The Glock 44, the Austrian brand’s first .22 LR pistol !

In 2020, a manufacturer decided to hit hard commercially, very hard even, and in a segment where nobody expected it. By launching its first .22 LR automatic pistol, Glock will have a huge impact on the small arms market for recreation and training.

In the last three decades, as Glock has established itself as a benchmark in duty, personal defense and recreational weapons, many observers have questioned the lack of .22 LR pistols (in the brand’s catalog). Indeed, the Austrian brand’s competitors had and still have one or more references in this caliber, often copying the aesthetics and ergonomics of one of the emblematic pistols in their catalogs.

We can assume that the interest and success around Glock’s weaponry have long overshadowed the demand for a small yet fun weapon. That is, unless the brand wanted to stand out from the competition and stayed focus only on the production of wholesale large caliber weapons (albeit only for duty purposes)?Anyways, as nature abhors a vacuum, especially when the market demands it, conversions have been developed by outside companies. We cannot name them all, the oldest go to Ciener, the most recent and effective to Tactical Solutions. Manufacturers have even copied the aesthetics of Glock, a “Canada Dry” syndrome … seldom of which were good surprises for the buyer.