I keep coming back to the M1 Carbine as my GO TO HD Weapon

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Originally Posted by INLAND44

I found a Kel Tec SUB 2000 in .40 S&W - Glock mags and pushed the button on that.

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Without getting into politics, home defense isn't a typical Canadian firearms application, I do have a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 in 9mm, with Glock magazines and I have found it to be a very handy rifle in a small package.

To keep our rifles in the non-restricted (long arm) category, Kel-Tec did a production run of 18.5" Canada compliant Sub-2000's which was much appreciated by our firearms community. Mine has been employed as a plinker and made a very slick pack rifle for when I was travelling on remote Northern roads alone. It could be all packed up in a very compact bag with ammunition, but could deployed rapidity if needed, in the travel bag it was discreet enough not to draw unnecessary attention should I had to walk back to civilization. A survival .22 would have been another option but being stranded on foot in areas where wolves, bears, and aggressive coyotes were a concern, a 9mm seemed the more prudent choice.

It doesn't have the overall character of the M1 carbine but the Sub-2000 is an interesting option in it's segment.

While my favorite is the M1 Carbine, in the back of the house I have a HiPoint 995 in 9mm. Took it in trade from a friend who wanted my Henry 22 for his son. Most people who have never shot a HiPoint give it a scoff. Those who've actually owned one know it is both the ugliest gun ever made, one of the most reliable, and very easy to handle. With a 16" barrel and pistol grip magazine, nicely balanced, and only 6 lbs loaded, it is very quick to handle. Mine is the stainless steel version, which, once I painted the stock desert sand, and covered the butt and pistol grip in real leather, now looks a bit more traditional. HiPoint's customer service is supposedly excellent and anyone whose ever had a problem just sends it back to the factory no questions asked -- quite unusual for a low-price-point gun.

If I was only to have one gun as a HD weapon -- pistol, revolver, carbine, or rifle -- my choice would be something that is not made and actually illegal (so it's out of the question). Years ago when I was just a kid I saw a picture of one of the Universal M1 pistols with (I think) a 10 inch barrel. Someone had put a standard full length butt stock on it -- so it would never meet gun laws today (probably was illegal then, it must have been in the genre of a sawed off shotgun in terms of size -- much like the pre-1930s Tommy guns, but in .30 caliber).

My Marlin M2 .22 carbine is the only other gun that is easier to handle than the M1 carbine -- which is incredible testament to this historic weapon.

What always amazes me is that few today seem to be able to replicate the M1 Carbine reliably, despite modern technology. When you think of all the logistics, engineering, supply chain, quality control, lack of resources, and incredible manufacturing ramp-up issues that were obstacles in 1942-43, I am just astounded that the manufacturing build-out was so good. The M1 carbine is just an incredible story and will remain so for generations to come.

'What always amazes me is that few today seem to be able to replicate the M1 Carbine reliably, despite modern technology.'

That ain't the half of it, man. 'Modern technology' can't replicate much of anything made in the 1940s and '50s. For example, if someone needed a new barrel for a battleship 16" gun, it could not be made. We simply no longer have the heavy industries we had then or the trained craftsmen to do the work. Now I'm not saying that's all bad, but it's part of the reason we (meaning mankind) are so 'into' the things of that era - the guns, the cars, the motorcycles, practically any kind of manufactured item, including toys. It's because things were made 'right' and could last for generations. My oldest brother is 81 and we were talking one day recently about when we were kids. I was telling him about the cast iron horse and buggy I played with. Turns out it had originally belonged to him, passed down to the next brother and then to me. Imagine anything made today having that kind of durability. The M1 Carbine is simply another artifact from that time, when men took pride in their work. Nobody ever expected the small arms of WWII to last into the 21st century, but many have done it with only minimal care.
It still is possible that an M1 Carbine could be properly made but the resulting gun would cost three times more than a good original today. This is the reason I will not modify my one and only M1 Carbine to make it suitable for tactical use. I would much rather use a modern carbine in a good pistol caliber that's easy to install a red-dot sight, a flashlight or laser on without ruining a valuable gun.

I have a Mid-Length AR15 carbine with a Bushnell TRS-32 red dot I built (suitably California Featureless) that I would use now if I stilled lived out in rural area, like when I lived on 5 acres in farmland in Illinois. Since I live in a rural "neighborhood," with neighbors close on either side (we have 1/2 acre lots), I chose the M1 carbine. I do feel confident with the Critical defense ammo, though. I use it in my Kahr CW45 and in my Bersa 380, also. My 9mm Glock 19 (I have carried since 1995) I still use the Illinois State Police load, Federal 9BPLE +P+! Nasty stuff!

I consider myself lucky enough to still have eyesight good enough to use the Carbine`s factory peeps sights, and prefer them over anything else. However, there are some optic mounts that replace the hand guard that look promising. It would be a way to update the Carbine`s usefulness to those that might have lost some visual acuity over the years, without permanently modifying the gun in any way.
I would however, not choose a rare collectable for this purpose.

For a home defense situation, hunting inside 50 yds and most close combat, the sights are never used. That is the reality of the situation. You point center mass and pull the trigger. I suspect that is why these EOTECH style sights are so popular with troops. It pays to practice point shooting with handguns and rifles. You can get really good at it if you apply yourself.

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Originally Posted by jakester

I consider myself lucky enough to still have eyesight good enough to use the Carbine`s factory peeps sights, and prefer them over anything else.

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Yesterday I bought an inexpensive laser boresighter (the kind that works out of the muzzle and has adapters for various calibers from .22 to .45. Collimated my Enfields, Winchesters, Marlins, and others. Interestingly, when rotating the boresighter in the muzzle, the boresighter wandered an inch or two in some rifles -- especially the Marlins, but was near dead on with the Enfields and Winchesters. I attributed the variance to an imperfection in the cutting of the crown. (any opinions mates?)

When I got to the 1943 M1 Inland Carbine, there was no variance at any angle of rotation -- dead on -- apparently a perfect crown. And the sights are still so easy to aim -- a real pleasure for old eyes. The only sights I like better are the diopter sights on the HK/PTR-91 (truly elegantly simple and easy to acquire target and PTR wisely added a windage adjustment).