Glock 18

About the Glock 18

The Glock 18 is an Austrian select-fire machine pistol chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, developed by Glock in 1986 at the request of the Austrian counter-terrorism unit EKO Cobra. Based on the Glock 17 frame, it adds a fire-selector switch on the rear left of the slide that toggles between semi-automatic and fully automatic fire at a cyclic rate of roughly 1,200 rounds per minute. It commonly accepts extended 33-round magazines and can mount a shoulder stock to help control the fierce muzzle climb. Sales are restricted to military, law enforcement, and government agencies.

Because it is one of very few factory select-fire pistols and is legally almost impossible for civilians to own, the Glock 18 has become a fixture of action cinema and video games, where its cinematic full-auto muzzle blast far outstrips its practical field use.

Glock 18 specifications

The compensated Glock 18C variant adds ported cuts in the slide and barrel to vent gas upward and reduce muzzle rise during automatic fire. At around 1,200 rpm a 33-round magazine empties in under two seconds.