If you were too young – or too traditionalist – to buy a GLOCK pistol in the 1980s, here's your chance to make up for it: GLOCK, in conjunction with Lipsey's, is commemorating the adoption of the GLOCK P80 by the Austrian Army with a recreation inspired by the original GLOCK Pistole 80. That is, a faithful reproduction of the first generation GLOCKs,
The story is well known, but better repeat it in case someone has been sleeping fr the last 30 years or so. Gaston Glock designed his first handgun for the Austrian military pistol trials in 1981, and after adopting it the Austrian military named it the Pistole 80, or P80. In 1986 this same pistol was introduced to the US market as the G17. A star was born. It was not the first polymer-framed gun ever produced – this distinction going to the Heckler & Koch VP 70 that predates the GLOCK by 12 years – but it would become the most famous of them all. Its technical solutions would be in fact a “source of inspiration” (sometimes a more gentle description for plagiarism) for many gun manufacturers all around the world.
Now Lipsey's, one of the largest independently owned US firearms distributors, is offering an exclusive 9mm GLOCK P80 Edition with (almost) all features of “the mother of all GLOCKs”.
Watch a video review of the new GLOCK P80 pistol:
GLOCK P80 pistol: not just a replica
Being 100% factory made at GLOCK, the “new” P80 shouldn't be labelled as a replica, but could be more correctly termed as a reproposal of the original model from the 1980s.
Some higlights of the GLOCK P80 pistol include a Gen 1 GLOCK style polymer frame with single pin (the “double pin” style was introduced with the Gen2, but the single pin above the trigger has actually made a come-back with the Gen5), old-style pebble wrap-around grip texture, smooth trigger face, original flat extractor and no accessory rail or front slide serrations. (Obviously, no finger grooves here either!)
The slide also proudly shows the P80 markings, while sights are polymer. Sure, the slide finish isn't the old Tenifer any more, replaced here by a more modern nDLC finish. But not many will bother about that – assuming that they notice it.
To increase the “nostalgia effect”, the pistol comes in the original “Tupperware” style pistol case and will be encased in custom designed packaging commemorating the historical meaning of the pistol. A certificate of authenticity is included too.
Who can be interested in a newly-made first generation GLOCK? Any firearms user and GLOCK fan for starters, since this is still a reliable, fully-fledged GLOCK pistol. But also collectors and not-so-young-anymore nostalgic shooters who want to re-live the 1980s or missed the chance to own a Gen1 GLOCK back then will appreciate it. To fulfill their dream, they will have to pay 669 USD, which is the suggested retail pricing on the limited-edition GLOCK Pistole P80.
