I love carbines.
Paul Harrel and Hickock45 two of my favourites.
Closely followed by Kentucky Ballistics.
The old man was 82nd airborne said , it was under powered for anything but house to house or trenches the 45 thompson was better. Korea talking. Read Eugene Sledge’s book “With the Old Breed”. A little different take. Me, I ain’t trying to get through life with one. The Thompson is my go to minus the Gerand or a trench gun. WHen people are dying, maybe you, you get serious and activated.
I’ve played with the Ruger PC-4. The solid feel of the weapon was great, and I’m sure the .40 SW rounds had a little more zip with the 16” barrel. I liked how it just seemed a natural quick pointing rifle. I also thought a 60 round drum or 30 round stick would be nice.
Back in the eighties, I had a Universal carbine, bought cheap at the gun show. Much fun emptying the 30-round mags I taped together. Ammo pricey, though, 8 bones/50 rounds. The SKS was cheaper...
I believe the 5.56 is designed to tumble on impact.
He said the Thompson was great but need cleaning all the time, the carbine was a beautiful weapon that needed constant cleaning and had terrible stopping power past 50 yards. The grease gun was durable, NEVER needed cleaning and had good stopping power. He said he nailed a ChiCom radio operator behind a thick wooden door at 75 yards. The operator was wounded but the radio did not survive.....
I own a Kel-Tec sub 2000 that takes Glock 19 mags. Fun to shoot.
They are super fun to shoot, but the factory ammo is insanely expensive for what it does.
If I remember correctly, the .30 Carbine round is basically a .32/20 WCF rimless.