M1 Carbine 10 Things you Didn't Know

[imntxs554]

I found this is on " American Rifleman " website with some nice Pictures and 2 Videos. Take a look. I really like Mr. Shooters Video and his Carbine he's using at his Range. Thank You
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American Rifleman | 10 Things You Didnt Know About the M1 Carbine

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[imarangemaster]

Thanks great post. I a sure most of the carbinophiles here knew those things, but it is a good read. Not mentioned, but German troops in WWII occasionally used the carbine and used captured ones extensively. The ammo was 7,62x33mm and designated it "SelbstladeKarabiner (Self Loading carbine) 455(a)"

[Bruce McAskill]

It is thought that the use of the carbine by German troops was done in propaganda films by non combat units. To use the carbine in combat was a big problem as there was never enough ammo available to have it used in steadily combat.

The carbine was not designed as a replacement for the pistol. The designation is a Short rifle aka carbine not a pistol replacement. It did replace the M1 Garand or the 1903A3 for rear area troops or those in support roles like mortar crews and such. This is what it was designed for BUT so many front line troops liked the little carbine that it was in huge demand with them. Some men loved it and some hated it but it sure made it to the front.

[imarangemaster]

I grew up around WW II vets, including my dad, his brothers, and many family friends and members of the parish. My dad and his brothers were in the Pacific Theater of Operations and swore by the little carbine. Like many vets, they almost never gave ANY details about combat. The Carbine worked well for them, however, as they came home intact. From their general descriptions, most fighting was under 100 yards.

A guy in our parish (the school janitor, was a Sgt. in the European theater. He carried a Garand in the French countryside and swore by it. He said whenever he got to a village or town, however, he traded weapons with his RTO, giving the RTO his Garand and taking the RTO's M1 Carbine. He said the Carbine was better than a Thompson for villages, because it was as handy as the Tommy gun indoors, but had accurate range shooting at "Enemy Combatants" in the windows down the street. He said past 15 to 25 yards, the Thompson was absolutely worthless. The carbine he said could easily "pop a guy in the pumpkin" at 100 yards.

[firstflabn]

The carbine was not designed as a replacement for the pistol....It did replace the M1 Garand or the 1903A3 for rear area troops or those in support roles like mortar crews and such.

The Army's Services of Supply (soon to become Army Service Forces) summarized the reasons for adoption of the carbine in its FY42 report:



That covers intent during the developmental period. What about practice? First, it's hard to understand how mortar crews could be considered support troops. 60mm mortars were an organic part of the rifle company and 81mm mortars were in the heavy weapons company in the infantry battalion - right along with the rifle companies.

Let's look at the infantry battalion T/Os from Oct 40 and Apr 42 (the former being the final T/O prior to carbine adoption and the latter being the first one which included the carbine).

1940 rifle co - 46 pistols; 0 carbines
1942 rifle co - 10 pistols; 35 carbines

That's almost an 80% reduction in pistols (while co authorized strength shrank about 10%).

How about the HW co?

1940 HW co - 152 pistols; 0 carbines
1942 HW co - 28 pistols; 105 carbines

Almost 80% reduction in pistols again (while co authorized strength shrank by a bit over 10%).

Hard to see how this could be seen as anything other than a replacement.