The M1 carbine gets a lot of ridicule for lack of power, but it was perfect for its role.
Its light, it points quick and delivers the goods.
Heck its fine out to 100 yds for deer hunting.
Agreed. It's not by any stretch a "battle rifle", but I've never heard of anybody volunteering to be shot by one to prove how weak the cartridge is. If you think of it as a 30 round .357 magnum with a slightly flatter trajectory you won't ask it to do more than it's capable of.