Glock 46 With Rotating Barrel Introduced in Germany

While Glock fans in the U.S. are examining the differences, or lack thereof, in the Gen5 pistol series, a decidedly different kind of Glock, the G46.

According to this post from Recoil, the Glock 46 was detailed in the German-language magazine, Das Magazin für Waffenbesitzer (The Magazine for Weapon Owners) and it's not just another Gen5 model.

The G46 looks to be, dimensionally similar to the Glock 19 and was reportedly made for the German police. the significant changes include an ambidextrous slide sltop, single trigger pin, nac lack of finger grooves on the frame—all changes found on Gen5 models, however, the frame on the G46 features a much larger beavertail.

The biggest change is that the G46 features a rotating barrel as opposed to a tilting barrel, used by all other Glock pistols. The Recoil story says at least two patents have been filed in recent months, including one regarding the rotating barrel. The Gen5 pistols feature the new Glock Marksman Barrel, which tilts.

The G46 wouldn’t be the first handgun to use such a rotating barrel setup—the Beretta PX4 Storm pistol series uses one, for example, and it’s an effective way to create a more compact pistol without sacrificing accuracy or using a fixed barrel.

Additionally, the G46 can be field stripped without first having to pull the trigger, a requirement of the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System trials.

This guns.com story says the price for the G46 is listed in DWJ as "nicht fur zivilmarkt," which means "not for civilian market," as in for government and LEO contracts only.

That means it’s anyone’s guess as to when or if rotating-barrel Glocks will make their way stateside.

G46 Specifications

Caliber: 9m

Overall Length: 190mm

Barrel Length: 97mm

Weight: 607g (unloaded)

Magazine Capacity: 15 rounds