Is Gaston Glock on the same level as John Browning?

ticshooter · 02-07-2013, 02:25

Hey guys. I'm an enthusiast of both pistols but thought I would ask the same question here as I did on the 1911 Forum.

Is Gaston Glock on the same level as John Browning? I understand John Browning's accomplishmets with his designs but I also understand Gaston Glocks with his. Browning's designs have been around for over 100 years but it looks like Gaston's designs may be the design of the future if it already isn't.. I'm not partial to either design because I own and enjoy them both. I'm just wondering if you think Gaston and Browning are on the same level and why?

RyanBDawg · 02-07-2013, 02:32

No. John Browning was a firearms master. His designs were radically apart from anything else being done in his day. He came as close to re-inventing firearms as anyone in history has. His lock-breech design is used in virtually every semi-auto pistol to this day, including Glock.

Gaston Glock is a toolmaker who made a fantastic, and utterly reliable tool which shoots bullets. I would say Gaston's most important contribution has been in materials which pistols (now) are made out of, and precision manufacturing.

Three-Five-Seven · 02-07-2013, 03:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanBDawg

No. John Browning was a firearms master. His designs were radically apart from anything else being done in his day. He came as close to re-inventing firearms as anyone in history has. His lock-breech design is used in virtually every semi-auto pistol to this day, including Glock.

Gaston Glock is a toolmaker who made a fantastic, and utterly reliable tool which shoots bullets. I would say Gaston's most important contribution has been in materials which pistols (now) are made out of, and precision manufacturing.

+1 What he said!

***RWBlue*** · 02-07-2013, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanBDawg

No. John Browning was a firearms master. His designs were radically apart from anything else being done in his day. He came as close to re-inventing firearms as anyone in history has. His lock-breech design is used in virtually every semi-auto pistol to this day, including Glock.

Gaston Glock is a toolmaker who made a fantastic, and utterly reliable tool which shoots bullets. I would say Gaston's most important contribution has been in materials which pistols (now) are made out of, and precision manufacturing.

That about covers it, but.....

Forget about the 1911. Look at the other Browning designs to see why Browning was a master.

ilgunguygt · 02-07-2013, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanBDawg

No. John Browning was a firearms master. His designs were radically apart from anything else being done in his day. He came as close to re-inventing firearms as anyone in history has. His lock-breech design is used in virtually every semi-auto pistol to this day, including Glock.

Gaston Glock is a toolmaker who made a fantastic, and utterly reliable tool which shoots bullets. I would say Gaston's most important contribution has been in materials which pistols (now) are made out of, and precision manufacturing.

Not really. Glock missed making the first plastic firearm by many years. Everyone talks about innovation, but it wasnt really that innovative.

bac1023 · 02-07-2013, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanBDawg

Gaston Glock is a toolmaker who made a fantastic, and utterly reliable tool which shoots bullets. I would say Gaston's most important contribution has been in materials which pistols (now) are made out of, and precision manufacturing.

GG did not invent the polymer pistol. HK built the designed the first polymer frame pistol a good decade before.

fnfalman · 02-07-2013, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by bac1023

GG did not invent the polymer pistol. HK built the designed the first polymer frame pistol a good decade before.

And before that, Colt, Remington and a host of others have used hardened resins and Bakelites for grip panels. Plastic ain't new when it comes to being used for gun parts.

DAIadvisor · 02-07-2013, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanBDawg

....I would say Gaston's most important contribution has been in materials which pistols (now) are made out of, and precision manufacturing.

Actually Hk was the first to introduce polymer framed guns, NOT Glock. Glock just made it popular.

countrygun · 02-07-2013, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAIadvisor

Actually Hk was the first to introduce polymer framed guns, NOT Glock. Glock just made it popular.

And they got the idea from the Remington XP-100 which proved synthetics would work

Grabbrass · 02-07-2013, 22:50

Gaston Glock is more accurately analogous to Henry Ford than Browning. He didn't really invent anything, he just refined existing technology into a simpler (and cheaper to produce) form using modern materials.

ilgunguygt · 02-07-2013, 23:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grabbrass

Gaston Glock is more accurately analogous to Henry Ford than Browning. He didn't really invent anything, he just refined existing technology into a simpler (and cheaper to produce) form using modern materials.

I could see that analogy a lot better. Ford didnt invent the internal combustion engine, or the car, but he did make an affordable version. It was also available in your choice of colors, as long as it was black.

LawScholar · 02-07-2013, 03:27

Yes.

In the field of curtain rods.

Joking aside, the Glock is a great gun, but Glock is first and foremost a businessman, whereas JMB was an absolute prodigy in firearms design. He was instrumental in reshaping how guns were made.

Glock just figured out how to make a strong, simple, reliable design very inexpensively. Whether you're selling guns, floss, car parts, or IKEA furniture, that's a recipe for success.

As the above poster noted, the Glock operates on Browning principles. That ought to answer it right there.

RyanBDawg · 02-07-2013, 03:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by LawScholar

Yes.

In the field of curtain rods.

Joking aside, the Glock is a great gun, but Glock is first and foremost a businessman, whereas JMB was an absolute prodigy in firearms design. He was instrumental in reshaping how guns were made.

Glock just figured out how to make a strong, simple, reliable design very inexpensively. Whether you're sellinv guns, floss, car parts, or IKEA furniture, that's a recipe for success.

As the above poster noted, the Glock operates on Browning principles. That ought to answer it right there.

Yep, in the field of firearms design, its John Moses Browning first, and then everyone else.

***TKM*** · 02-07-2013, 03:49

I think this myth has been busted....

Taphius · 02-07-2013, 03:54

I view Glock much like Apple. Took a lot of ideas from other items and combined them into a good product. Except Apple has more mark up.

They both pretty much sit on the design that made them successful and are failing to innovate further.

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WoodenPlank · 02-07-2013, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taphius

I view Glock much like Apple. Took a lot of ideas from other items and combined them into a good product. Except Apple has more mark up.

They both pretty much sit on the design that made them successful and are failing to innovate further.

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Abso-freaking-lutely.

As got comparing Glock to Browning..... it's not even close. Wake me up when Glock designs a radically new shotgun, improved heavy and medium machine guns, a couple more handguns, and a cartridge more useful than .45GAP.

R*E · 02-09-2013, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taphius

I view Glock much like Apple. Took a lot of ideas from other items and combined them into a good product. Except Apple has more mark up.

They both pretty much sit on the design that made them successful and are failing to innovate further.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

Puh-leeze. Glock is a one trick pony.

Pier23 · 02-10-2013, 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by R*E

Puh-leeze. Glock is a one trick pony.

Which is the brilliance of Glocks...now , I am Glock neutral...have them but they don't excite me. i carry them but don't necessarily enjoy them.

Fire one Glock and you have fired them all. You move from model to model with very little effort. The single stack Glock makes sense ONLY if the slide is slimmed down, and I don't see that happening. Glocks are not concealment pistols, they are duty sidearm pistols.

Ruger Nano has taken the Glock modular approach a step further by allowing you to pull out the chassis and put all the go-bang parts into another frame. Be interesting to see if this is a reasonable sales differentiator or if any true benefit is found in this.

countrygun · 02-10-2013, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pier23

Which is the brilliance of Glocks...now , I am Glock neutral...have them but they don't excite me. i carry them but don't necessarily enjoy them.

Fire one Glock and you have fired them all. You move from model to model with very little effort. The single stack Glock makes sense ONLY if the slide is slimmed down, and I don't see that happening. Glocks are not concealment pistols, they are duty sidearm pistols.

.

You could say the same thing about High-Point, but at least they manage to make a carbine

joecoastie · 02-10-2013, 14:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by countrygun

You could say the same thing about High-Point, but at least they manage to make a carbine

John Biltz · 02-07-2013, 04:05

JMB was a genius and I don't like 1911s. Glock made a pistol. JMB made pump and auto shotguns, automatic and semiautomatic rifles, medium and heavy machine guns, lever action rifles and oh yeah, pistols. What is more every time it was revolutionary. The man was prolific, eclectic and brilliant. The .50 BMG is not only still in use by the military but will be in use for decades to come.