Glock to Redesign Pistols as Lawsuits and Legislation Pile Up

One of many nation’s hottest handgun makers will quickly solely overhaul its industrial lineup of iconic pistols.

Glock confirmed on Tuesday that it’s getting ready to launch a brand new “V Collection” of pistols, meant to interchange a lot of the firm’s present fashions. The brand new collection, first anticipated to hit shops in December, will embrace up to date variations of a lot of the firm’s non-slimline compact pistols.

“As a part of Glock’s dedication to future improvements, we’re making mandatory updates to our product line to align with upcoming choices,” the corporate stated in a press release first obtained by USA Carry. “Our dedication continues to be with sustaining the very best stage of high quality, reliability, and accessibility that you simply count on from Glock. The Glock V Collection is right here to ascertain a baseline of merchandise whereas simplifying our processes.”

The announcement marks a major shift for a model identified for exceptional consistency in its handgun choices because it first emerged within the Nineteen Eighties.

It comes as Glock has more and more discovered itself within the crosshairs of progressive policymakers seeking to maintain Glock answerable for the rise in illegally modified handguns utilized in crime. The corporate is at the moment dealing with a minimum of 4 separate lawsuits filed by the states of New Jersey, Minnesota, and Maryland, in addition to metropolis officers from Chicago, Baltimore, and Seattle, that allege Glock pistols are designed to be simply modified with unlawful “switches” that flip a semi-automatic handgun into an computerized pistol. In the meantime, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D.) simply signed a first-of-its-kind invoice into legislation banning the long run sale of Glocks within the state over the identical allegations.

The change dangers buyer backlash if it’s perceived as the corporate caving to gun-control activists. Gun-rights activists and prospects almost drove Smith and Wesson into chapter 11 after it agreed to alter its gun designs as a part of a settlement with President Invoice Clinton in 2000. Glock may face the identical ire if gun house owners disapprove of its redesign or the circumstances surrounding it.

Glock didn’t reply to a request for remark from The Reload in search of affirmation of the Collection V rollout and its relationship to the swap challenge. Nonetheless, the assertion the corporate shared with USA Carry hinted at the truth that its new pistols can have a special inside design than the one at the moment driving scrutiny from gun-control advocates.

“Externally, the pistols stay the identical trusted look and efficiency you already know,” the corporate stated.

Rumors of the lineup change first started circulating on social media Monday following an Instagram put up from the retailer Glock Retailer. The put up claimed that “all Glocks are discontinued besides 43, 43X, 48X,” and will likely be changed by new “V Fashions” designed to forestall “swap conversions.” Different retailers quickly started reporting listening to related rumors.

In its personal assertion, Glock responded to these rumors with out confirming or denying their veracity.

“Yesterday, a retailer not affiliated with Glock Inc. made untimely statements in regards to the availability of sure Glock pistols,” the corporate stated. “The people making these representations aren’t approved to talk for Glock.”

It’s unclear precisely how a lot of Glock’s present product line will likely be changed by the brand new Collection V choices. A web page on the corporate’s web site at the moment lists most Technology 3 and 4 fashions of its pistols as “discontinued,” alongside a smaller group of Technology 5 fashions. Notably, Technology 5 Glocks are already designed to be more difficult to outfit with unlawful machine gun conversion units.