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Manufacturer: Glock GmbH, Deutsche Wagram
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum (9x19)
Length: 7.32 inches (186mm)
Weight Unloaded: 1lb 5oz (586g)
Barrel: 4.49 in (114mm); 6 grooves, polygonal, RHT
Magazine: 17-, 19-, and 33-round detatchable box
Muzzle velocity: ~1132ft/sec (341m/sec)
Cyclic Rate: 1100-1300 rounds per minute
The Glock 18C is essentially a fully automatic Glock 17, so I shall describe that first.
The Glock 17 was introduced in 1983, and immediately caused a stir. It is a recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol, using a cam-controlled dropping barrel to lock the slide and barrel together. The bullet is fired by means of a striker that is controlled by the trigger. Instead of a conventional hammer that drops on a firing pin, the first 5mm of trigger travel cocks back the striker, and the next 2.5mm of trigger pull releases the striker, allowing it to go forward and strike the primer of the cartridge in the chamber. Because of this novel way of firing the round, there are no external safety levers on the Glock. Instead, it relies upon a firing pin lock that prevents the striker from hitting the bullet unless the trigger is pulled. For the trigger to be pulled, the finger must be completely resting on it, and depressing the smaller trigger within the larger trigger.
The Glock 17 also caught the media's eye for another novel feature: it uses polymers extensively in the frame of the pistol, allowing the manufacturer to make the pistol lighter and slimmer without compromising on structural integrity. The polymer frame also seems to absorb recoil more than steel frames, and lasts longer. However, the media feared that the plastic frame would allow the Glock to slip through airport X-ray machines undetected. This is absurd. The Glock 17 is 83% steel by weight (mainly in the slide of the pistol), not to mention the metal barrel, the metal bullets, and the metal springs.
The Glock18, as mentioned before, is a select-fire machine pistol, allowing either single shots or full automatic shots. The Glock 18 has a selector switch on the left side of the pistol, near the rear of the slide, with up for single fire, and down for fully automatic. The internals have been modified so that it is impossible for the select-fire parts to be placed into a Glock 17. The Glock18C has compensator ports cut into the top of the pistol's slide to help reduce recoil. It is claimed that the slots reduce felt recoil by 30%.
The Glock 18C is a relatively easy weapon to control, compared to other machine pistols. The low axis of the barrel to the hand, the polymer frame, the compensating system, and the high rate of fire all combine to make a machine pistol that won't be putting holes into the roof by the third shot fired. The high rate of fire makes the pistol feel like a high pressure hose in your hand - it bucks back, but you push against the force and keep it down on target. The rapid rate of fire makes the force feel more constant than if if were not so high. A single squeeze and release of the trigger results in about a 4 to 5 shot burst, all kept within a person's body at about 20 yards.
