Unpack This Article's Arsenal
Back in the early 00s, special forces was able to capture Saddam Hussein. When they dragged him out of his hole he was armed with a monster of a handgun: the Glock 18, the full auto Glock.
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Glock 18: An All-Rounder Monster of the Glock Family
For those of you who ain’t heard of this beast, let’s paint a clear picture. This ain’t your regular Joe’s gun, it ain’t even your law enforcement’s standard sidearm. No, this here is a special gun for special folks. Glock 18 is the kind of gun that’s got its own tales to narrate, and damn, they are intriguing ones!
How Did the Glock 18 Come About?
Well, fact is, the Glock 18, and its inception, wasn’t due to some grand design. It happened quite by accident, not unlike the invention of penicillin. You should thank a tiny Austrian counter-terror unit buried deep inside the Austrian military for this. It’s the story of a man with a vision, a need, and the grit to get it done. That man was Johann Fanzoj, the man behind the Glock 18.
A Full Auto Glock is Born
In the 1980s, Johann served in the Austrian Army’s direct action unit known as Einsatzkommando Cobra. It was a high-octane job, dealing with highly dangerous operations such as counter-terrorism and hostage rescue. For such specialized tasks, Johann needed a firearm that was reliable, compact, and capable of delivering devastating firepower. At that time, your typical sidearms just didn’t cut the mustard. Johann needed something exceptional.
Johann was a man with an idea, a transformative one. He pictured a variant of the Glock 17, a favorite among armed forces worldwide, modified to fire full auto. At that time, the Glock 17 was already a hallmark of dependability and straightforward design, perfect to be the basis for Johann’s vision.
Glock 18 vs. Glock 17
Let’s start off by dipping into the dirty details. Glock 18 is a machine pistol, a select-fire variant of the famed Glock 17 which was built for the good guys – the military and law enforcement. The duo, Glock 17 and 18, they’re so similar, you’d think they’re twins. But make no mistake, even though Glock 18 can switch between semi-auto and full-auto, it still maintains its compactness, concealability and maneuverability like the 17, only with an appetite for destruction.
Glock 17 Goes Through Bootcamp
Essentially a Glock 17 after going through boot camp and a dash of steroid jabs, the Glock 18 was powered by 9mm and had two firing modes: semiautomatic and full auto. Put it on full-auto, and out comes a blitz of bullets, shredding 30 rounds in just about 1.3 seconds! Compact body, blistering full auto, the Glock 18 was a sidearm worthy of the Austrian elite.
Glock 18C
A later version, the Glock 18C features a polymer frame and a compact design, making it easy to handle and carry. Its key feature is the inclusion of a selector switch that allows for both semi-automatic and fully automatic fire modes. The gun’s build quality is exceptional, with robust materials ensuring durability and longevity. Separating it from the orginal, it has a two inch cut in the top of the slide to expose the barrel. The four chevron-shaped cuts help vent gases upward, which help counteract the barrel rise when firing on full automatic.
The Glock 18 accepts standard Glock magazines, but at a rate of fire of 1,200 rounds a minute you need a significantly larger capacity magazine. However with a igher capaccity magazine comes lack of any sort of concealment.
Is the Glock 18 Accurate?
As you’d expect from a full-auto Glock, the Glock 18 rips through ammo like a Viking berserker – brutal, ruthlessly fast, and near unstoppable. The key element here is if you manage to hold on during the hailstorm-of-bullets mode, you’re going to be lighting up targets left, right, and center. This high-capacity pistol holds 17, 19, 31, 33 rounds – enough to make your combat or recreational shooting experience action-packed.
Can I own a Glock 18?
Finally, the biggest limitation of the Glock 18 is its availability. The Big Brother doesn’t like civilians to have too much fun, so not everyone can get their hands on this unique piece of machinery. So, don’t be fooled into thinking that you can just waltz into a shop and grab one of these babies. Glock 18 is classified as a machine gun under the National Firearms Act in the U.S., meaning it’s subjected to strict regulations and permits. If you’re interested in experiencing the Glock 18, there are firing ranges offer rentals. Otherwise, its semi automatic twin, the Glock 17, could serve you just as well in your recreational shooting or self-defense needs.
What Alternative is there for a Glock 18?
Honestly the Full auto of a GLock 18 isn’t terribly practical. While it would be fun to shoot once, between spraying bullets everywhere but your target and the cost of the gun even if it was available would not be “fun”. There are a lot of great Glocks.
Glock 18 FAQs
Some of the most popular questions about the Glock 18 answered:
FAQ 1: What is a Glock 18?
The Glock 18 is a selective-fire variant of the Glock 17, made by Glock Ges.M.B.H. Known for its capability to fire both semi-automatically and fully automatically, the Glock 18 has a remarkable fire rate of 1,200 rounds per minute in its full-auto mode, placing it among the class of machine pistols.
FAQ 2: How does the Glock 18 work?
The Glock 18 operates pretty much like the semi-automatic Glock 17, with the exception of a switch on the slide’s left rear side. Shifting this switch up tells the gun to operate fully automatically, while shifting it down switches it back to semi-automatic shooting mode. Unlike many semi-automatic handguns, the Glock 18 has an additional part, a compensator, which helps control the muzzle rise during fully automatic firing.
FAQ 3: Is the Glock 18 available for civilian use?
No, Glock 18 is generally not available for civilian purchase due to its full-auto feature, which is restricted under U.S. law outside of law enforcement and military applications. As such, a legal, transferrable Glock 18 would be an extremely rare and expensive item.
FAQ 4: How easy is it to control the Glock 18’s full-auto feature?
A Glock 18 may be more challenging to control in full-auto mode due to its high fire rate and the rapid recoil it generates. Many expert shooters recommend firing in short bursts while using the full-auto mode to maintain better control of the weapon.
FAQ 5: What kind of ammo does the Glock 18 use?
Similar to the Glock 17, the Glock 18 typically uses 9x19mm Parabellum cartridges. However, it can accommodate extended magazines such as the 33-round magazine, or “fun sticks,” as they are often called in shooting circles.
Glock 18 Final Thoughts:
In the end, the Glock 18 continues to be a firearm marveled by enthusiasts and trusted by professionals worldwide. Its legendary performance and the fascinating story behind its birth certainly cements its place in firearm history. But remember, no matter how impressive the hardware, it’s the person behind the gun that truly matters. So train hard, shoot safe, and always respect the power and responsibility of firearm ownership.
