Firearm Discounts
Firearms

Glock 46: The Rotary-Barrel Police Pistol U.S. Buyers Can't Get

September 25, 2026

Glock built the G46 around a rotary barrel, a break from the tilting-barrel design used in the rest of its lineup, and Gun Digest says it will not be sold in the U.S. or on Europe's commercial market. The piece also revisits the G24, a long-slide .40 that came and went in the 1990s.

The short version

According to Gun Digest, the G46 was designed to fill a contract with the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, which has more than 6,000 officers. Photos first ran in a German-language magazine and were later republished by a U.S. gun magazine. Along with the rotary barrel, the pistol can be taken apart without pulling the trigger, uses a twist knob where the slide cover plate normally sits to remove the firing pin, and adds a disassembly lever on the left side. The author says Glock has confirmed little, has shared only a few photos, and that the design has reportedly changed since early reports.

The article then turns to the G24, the .40 counterpart to the G17L, introduced in 1994. Gun Digest blames bad timing and the IPSC box rule for its end in 1999, when the G35 replaced it.

Key points

  • Customer: The G46 was built for Saxony-Anhalt's state police, a force of more than 6,000 officers.
  • Action: It uses a rotary barrel instead of the modified Browning cam-lock found on other Glocks.
  • Takedown: Disassembly needs no trigger pull, and a twist knob replaces the slide cover plate for firing pin removal.
  • Availability: Gun Digest says it will not be sold commercially in Germany, elsewhere in Europe or the U.S.
  • Confirmation: Glock has declined to confirm details and released only limited photos.
  • G24 history: The long-slide .40 ran from 1994 to 1999, sold poorly and was replaced by the G35.

Bottom line

For U.S. shooters the G46 is a design to follow rather than a gun to shop for, since the article says it will not be sold here and its final details are unconfirmed. The author also doubts the G24 will return as a Gen5 model.

Summary by Firearm Discounts. Read the full story at Gun Digest.