Posted on 12/21/2020 9:55:23 AM PST by PROCON
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The “M1 Carbine” was instead the first carbine to be developed and thus while it does have similarities, these are in fact different weapons.
Here's What You Need to Remember: The confusion between the two weapons isn’t helped by the fact that both are designated as firing “.30 caliber.”
Despite its name and the fact that its basic appearance is similar to the M1 Garand, the M1 Carbine—officially the United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1—wasn’t really a carbine version of the main battle rifle. The confusion lies in the fact that both were designated “M1” but that simply dates back to the U.S. Army naming system, which began on July 1, 1925. From that point, the "M" was simply the designation for “Model” while the number represented the sequential development of the equipment and weapons.
The “M1 Carbine” was instead the first carbine to be developed and thus while it does have similarities, these are in fact different weapons.
The M1 Garand—designed by Canadian-American John Garand at the Springfield Armory—features a gas-operated, rotating bolt system, a concept that has been commonly used with firearms chambered for high powered cartridges. The M1 Carbine also features a rotating bolt but it utilizes a short-stroke piston, which enables better control of the weapon due to the fact that less mass is needed to be stopped at either end of the bolt carrier travel.
The confusion between the two weapons isn’t helped by the fact that both are designated as firing “.30 caliber” but the distinction is that the M1 Carbine fires the .30 carbine (7.62x33mm) whereas the M1 Garand fires the .30-06 Springfield (7.62x63mm) round. In this regard the .30 caliber is similar to how the Soviets utilized various 7.62mm rounds—including the full-size 7.62x54mmR rifle round, 7.62x39mm intermediate cartridge (which was used in the SKS and AK-47) and the 7.62x25mm pistol/submachine gun round.
More importantly, the American .30 carbine cartridge, which was designed specifically for the M1 Carbine, is a light rifle round and shouldn't be seen as an intermediate round—notably those used with modern assault rifles. In fact, the rimless .30 Carbine was basically an improved design based on the much older .32 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge or 1906, which was introduced for the Winchester Model rifle. The .30 Carbine fired a lighter bullet but utilized modern power, so it was six hundred feet per second faster and 27 percent more powerful than its parent cartridge.
The straight case and rounded nose have also convinced some to believe it was designed for use in pistols, but this wasn’t actually the case. In fact, the M1 Carbine was developed as a weapon that offered greater firepower than the military pistols of the era but weigh lighter—and thus easier to carry—than the full-sized M1 Garand. It was clear to military planners that support troops including staff, mortarmen and radiomen; as well as officers and even some NCOs needed a more compact weapon.
The M1 Carbine also addressed the calls for a compact, lightweight defense weapon with a greater range, accuracy and firepower than a sidearm. The fact that the carbine weighed about half that of the Thompson submachine gun or M1 Garand, helped convince the military planners that this was the right weapon for the job.
Brigadier General Claudius M. Easley, a man with an established reputation as an Army rifle coach and sharpshooter, was Asst. Division Commander and served under General James L Bradley. The training of the division was his mission. The superior marksmanship of the 96th developed under the supervision of General Easley earned for the unit the nickname of "Deadeyes", which the 96th still carries to this day.
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Its the guns I’ve sold i miss the most.
I had 2 carbines and loved them.
A much maligned very useful firearm.
My father was an army engineer in the Pacific during WWII. On Okinawa in the final stages of the battle he was engaged in building an airstrip near the final ridge battles.
As an engineer, he carried an M1 Garand. Some of the Marines on the way to assault the ridges carried M1 Carbines. Sometimes they would trade the Carbines for the Garands the engineers carried.
Amen
They are a pleasure to shoot.
Define carbine please.
The M-1 Garand won the war. My question: Why do you need a 30.-06 to kill someone when the 30-30 will do? The M-16 was a smaller .223.
Basically a rifle designed to shoot a pistol cartridge.
But you really dont want to shoot that cartridge in a pistol.
i had an old military bolt action once, can’t remember what it is- the sites looked like they were way way off- bent even- but man it was spot on- Think it was a 7.62xsomething, (or something like that, My memory fails me on the actual calibre now)- was really beat up looking- but really nice to shoot- not a lot of kick- ended up selling it- wish i had hung onto it though now-
They also used to be very cheap. I remember seeing them in store like Woolworth’s in the mall. They were something like $80-$100. I can’t remember the vintages of them but some looked really nice. I wished I would have bought one at the time. There are a lot of things I wished I would have bought. I only lacked the ability to see into the future and money.
In the olden days they did not like close quarters and figured you could just “ploof them out of existents” at a long range
the carbine was a close quarters weapon that would still drop a guy at 150 yards
Poor trigger discipline.
Range. Remember that the Germans were armed with 8mms.
Short story: A lightweight military rifle intended for use by support troops, and those not routinely engaged in infantry combat.
Are you sure it wasn't the other way around? Engineers usually carried sidearms for personal protection, and the M1 Carbine was designed to replace sidearms as protection for these specialized troops that couldn't carry around a full sized battle rifle like the Garand.
.30-06 has longer range than a .30-30, and a little more wallop.
I have one of each - my old Winchester is fun to shoot and easy to carry.
My Garand, on the other hand, is a bit of a bear to lug around and leaves my shoulder a bit sore (I'm an old guy).
But an M1 Garand does get looks at the range, (oh dude, that's a MAN'S rifle).
General George Patton said the M 1 Garand was ''The finest battle implement ever made''. I fired one once. Good God what a cannon! And what a kick. Even with a padded shooting jacket my right shoulder hurt for two days.
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