M1 Carbine

The M1 Carbine is a semi-automatic rifle used by U.S. forces during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. It remains in use around the world by police and military forces, as well as being a popular civilian firearm.

The M1 is a favorite of many shooters because of its light weight and ease of use. Owners of the firearm praise its superior handling and quick aiming. Also, ammunition is readily available, and parts, including magazines, are affordable. The gun has low recoil, making for easier target shooting, as well as easier follow-up shots.

The Need for a More Compact Firearm

Between World Wars I and II, the standard-issue M1 Garand proved to be an excellent distance and sniping rifle, with great stopping power and accuracy. However, the Garand was difficult to carry over long distances and through thick terrain, and as branches of the military became more specialized, soldiers who were not on the front lines found that the standard-issue rifle was too bulky and heavy.

Troops, especially those who were not infantry, desired something lighter and more compact, but that would still serve as an effective defense weapon.

Rifles and sidearms presented as alternatives to the Garand either proved inaccurate or did not have enough power.

In 1938, the call went out for the development of a selective-fire carbine. (Selective-fire refers to being able to switch the rifle from semi-automatic to fully automatic mode. Carbine refers to a firearm with a shorter barrel than a conventional rifle). This carbine needed to have a longer range and more power and accuracy than a pistol, but be much lighter weight than the Garand rifle. In fact, the Army requested that the carbine weigh no more than five pounds—half as much as the Garand.

Development

As in the past, several U.S. arms manufacturers lined up to compete for the Army contract.

The prototype weapons were chambered for .30 caliber ammunition, a lighter round than the Garand’s .30-06. This new round was considered intermediate in power and velocity.

Winchester Arms submitted a rifle with a short-stroke piston design and rear-locking tilting bolt. Issues with the titling bolt led to a redesign, incorporating a rotating bolt and operating rod.

Winchester continued to make improvements, taking the rifle from over nine pounds to just over seven. The Army responded favorably, but asked for an even lighter version.

The final iteration of the M1 Carbine was approved on October 22, 1941.

The carbine had an 18-inch barrel, versus the Garand’s 24 inches. The M1 used the Garand’s bolt system, though the gas system and trigger mechanism were changed.

The M1 Carbine was one of the most cost-effective weapons used by the United States military during World War II. A carbine cost about $45 to manufacture, whereas an M1 Garand cost about twice as much, and a Thompson sub-machine gun about five times as much.

The carbine’s cartridge was smaller, lighter, faster, and easier to make, as well as cheaper to produce than the Garand’s ammunition.

The M1 Adopted

The first M1 Carbines were delivered to troops in the European Theatre in mid-1942. Because of time constraints, this version of the carbine was produced without selective-fire capability, making it semi-automatic only.

Versions

As issues were reported on the battlefield, continuous improvements were made to the M1 Carbine. Resulting models were called the M1A1, M1A2, M1A3, M1/M2, M2, M3, Ingram SAM, and the Winchester LMR.

For the most part, each of these new models featured slight improvements to external parts, such as sights, stock, grip, scope, accessories, and magazine capacity.

The M2 incorporated the previously missing selective-fire feature.

The Ingram SAM featured various caliber options, and the Winchester LMR combined the Garand’s bolt with the M2’s gas system.

The M1's History of Service

World War II

Although the carbine was never intended to be the primary weapon of the infantry, men on the front lines soon found themselves armed with it.

Soldiers fighting in the Pacific Theatre and its heavy jungle environment appreciated the effectiveness of the carbine, but those who found themselves engaging the enemy on a more frequent basis found the stopping power of the .30 caliber round insufficient. This round was simply too small and light to provide adequate penetration and accuracy.

However, the ammunition for the M1 was a non-corrosive primed type that didn’t cause the degree of barrel corrosion that was previously seen in the Garand, and it went a long way towards proper weapon functioning in the hot, wet jungle.

Korean War

The M1, M2, and M3 carbine were all used during the Korean War, with the M2 outnumbering the other models.

However, the design that proved so useful in the hot, humid jungle conditions of the Pacific were not that successful in the bitterly cold Korean winters, and an inadequate recoil impulse and weak return springs caused the weapons to continually jam.

The carbine not only malfunctioned in cold weather, the rounds proved ineffective at penetrating the layers of heavy winter clothing worn by the enemy.

Understandably, the carbine fell heavily out of favor with the troops.

Vietnam War

In spite of its obvious drawbacks, the M1 and M2 carbines were issued to U.S. security and Special Forces during the Vietnam War.

Almost a million carbines were issued to South Vietnamese troops.

By the 1960s, the Model 16s began to replace the carbines.

The M1 Retired

All three models of carbines were heavily produced for several decades. They were used by every branch of the U.S. armed forces and continue to be one of the most recognized firearms in the world.

After World War II, the M1 and M2 carbines were widely exported to U.S. allies and client states.

The M1 was used by over 50 countries before being largely replaced by more modern weaponry.

Current Users

A total of over 6.5 million M1 carbines of various models were manufactured.

The M1 gained recognition as the weapon of Malcolm X and Patty Hearst, and was often carried by law enforcement, prison guards, and riot police in the ’60s and ’70s, before being replaced by .223 caliber rifles.

The M1 is still popular for hunting small game, and some hunters use it for animals as large as deer, providing their quarry is at close range.

The M1 is an especially popular target and competition shooting rifle, and is prized as a historically significant collector’s item.