The Rise of the Glock: America’s Gun

In the early 1980s, a 50-year-old radiator manufacturer who’d never made a gun before was given the opportunity to make some for the Austrian army. His name was Gaston Glock, and the gun that bears his name has gained a ubiquitous presence both on-screen and in real-life crimes over the past 25 years. Made mostly of plastic and consisting fewer parts, the glock is lighter and easier to handle than other handguns –  making it “amateur-friendly.” Paul Barrett is the author of a new book that looks at the history and social significance of the glock called “Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun.”