"Pistols are not only guns, they are toys for big children."
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If you visit the premises of Grand Power in Banska Bystrica – Salkova you will see a modern, flourishing company which employs fourty people. The things would not be the way they are if the foundator and the owner Jaroslav Kuracina was not a bit cheeky and stubborn man. He inherited his passion for guns form his grandfather, who was a partisan in World War II. He also was a hunter, he owned guns and he used to take his grandson to the shooting-range. The guns became Jaro´s hobby. He drew a picter of his first gun in his teens and he kept on drawing during his university studies. He got a nickname Piccaso from his colleagues. When he told his superior that his guns will be used eventually, instead of encouragement he received a sarcastic comment: „the hell would have to be frozen“. The young soldier did not get drawn back. The first serious sketches were drawn in 1994. Three years later, the first functional pistol Q2000 with serial No. E001 was made in Povazske strojarne (machinery plant). The first prototypes of K1 were manufactured a few months later in Kinex Grand – a subcompany of Kinex Bytča. Povazske strojarne went bancrupted though and Kinex Bytča was not doing well either. Jaro brought his ideas to the western neibourgs – Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod (armoury in Uhersky Brod, Czech Republic). Their approach was as expected – in their opinion, other than their own product could not be any good. Although he held an important patent in his hands, he did not have the money. |
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He went to the bank, wanting to borrow 10 million Slovakian krowns to launch production – he did not suceed. They did not take him seriously, he was told that the patent and idea is not enough; not interesting for the banks. The help came from the private investors – friends and the company started to operate. This was in 2002. K1 became K100 – after its inventor and constructor. K for the first letter of his surname and 100 for his weight, which was 100 Kg at that time. The capacity of production was not sufficient, therefore the guns projected by Jaroslav Kuracina were manufactured in Kops Detva.
He was the only person in the company at the beginning. As it expanded, the number of people and the machinges went up, the new production premises in Slovenska Lupca were purchased. Pistol K100 gained the good sound within the community of shooters, it was praised in the specialised journals. The company started to address distributors abroad. They were very carefull from the beginning, but after testing K100 the cooperations went on. Discussions with STI International started in 2007. After the CEO of STI visited Grand Power and after the products were audited, the affirmance of BATF took place and Grand Power guns were launched on american market. The first pistols were exported in 2008. They were K100 Mk6 pistols under the commercial name GP 6. The offer widened by models STI GP 6C, GP 5 and caliber .22 LR named STI GP 2.
When Jaroslav Kuracina submitted his first patent, he was considered to be a fool. Twelve years later, he is the one who has the reason to laugh.
Time sequences from developement to serial production of K100
| 1994 | The first construction sketches of the gun originated. |
| 1996 | Patent application submitted, subsequently international patent was submiteed. |
| 1997 | The first functioning model of pistol manufactured in machinery plant in Považská Bystrica marked as Q2000 with serial No E001 |
| 1998 | First prototypes of K1 manufactured in Kinex Grand – a subfirm of Kinex Bytča. |
| 2000 | For the first time K1 was introduced on IWA exhibition in Nurnberg. |
| 2002 | Modification of K1 and the name change to K100. Due to the lack of production capacity, the Grand Power´s production is moved to Kops, s. r. o. Detva |
| 2003 |
Test series of 370 pieces manufactured by company Grand Power. |
| Second modificated series, based on test series outcome. | |
| 2004 | Portfolio of Grand Power extended to new starting system with models DAO and QA. Economical model K100 |
| with marking GPC9 and special automatic models 102R and 105R for force control. | |
| 2005 | Third series, the offer list extension by model K100 Whisper and intoduction of advanced phase of processing model |
| K100 Compact (15 mm shorter) based on new conversion of plastic handle with emphasis to suitability. | |
| 2006 |
Introduction of first models K100 Mk6 assigned for certification in USA and final consecutive certification. |
| Intoduction of semicompact model P1. | |
| 2010 | Plans to produce specific models with caliber .40S&W and .45ACP. |
Company Grand Power History