Are there any other M1 Carbine fans here besides me?

[David Wilson]

If I had the money, I'd collect them, at least one from every contractor. I currently have a beat-up Underwood; it's been reliable, accurate, and a heck of a lot of fun. Dad liked the war baby; although he never fired one in combat, he preferred carrying it on guard duty over the much heavier and more awkward Thompson. Now, speaking of M1 Carbines, does anyone here remember hearing about a custom maker who rechambered carbines to 9mm Win Mag and .45 Win Mag? Wonder whatever happened to those... can't imagine they held up all that well, but what do I know...

 

[Captain O]

There is a M1 Carbine barrel/bolt carrier assembly chambered for the 9mm Winchester Magnum cartridge on The Gunbroker and it is selling for $175.00.

I hope that this helps.

 

[ron]

I new a Clark Rifle member everyone called him Sarge. Saw combat in WW 2 south pacific.
He ran the Old Soldier's Match. He would refer to the M-1 carbine as the "Idiot Stick".
Issued to support personnel and officers. Fun rifle to shoot.
My Postal Meter

 

[Alexx1401]

But, but, but, what about the Chinese troops in the Korean war, where they wouldn't even penetrate their heavy winter coats??

Yes, I know that's a myth. I've heard them all over the years: inaccurate, unreliable, under-powered, etc.. Someone told me decades ago that the old carbine was either loved or hated, not much middle ground. A Korean war vet (friend's dad), said he liked the one he used but some of them "jammed up all the time".

I bought mine at a garage sale in the late 80's, for $120. It's an Underwood. I've shot thousands of rounds through it. I'd never sell it.

With ball ammo there is no way the M-1 did not penetrate. I am pretty sure what happens with these war tales is they get mixed up and distorted. The old .38 the Military was using had trouble getting through heavy clothing and often the people you were shooting were on drugs to make them fight better. As for poor reliability if true I would guess a gun not taken care of, mixed parts not put together well, maybe damaged mags? Maybe all of the above. Probably a lot of these tales being re told from people who were never actually there too. Just re telling stuff they heard and mixing up details.

 

[CLT65]

I totally agree. I've shot enough carbine rounds to have a good idea of what it will do, and while it's no 30-06, it's not a pipsqueak either. I read an article on the carbine somewhere recently, that said the majority of carbine reliability issues are magazine related. One WWII veteran talked about how they would treat the mags as disposable, toss them for new ones on a regular basis, and had excellent reliability out of their carbines.

There was a guy on another forum, and older veteran I believe (been there, done that kind of guy), who despised the carbine. He hated them with a passion and never missed a chance to tell everyone about it. Something significant must have happened to him to have such strong feeling.

I've also heard that those who used the carbine for it's intended role (support troops and close quarters/urban combat) generally liked them. The guys who tried to use them in a role better filled by a 30-06 often didn't fare as well, and developed a poor opinion of them.

As to ballistics, it's funny how you hear people talk about the amazing power of the 7.62x25mm Tokarev round, the high-velocity kind of surplus handguns that will zip right through body armor, then they will sneer at the wimpy little .30 Carbine, even though it uses a very similar bullet, only heavier and going quite a bit faster.

 

[ma96782]

I can remember when my son asked me why I didn't buy one from the CMP.

My response was......

Cause, considering the initial price, parts, magazines, etc.... the AR15 CAR was/is a better platform. And the ammo was/is cheaper too. Which meant, more shooting.

I was still buying M1 Garands back then and passed on the M1 Carbine. That being said, I might have been wrong about the Garands being a better investment. OK, Ok, ok.....I did say "might".

Aloha, Mark

 

[Captain O]

Those that think the .30 Carbine is "anemic" are delusional. I just watched .30 Carbine 110-grain ball zipping through 24 inches of 20% Ballistic Gelatin like a hot knife through butter.

A 110-grain Federal JSP ran through 19 inches of the same medium without as much as a "by your leave" leaving a nasty wound channel after expanding to well over 1/2 inch. This has dropped deer fairly quickly and humanely.

The 85-grain Lehigh "Extreme Penetrator" ran through 19" of the same medium and two plates of synthetic plates of "artificial bone, shattering the first and after passing through 6 inches of 20% ballistic gelatin and then tearing through another after passing through 12 more inches of gelatin and coming to rest after penetrating the second plate. Yeah, that will kill deer and will certainly dispatch humans immediately.

The .30 Carbine is a "light rifle" cartridge that will kill as well as a 5.56 x 45 at 100 yards and regularly dispatch human beings out to 150 yards.

"Weak cartridge" my Aunt Matilda!

 

[CLT65]

I sure wish I'd have bought another carbine when the CMP had the Italian returns. $475 if I remember correctly.

the AR 15 CAR was a better platform

As much as I love the carbine, on a practical level you really can't compare the two. I bought a cheap .300BO AR for plinking. I use cast 160gr bullets and about the same charge of H110 as I do in the carbine. The gun is cheaper, mags are cheaper, brass is cheap and plentiful. It's super reliable, more powerful and more accurate.

I really do love the carbine for what it is and all its history, but for a purely practical shooter I'd really have to go with an AR. No comparison at all, really. I used to really love my old '78 Kawasaki KZ650 cafe racer, too. It was a top performer in it's day; a really fun bike and I wish I still had it, but for sheer performance a modern sport bike will literally run circles around it.

 

[Captain O]

I sure wish I'd have bought another carbine when the CMP had the Italian returns. $475 if I remember correctly.


As much as I love the carbine, on a practical level you really can't compare the two. I bought a cheap .300BO AR for plinking. I use cast 160gr bullets and about the same charge of H110 as I do in the carbine. The gun is cheaper, mags are cheaper, brass is cheap and plentiful. It's super reliable, more powerful and more accurate.

I really do love the carbine for what it is and all its history, but for a purely practical shooter I'd really have to go with an AR. No comparison at all, really. I used to really love my old '78 Kawasaki KZ650 cafe racer, too. It was a top performer in it's day; a really fun bike and I wish I still had it, but for sheer performance a modern sport bike will literally run circles around it.

That's all well and good, but the "snowflake posse" will throw a conniption fit and wet their panties upon the very sight of the AR-15. They will barely blink when they see the M1 Carbine.

Excuse me, when was the last time you shot at a bad guy at a range exceeding 50 feet? No? I didn't think so. For all practical purposes, the .30 Carbine served well inside prisons, banks, in the trunks of patrol cars, and in the field more often than people will let on. In Western Oregon, you rarely shoot at Whitetail Deer at ranges greater than 100 yards. This is why the .30 Carbine was such a great "light rifle" in urban settings and penetrating car doors within 30 yards. You don't need to have a 55-62-grain screaming at 2800 fps in an urban setting. Inside the house and in the city, I'll take the .30 Carbine.

 

[CLT65]

Don't get me wrong; I'm not arguing. I wouldn't feel under gunned with a carbine in nearly any situation I would ever find myself in. I'm actually a huge fan.

All I'm saying is that for me the carbine is plenty good enough, and still an excellent little rifle. I've got enough ammo for it for a lifetime. Soldiers and other professionals have much newer, better tools.

 

[Boboclown]

but the "snowflake posse" will throw a conniption fit and wet their panties upon the very sight of any gun

There, fixed it for you.

You don't need to have a 55-62-grain screaming at 2800 fps in an urban setting. Inside the house and in the city, I'll take the .30 Carbine.

Depending on the ammo that little .223 is good for home defense and urban settings. Not discounting the .30 carbine, but the "you don't need" argument doesn't work in this situation, where one could very well argue you don't need either one and insert a third option.

 

[Aero Denezol]

The M1 carbine is A LOT of fun, and the ammo is still cheap. I only got to shoot it one time at the ARPC - It was a Cold War bringback from Germany. A couple young guys were shooting it, and they let me try a mag (if you're reading this gentlemen, thank you). After that I shopped M1 carbines for a while on Gunbroker, they were all around $1000 depending on condition. So, unless we can one day repatriate the Korean examples through CMP, I'm priced out of the market.

 

[Captain O]

Of cou

Don't get me wrong; I'm not arguing. I wouldn't feel under gunned with a carbine in nearly any situation I would ever find myself in. I'm actually a huge fan.

All I'm saying is that for me the carbine is plenty good enough, and still an excellent little rifle. I've got enough ammo for it for a lifetime. Soldiers and other professionals have much newer, better tools.

Of course, you aren't a soldier or peace officer. I'm not either. The .223/5.56mm x 45mm NATO penetrates excessively in most civilian dwellings. This is where the .30 Carbine works well. Most .30 Carbine loads (of the JSP persuasion) penetrate a good 19 inches through ballistic gelatin and will have lost enough power to be stopped by little more than a wall or two. Most civilian settings will stop the projectile within a reasonable distance without inflicting "collateral damage".

 

[Boboclown]

The .223/5.56mm x 45mm NATO penetrates excessively in most civilian dwellings

Ammo selection is key. Not all overpenetrate, and if you load your own then even better.

 

[Captain O]

In the commercial market, I like the Hornady 110-grain load, the 110-grain Federal JSP and the Underwood 85-grain, solid copper, Lehigh manufactured "Extreme Cavitator" (my personal favorite). The Underwood load never fails to feed, (due to bullet construction) and really "kicks bootie" in both PD and Hunting applications.

 

[Mikej]

I just shoot Armscore. I hope things go okay if I have to shoot through car doors...Or deer....Or a door in the house. Or heaven forbid have to survive an attack of 18" chunks of ballistic gel.

 

[Captain O]

I just shoot Armscore. I hope things go okay if I have to shoot through car doors...Or deer....Or a door in the house. Or heaven forbid have to survive an attack of 18" chunks of ballistic gel.

That's funny, Mike. I rely on how well Jim Cirillo used the .30 Carbine to good effect during his time in the NYPD "Stakeout Squad". Every time he shot a perp, they never made it to court. The Winchester-Western Hollow Soft Point immediately put an end to their criminal career. (Good night sweet prince)! A well-placed .30 Carbine ruined their day.

 

[Mikej]

That's funny, Mike. I rely on how well Jim Cirillo used the .30 Carbine to good effect during his time in the NYPD "Stakeout Squad". Every time he shot a perp, they never made it to court. The Winchester-Western Hollow Soft Point immediately put an end to their criminal career. (Good night sweet prince)! A well-placed .30 Carbine ruined their day.

I'm probably extremely naive but I figure if I ever have to shoot someone they'll probably stop what they're doing. Sounds like IF I'm using the Armscore reman stuff they're going to hate that too.

 

[Boboclown]

I'd just use soft points if I had a M1 Carbine. Don't need to stockpile .30 carbine, just gotta have some ammo.

It doesn't do anything for me that other rounds don't, aside from having another rifle to bring to the range if I get around to getting one.

 

[JuglansRegia]

I got an Inland Italian return back when they were the thing, I also sent the paperwork in for a Winchester and got one of those as well, the Winchester was nicer and shot better so I kept it and sold the Inland, then I had to "accessorize" and buy a boat load of GI mags, I also scored a bunch of older 30 rounders but they are mostly garbage, there are some 30 round GI mags out there but for every real one there are probably 100 knock offs.

Oh yeah, don't shoot your spinning pistol targets with your carbine, that weak round might go right through it and piss off your friend that owns the target.