Gaston Glock, the Austrian engineer who transitioned from crafting curtain rods to spearheading the production of globally acclaimed handguns, passed away at 94 on Wednesday. Glock Inc. officially confirmed the founder's demise on the company's website, providing no specific details regarding the cause of death.

The website paid a sombre tribute with the headline "In Memoriam Gaston Glock 07/19/1929 – 12/27/2023," featuring a photo of Glock in a dark suit and maroon tie, standing with crossed arms against a black backdrop. The company also acknowledged Glock's profound impact, noting that he revolutionised the small arms industry in the 1980s and established the Glock brand as the preeminent leader in the global handgun industry.

The Glock pistol, widely favoured by law enforcement agencies, left an indelible mark in blockbuster movies such as "Die Hard 2" and "U.S. Marshals" and found mention in numerous rap songs, including Wu-Tang Clan's "Da Glock."

Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1929, Glock's initial business involved supplying knives and bayonets to the Austrian Army in the 1970s. In 1980, he identified the army's need for a new handgun. Despite not personally owning a handgun, Glock assembled a team of experts to assist in creating the "pistol of the future." During the project, he underwent training on handguns and test-fired prototypes with his left hand, ensuring the continuity of his design work in case of accidents.

The result was the groundbreaking Glock 17, a semi-automatic handgun crafted from industrial plastic or polymer, featuring a magazine capacity of 17 rounds and an additional round in the chamber. The Austrian Army adopted the Glock as its new service pistol in 1983, and the Norwegian Army followed suit the next year, designating it as their standard sidearm.

Glock's influence extended to the United States, where the company established its headquarters in Smyrna, Georgia, in 1985. It claimed that over 65% of U.S. federal, state, and local agencies have been equipped with Glock pistols.