What an interesting thread!
I always knew the M1 Carbine was controversial!!
Yes, to the fact it is not a battle rifle!
I consider it the MP-5 of WW2, a fair close quarters battle tool, a PDW before the term was ever coined.
They ran into problems when they tried all the variables...the folding stock, the 30 round mags, full auto conversion, grenade launcher(?), etc.
In full auto, the M2 cyclic rate was high enough, if you missed with the first shot or two, you were not gonna hit nothing but air.
I spoke to veterans of various conflicts too.
A gentleman who trudged through the hell of the Chinese/Burma/Inda Theatre with Gen. Stillwell.....he loved the Carbine.
A man I met in my Alaskan youth spent three years in 'Nam 63-66 and love the carbine...apparently he taught alot of indiginous troops and they had whole platoons armed with little else running around the jungle. Doing 'hit and get' ambushes. The Carbine fit the Indig's perfectly.
I remeber hearing that alot of Germans picked up Carbines during the Battle of the Bulge...but I think I'd rather have one as a Personal defense weapon rather than a long heavy bolt action too.
And I remember the New York Stakeout Unit of Cirrillo fame, apparently used M1 loaded with soft/hollow points for a time. Remember reading that NOTHING else they used had better one shot stopping power at CQB.
I have shot them, they are nifty. But I have not and never will own one. My preferred CQB rifle, is the one in between the M1 and AR....called an AK. Not it was not the first assault rifle.......but no one can argue that it is not the most prolific.
JShirley...thanks for pics of the federov.
Bashing the Brits? Why, they made their stand! They needed alittle help from their friends...so what? It was a time of great extremes and daring and stress. If the Brits did not hold out, and we did not help...we would probably be speaking Russian right now!
And Sunray, the PO'd Canadian has valid points.....we Americans slant things OUR way...the treaties we sign are only good until we decide that we do not want to follow them anymore. Then we toss them in the low tech circular file cabinet.
The M1 carbine was never designed as a battle or assault rifle. It was a more effective weapon for 2nd and third echelon troops that MAY require something better than a pistol. That is was light, handy and got used alot...hey, it was war....you use what you got available. The American philosophy of the time was pick a few designs that worked OK and make tons of them!!! Simplified mass production for a two front war. From Jeeps, to that silly Sherman tank(blah!), Liberty ships, escort carriers, M1 Garand and Carbine.
It was a effective tool, and has alot of combat experience behind it! I am sure it is still being used somewhere for killing human's.....african, asia...wherever.
A rant is done...
Jercamp45