Gaston Glock is an Austrian engineer and businessman, best known for founding the firearms company Glock. Born on July 19, 1929, in Vienna, Austria, he initially worked in the manufacturing industry before turning his attention to firearms design. In the early 1980s, he developed the Glock 17, a semi-automatic pistol that gained popularity for its reliability and ease of use. The Glock 17 was notable for its polymer frame, which made it lighter than traditional metal-framed pistols. Over the years, Glock's designs have become widely adopted by military and law enforcement agencies around the world, establishing the brand as a leader in the firearms industry.