TheGunMag: "M1 Carbine the Most Versatile Rifle"

[Wineman]

Sorry, that work thing had me going for a few days. The old story of "Jack of all trades, Master at none" is what I was thinking. The fully auto M2 Carbine with the A1 stock is probably as close as we will get to a sub gun as you get. Was it as good as an M3?, Sten, Owen, MP40, PPsh? Wooden stock, long barrel, muzzle flash, lots of lightweight parts. The stories of Japanese who captured M1 Carbines, could not believe that every Marine could have one. Once WW2 started, there were precious few items produced that were truly awful. We can agree to disagree on the merits/faults of Sherman Tanks, SB2c Helldivers, B-17's (I'm a fan of all but each had issues, and more numbers was not one of them). The M1 Carbine is no different. The M1911 pistol it was supposed to replace stayed in service for another 60 years and is still being produced in some form or another today, going strong at 110 years. The 45 ACP is not dead either, 45 sub-guns not so much.

Even today you can find Carbine magazines in the original wrap. They were not made to last 80 years, probably not made to last 5 years. Throw it away and get a new one because there were plenty.

I'm a fan of Jack Nicholson and in a Few Good Men he said "have you ever put your life in another man's hands?" (paraphrasing here). Well for me if I had to put my life in a company's hands it is Remington, Winchester or Federal. No particular order. Carry what you want, but my choice is 110 SP's from any of these companies. If you fire a few hundred of your favorite and no issues, have at it. None of the big 3 have ever let me down.

I love M1 Carbines, but like most things, there are compromises and as I said the farther you get from pistol replacement for REMF's the more complaints you get.

If the M1 Carbine development had continued as did the AR15/M16 we may have a different story. A tweak here, a correction there, you had essentially the same rifle in 1968 as you did on 1942.

Deer under 100 yards, look out.

Dave