lookup
About Glock Handguns
Glock handguns are semi-automatic pistols with polymer frames, which are plastic frames. This makes them light weight and easy to carry around. They also have short recoil when you shoot them, which means they are easier to aim for better accuracy. Since it is semi-automatic, that means the gun will fire a round each time you pull the trigger. That way you don’t have to worry about cocking back a hammer or anything like that. You just repeatedly pull the trigger if you want to fire multiple rounds. When you combine this convenience with all the other aspects of the weapon, it explains why the Glock is a favorite amongst pistol lovers.
The Glock is manufactured by Glock Ges.m.b.H., which is an Austrian weapons manufacturer. The person who started the company was a man named Gaston Glock. Surprisingly, Gaston had no experience in designing or manufacturing firearms when he started his company. His area of expertise was in advanced synthetic polymers. Gaston used his knowledge about polymers to create the frames of the Glock weapon. After the Glock firearms were manufactured, they were first used by Austrian police and military officials in 1982. The Glocks worked well for these officials and they continue to use them to this day.
The controversy with the Glocks came when they were being introduced to the public marketplace. Many critics were worried about the “plastic gun” aspect of the Glock. One complaint was that the plastic makes the Glock less durable and reliable than a metal gun. But an even bigger concern was how a plastic gun could become undetectable if someone carries it through a metal detector, like at a courthouse or an airport. For this reason, most Glocks are made with steel sliders in order to make them detectable.
Glocks are the most popular pistol in the United States. They sell more than any other pistol. People like to use them for both recreation and self defense. The majority of those who have a permit to carry a concealed weapon will likely have a Glock because of its light weight and reliability. However, these guns don’t just sell to civilians who are looking to defend themselves or shoot at targets for sport. Statistics show that 65% of law enforcement agencies in the United States issue Glocks to their police officers. These agencies include local law enforcement and federal agencies, like the DEA and FBI.
Glock Serial (Barrel) Number Lookup
Glock Serial Number Lookup
I have received many letters when I launched Remington Serial Number Lookup. Readers asked if it’s possible to make Glock Serial (Barrel) Number Lookup to check the production date automatically.
Check production date of your Glock handgun using automatic Glock Serial (Barrel) Number Lookup. It will decode three letters from the barrel of your handgun.
Don’t enter serial number, enter serial number from barrel.
Please see following picture to locate the Glock serial (barrel) number:
Glock Serial (Barrel) Number Lookup will work with any Glock pistol:
Glock Serial (Barrel) Number Lookup basesd on information from The Gun Digest Book Of The Glock. It enables you to check production date of a glock using the serial number from the barrel.
Glock Date Code List
Related Post: