"Weapons Expert" surprised by 30 carbine performance

Was posted here years ago. In an old episode of History Channel's "Weaponology" series, they discuss the weapons of the French Foreign Legion through the years. At about minute 39:00 the "weapons expert" talks about the carbine being being popular with the Legion even though it was essentially a pistol round. He then shoots a 12x12" clay block with a 30-06 and gets the expected big hole. He then shoots another 12x12" clay block with the M1 carbine and the block is blown apart! He was gobsmacked and totally at a loss. To my dad and his brothers who all fought in the Pacific in WW 2, this would not have been a surprised. It excelled at close up and personal.

Weaponology - Season 2 Epiosde 11 - French Foreign Legion - YouTube

Interesting!

the ones labeled weapons EXPERT, are normally more incompetent about weapons then say Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi....

meaning, they'll most likely try to tell you the .30 luger pistol used .30-06, BECAUSE ITS A 30 caliber

Besides growing up hearing my dad's and uncles' respect for the M1 Carbines they used in the Pacific in WW2, I really gained respect for it in about 1988. I used one to nail a 175 lb+ Black Tail deer buck, brush hunting on my sister's property. It was a single broadside heart/lung shot at 97 long paces using an R-P 110 grn JSP. It jumped about a couple times about 20, then dropped dead. The exit wound took out a couple ribs and I could almost get my thumb and four fingers in it.

I carried an M1 Carbine as a trunk weapon for much of my LEO career, alternating with a Mini-14 at times. I never felt under-gunned.

I had about 25 of them over time including all the prime contractors except IP. They had all the desirable features now scarce and they were just what was available on the pawn shop racks then. I used to load for mine, still could with a cast gas check bullet of about 120gr. It's supposed to be pointed but my top punch makes it RN and it feeds perfectly. Everyone on hand would notice and mention the authority it hit the 200 yd gong with, sounded every bit like the 30-30 Winchester...no shortage of far end smack.

The Carbine action starts at 39 minutes. I know it's mentioned, but I overlooked it prior in the original message.

whoever done that video, was uhm smoking to much at the local opium den

We get hung up on "Magnumitus" now days. If you look at where is was successful: the Pacific, Europe inside villages and towns, and Viet Nam, they were all under 200 yards. Where it wasn't as successful: Europe out in the country,Korea when used as a rifle at 300 yards, or worse full auto by untrained troops at 300 yards. That is because it was used outside of the envelop it was designed for: A Personal Defense Weapon for 150 yards or less. At 1990 fps with 967 ft lbs ME at muzzle and at 100 yards 1560 fps and over 600 ft lbs (more than a 125 grain JHP has 357 at the muzzle!)

Audie Murphy and Ola Mise used them to earn their MOH. Even Stormin Norman Schwarzkopf prefered an M2 with a para stock when he was on the line in Vietnam. My dad and his brothers used them in the PTO in WW2 and said it never failed them (and they did come back!)

The 30 Carbine PDW round compared to HK 4.6x30 and FNs 5.7x28 PDW cartridges. The Carbine round offers more than twice the ME at the muzzle, and more at 100 yards IIRC.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../VrFiwyy-1.jpg

One of my favorite carbine pics. An Alaska hunter who used an M1 to kill Kodiak bears. I seem to remember that he was some kind of government hunter. Undoubtedly head shots! Besides being an excellent shot, the guy obviously has big brass balls, too!

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../eTDDw04-1.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tenOC

The Carbine action starts at 39 minutes. I know it's mentioned, but I overlooked it prior in the original message.

---

Thanks, there was no way I was going to endure that moronic narration long enough to find out where it was otherwise!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Surpmil

Thanks, there was no way I was going to endure that moronic narration long enough to find out where it was otherwise!

---

The programs were an hour long. Unfortunately, most of the time they should have been half hour, and they babble to fill the time between commercials! You do have to check facts though, even on the History Channel. The had one about the Spanish American war. They talked about troops going to the Philippines via the Panama canal! Problem is, the War was in 1898, and the canal was not finished until 1914! I suspect that the troops crossed the isthmus on the trans Panama railway, instead.