In the early 1980s, Austrian engineer Gaston Glock introduced a revolutionary handgun, the Glock 17. It was made with a polymer frame and a striker-fired mechanism, which defied traditional firearm norms. It was met with skepticism, especially in the US. But it didn’t take long for people to realize what they thought was a cheap, plastic gun, was anything but cheap.
The reliability, simplicity, and durability of Glock pistols quickly earned it a global reputation. Some have even called it the AK-47 of handguns.
Today, Glock pistols are used around the world by law enforcement, military personnel, and civilian shooters. Even people who are not into guns know what a Glock is.
Just like the AK-47, one of the things that has made Glock pistols so popular is their durability. People trust Glocks because they seldom jam. Gaston Glock probably didn’t know what his design would become when he first created it, but it has earned a reputation that will forever be part of the firearms industry. Not just because it has endured unbelievable torture tests, but because of its performance during real-world use by police, soldiers, and citizens.
Here is a quick look at five of the most extreme Glock torture tests performed over the years.
1. Saltwater Submersion: Six Months on the Ocean Floor
In an impressive 18-year run of Glock torture tests, Chuck Taylor left a Glock 17 on the ocean floor for six straight months before recovery. He left the pistol submerged in salt water to test corrosion resistance and finish durability.
On retrieval, the slide lock lever showed only microscopic pitting despite constant immersion and pressure. The pistol then fired flawlessly through 10 magazines, proving reliability under marine conditions.
When most people think of “testing” a gun, they think about shooting a lot of ammo through it. Train with it and monitor its accuracy and reliability, right?
This guy, however, did some pistol drills underwater with an underwater kit installed on the gun. He fired it at targets on the ocean floor at 3, 5, and 7 yards without any malfunctions.
When he was done, he simply laid the gun down on the ocean floor and came back 6 months later. I can’t say I would have ever thought of that for a gun test, but it’s insightful.
The results were first published in the Ballistic Magazine. They were later published with Athlon Outdoors on May 23, 2018, if you want to read the full article. Chuck Taylor was a U.S Army Special Forces Vietnam veteran and is a firearms instructor and author.
2. Sub-Zero Freezing in Dry Ice Chamber
James Reeves, of TFBTV, subjected a Gen5 Glock 17 to seven hours in sub-zero conditions using dry ice in a cooler.
When he took it out and began firing, the Glock failed to return to battery several times with the first magazine. To me, it was still impressive that it fired at all. The ice all over the slide kept it from closing all the way.
The longer he fired it, the better it got. On the second magazine, it fired through all 17 rounds without any issues. In the video, you can still see ice flying off the gun as he fires it.
So, did it perform perfectly? No, but it did go bang when he pulled the trigger. While some “tests” are more amusing than anything else, many of these give you an idea of your handgun’s limitations. And yes, all guns have limitations regardless of their durability.
The video of this test was featured on The Firearm Blog on May 24, 2020.
3. 100-Day Glock Torture Tests: Kentucky Ballistics
In a video called “100 Day Glock Torture Test,” Kentucky Ballistics wanted to do what they call “more realistic” torture tests on five Glock 19 pistols. They placed a Glock in a container of pond water, another in ocean water, they froze one in an ice cube, and buried two of them.
Buried
The first gun to be fired was a Glock that was buried in a zip-lock bag for 100 days. It wasn’t that surprising that it fired like a new gun. This test wasn’t as impressive as the next one, which they buried in the ground without any containers.
They also waited 100 days to retrieve this gun, and it had dirt packed everywhere, including the barrel. They didn’t clean the gun but rather shook it around some to let some of the dirt fall off it before firing it.
For safety reasons, they fired the gun from a vice, using a string on the trigger. The gun fired, but did not eject the casing like it should. They switched out the magazine with some new ammo, and it fired correctly after that. It wasn’t clear if this was a magazine or ammo issue, but it was still impressive.
100 Days: Pond and Ocean Water
Besides the two guns they buried, Kentucky Ballistics also placed a Glock pistol in a container with pond water, and one in ocean water. These sat for 100 days as well before they were removed.
Both guns had some rust around the metal parts when they were retrieved. The one soaked in ocean water had more rust and corrosion, which was to be expected.
They fired the one soaked in pond water first, and it fired but did not cycle. After several tries, the gun jammed and became inoperable. It appears the round may have malfunctioned and caused a jam.
After that, they tested the one soaked in salt water and had the same results. It fired, but did not cycle. Some of the rounds failed completely, so they used a new mag with new ammo, and it fired correctly.
From what I could tell, most of the failure to cycle issues on all these tests were ammo-related.
You can watch the full test on their video that was posted on December 22, 2023.
5. So many rounds, it’s unbelievable
In another one of Chuck Taylor’s Glock torture tests, he fires more than 10,000 rounds through his Glock 17 without any malfunctions. Once he reached 325,000 rounds, a trigger spring finally broke. This was a quick fix, and the gun continued to fire after that.
Those are some very impressive results, and for me, among the most realistic and insightful. Some of the other tests are cool and interesting, but how many of us will ever need to fire our handguns in the ocean? Or pull one out of a freezer just before a gun battle?
I get it, the point is to see where the breaking point is, and there are benefits to knowing that. But I like to see how long my gear will last during regular stress and wear. Knowing I will probably never “outshoot” my Glock is great news to me.
These results can be found in the same article as our first mention of him, or in a short overview by Ava Harper.
6. No cleaning? No problem: 30,000-Round Endurance Run
Another insightful test that falls in the high-round count is from David Higginbotham. He has a Glock 19 that he has used for years without cleaning. His estimates are that the gun has more than 30,000 rounds through the Gen4 model. That’s 30,000 rounds without any cleaning or lubrication.
He uses it during training exercises, hunting trips, and it was his daily carry for years. Like many of us, he wanted to keep the gun subjected to practical, everyday use. This included carrying and shooting it in all-weather types, along with the constant wear from holstering and lugging it around on trips.
At 20,000 rounds, the trigger felt gritty but still reset and fired reliably. Even after 30,000 rounds, only minor holster wear and slight sight nicks appeared. Even though there was nothing “extreme” about this decade-plus test, it’s perfectly relevant for this list.
I’m more interested in how a gun holds up after years of constant use than I am in a quick torture test.
Check out his full article published on January 25, 2025, by Athlon Outdoors.
Is Glock still the king of handguns?
Any gun will fail under the right conditions, even an AK-47 or a Glock pistol. But seeing what kind of conditions it takes to get a Glock to fail is interesting and helpful knowledge to have.
It doesn’t mean that all other guns are inferior, but I think Glock has earned the title “King” of the handgun world. I base this on several factors, including overall reliability, price, accessories, sales, and use among professionals.
There are plenty of great handguns out there, and I like just about all of them. But it’s just hard to ignore this legendary gun that has changed the handgun industry.
