Most Glock models are available to shooters in the U.S., but the G46 isn’t.
The Glock 46 was designed to fill a contract with the German state of Saxony-Anhalt for its 6,000-plus officers. Rumors about it were around the Internet for a while, but a U.S.-based gun magazine published photos taken from a German-language magazine with an article and photos of the G46. It’s very unique, because instead of the modified Browning cam-locking system used by every other Glock model and most modern handguns, it uses a rotary barrel design.
One of its key features is that it doesn’t require the trigger to be pulled for disassembly, and there’s a knob where the slide cover plate typically is, which is twisted for firing pin removal. The pistol’s left side also has a new disassembly lever.
I have been able to confirm only limited information on the G46 at the time of this writing. It’s my understanding that changes have been made since the initial article was written. Glock will not confirm details about this pistol at this time and has provided only limited photos. As of now, the G46 will not be available in the German or European commercial market, nor will it be available in the U.S.
While we’re at it, let’s take a look at another odd Glock:
G24
The G24 is the .40-caliber equivalent to the G17L. Glock introduced it six years after the G17L in 1994, and it had a great run in competitive shooting, then died off two months after the G17L in June 1999. It suffered the same fate as the G17L—the IPSC Box—and was replaced by the G35, which is the .40 version of the G34. The G24 was never very popular and was a victim of terrible timing on the part of Glock. It was introduced just as the competition world became obsessed with the .38 Super and 25-round magazines, so it wasn’t met with much fanfare. Then, just as the competition world was moving back to the likes of the G24, out came the IPSC box. Glock introduced the G35, and the G24 went out with a whimper. Not many were sold. The G35, on the other hand, was quite popular, until the 40 S&W fell out of favor.
The G24 is still listed on Glock’s website, and since the G19L has been reintroduced as a Gen5, there’s a possibility the G24 could be as well, but I don’t see it as very likely.
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt of Gun Digest’s Glock Reference Guide, 3rd Edition.
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