I’m not a Glock guy and it’s not likely I’ll ever own one, but Glock<\/a> (a book by Paul M. Barrett about Gaston Glock and the pistols that carry his name) sure is an interesting read.<\/p>\n Gaston Glock surprised everyone when he submitted a bid with a new design for a military handgun.\u00a0 He surprised people even more when he won the competition, and then he (and the company that bears his name) were on their way.\u00a0 Glock ran a small-potatoes company in Austria that made automobile radiators.\u00a0 \u00a0He knew nothing about firearms and military contracts.\u00a0 Maybe that was his advantage.\u00a0 Glock started with a clean sheet of paper, both for the gun’s design and his approach to market.<\/p>\n Barrett tells an interesting story about how Glock employed unorthodox marketing practices (practices involving a former porn princess and lots of\u00a0 company freebies) to become one of the most successful arms manufacturers on the planet.\u00a0 It really is a fascinating story.\u00a0 Corporate shenanigans, arms deals, palace intrigue, an attempt on Gaston Glock’s life, police shootouts, and more:\u00a0 Glock<\/a> has it all.<\/p>\n I’ve shot Glocks (I have friends who own them).\u00a0 I get that they are inexpensive and reliable.\u00a0 I don’t like striker-fired (i.e., hammerless) trigger pulls and I’m not a big fan of Tupperware guns (even though my primary carry gun is a Tupperware Smith and Wesson), but I understand the reasons behind Glock’s success, and I understand those reasons even better now that I’ve read Barrett’s book.\u00a0 Trust me on this:\u00a0 If you’re interested in firearms and you want a good read, look no further than Glock<\/a>.\u00a0 You can thank me later.<\/p>\n Never miss an ExNotes blog:<\/p>\n
\n
\n