Garand Thumb Runs the Select-Fire Glock 18

In a video from Garand Thumb, the channel takes a hands-on look at the Glock 18, the rare select-fire version of the Glock 17 that most people only know from video games. Between drills and target transitions, the hosts break down what actually makes this machine pistol work and why it is so hard to get your hands on.

Key points

• Origin and history: Garand Thumb explains the Glock 18 has been produced since around 1987, built for Austrian counterterrorism forces, and that it appears permanently stuck at the Gen 3 design with no factory optic cuts.
• Cyclic rate: the video notes the gun fires at roughly 1,200 rounds per minute, which the host says can get away from shooters who aren't well trained.
• Real-world use: according to the video, the Glock 18 has seen genuine use by military and counterterrorism units, including U.S. Special Forces clearing structures in Afghanistan.
• Controllability: the host argues recoil stays manageable with a solid grip, especially when firing short bursts across targets rather than dumping the whole magazine.
• Durability and quirks: the video highlights the selector's toughness, a story about a melted guide rod that didn't stop the gun from firing, and the detail that it must be in semi-auto mode to field strip.

Quick take

This is less a buying guide and more a demonstration of a legendary, tightly restricted platform, with Garand Thumb's testers focused on showing how the Glock 18 handles in short, controlled bursts rather than pitching it as practical gear.

Watch the full video: Garand Thumb