All the centennial 1911s are basically machined engraved with some BS design and markings. All it took to make them was to yank a few 1911s off the line and send them to an engraver before finishing. Big woop.
The most complex tool in the firearms industry is the injection mold for a single piece pistol frame. It has complex parting lines, multiple detail features, internal textures and all sorts of complex slides to make things like the magazine well.
To do the 25th Anniversary Glock, they had to go out and build a mold especially to churn out each one of these pistols as the metal bits on the grip are inset. While I am sure Glock is pretty good at making the injection molding tools, it is still a non-trivial exercise. That is a $50k-75k piece of tooling right there.
Edit: now that you mention it, Patrick, yes that is possible. It would be less expensive but still expensive (extensive setup & slow, low tolerance work due to the differences in temperature related expansion/contraction of the materials in normal use). Given the low volume, you’re right, that is probably what they did, and they probably started that production of 2500 a year ago and ramped up.
I’m not defending Glock, the product is still a bit fugly, but it took some effort that collectors will gladly snap up.
there is such an huge amount of mis information of the g17 gen 4’s, with the replaced recoil spring they added, it stopped the FTE problem, mine has not jammed once since i got it and have put 700 rounds through it so far.
They did that because people were signing up for GSSF and then buying a new Glock at LEO pricing the next day. Of course, none of these new GSSF members ever showed up to a match or event. Now, you have to be a member for a full year.
The purpose of GSSF is not to enable freeloaders, but to actually support and promote the use of the pistol in competitive shooting.
Tactical disadvantage with all that bling.
naw man it’s actually a tactical advantage, use the bling to blind the perp while you’re drawing. 😀
or to signal rescue choppers if you are lost in the woods. Survivor Man taught me that.
Exactly, see its got plenty of uses
Ha! It looks like a case of 1911 centennial edition envy.
Well, think of it this way…
All the centennial 1911s are basically machined engraved with some BS design and markings. All it took to make them was to yank a few 1911s off the line and send them to an engraver before finishing. Big woop.
The most complex tool in the firearms industry is the injection mold for a single piece pistol frame. It has complex parting lines, multiple detail features, internal textures and all sorts of complex slides to make things like the magazine well.
To do the 25th Anniversary Glock, they had to go out and build a mold especially to churn out each one of these pistols as the metal bits on the grip are inset. While I am sure Glock is pretty good at making the injection molding tools, it is still a non-trivial exercise. That is a $50k-75k piece of tooling right there.
There’s no way that Glock just sent these to a CNC-mill to have the badge area relief cut, and then simply epoxied the badge in place?
Hear, hear.
Edit: now that you mention it, Patrick, yes that is possible. It would be less expensive but still expensive (extensive setup & slow, low tolerance work due to the differences in temperature related expansion/contraction of the materials in normal use). Given the low volume, you’re right, that is probably what they did, and they probably started that production of 2500 a year ago and ramped up.
I’m not defending Glock, the product is still a bit fugly, but it took some effort that collectors will gladly snap up.
They should have put a piece of stove-piped brass in the photo… that would’ve been a more true representation.
Man, that was cold. True. But cold.
A little limpity wrist we do have?
Ouch, that was colder
there is such an huge amount of mis information of the g17 gen 4’s, with the replaced recoil spring they added, it stopped the FTE problem, mine has not jammed once since i got it and have put 700 rounds through it so far.
Keep an eye out, The Gen4 Glock 17 review will be on here in the next couple weeks.
Sounds painful. The Sammy Davis bit.
My wife has about 1300 rounds through her G17 Gen4. Not one single malfunction, FTE, etc.
This seems fitting for a Glock considering their minimalistic tendencies.
I think I’d change that second sentence. “That’s all they’ve got?”
How much more does this historical graphic cost?
Big deal, I’ve never been to keen on Glocks and this doesn’t help because I don’t want that silly 25 logo imprinted on my palm.
I prefer my Glock ugly anyway.
Gotta point there, trying to make a glock purdy is kinda pointless.
I have to agree. I have my shiny guns, but my I like my Glocks ugly!
something about casting pearls… swine…
And Glock recently changed the GSSF annual purchase program to boot. I’m not happy with Glock these days.
They did that because people were signing up for GSSF and then buying a new Glock at LEO pricing the next day. Of course, none of these new GSSF members ever showed up to a match or event. Now, you have to be a member for a full year.
The purpose of GSSF is not to enable freeloaders, but to actually support and promote the use of the pistol in competitive shooting.