If I were pressed to go into "urban" combat...

[imarangemaster]

Four carbine 30 rounders fit very nicely in an old 1956 Universal magazine pouch.

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

They fit perfectly in a $35 GI 30 round mag pouch as well.

[browningautorifle]

With the appropriate pistol belt full of snaps...

[TDH]

Depending on the job at hand the Springfield M1a Scout (18" barrel) or a second choice of the AK. for other purposes I would grab one of my Mini's which fills the .556 role instead of Matty Matelle. I did not like that thing in 69 when they put it in my hands and I don't like it now. Sorry guys. For a side arm it's hard to beat a 1911 unless it's an XD. 14 rounds of .45 should do the job. just one old man's humble opinion.

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

Side arm meaning close combat, I like the 1911 as well. But there were times we needed to reach out and touch someone. After the ammo issues was resolved, the M16 has done that quite nicely for the last 50 years.

But like you, at the time, I hated it. Besides our handgun, we used Carbines, shotguns, and M-79's. Left the Colts to the Army. And being on boats our application was different then most.

[wd4ngb]

I tried a couple of the 1950s M1 Carbine 30 rounder pouches, and they were very thin, and the snaps poorly made. Was at a Army Surplus store, and picked up a couple of Vietnam era M16 pouches and they hold 4 30 round mags perfectly. I have a old army pistol belt with suspenders, and added 2 of these pouches to it with one of my old army butt packs to keep some basic SHTF gear in.

[browningautorifle]

Is that Patty Hearst's carbine you have there at bottom?

[wd4ngb]

Pretty much so, except this is one of the new Inland Advisor legal Pistols. It is a clone to the chopped M1/M2 Carbines used in Nam. I carried one of them in Nam, so absolutely wanted one of them. I also carried a M2 in Korea, so the Carbine has lots of memories for me.

Here is a page I put together about my Carbines.

http://webpages.charter.net/wd4ngb/carbine.htm

[tenOC]

Can you comment on what it's like to fire one of the Advisor versions, and in what circumstances it's best used? Thanks in advance.

[wd4ngb]

Loud and since the short barrel does not allow time for full burn of powder, and good size fire ball. The fire ball actually was a plus, since the VC thought we had some very large weapons we were turning loose on them, and usually retreated.

We used these mainly in the 5 to 50 yard range and they did fine. Out to 100 yards, a 5 to 10 round burst would usually work. Wish I had a go fast lever on this one. This was in the early years, and we had contact with mainly VC, and very little contact with the harden NVA.