I have a buddy who's grandfather was a combat engineer in the ETO. He had a carbine that never, ever, ever jammed. He had to constantly watch it because everyone tried to swipe HIS carbine. He seemed to think that he just kept his cleaner.

One of their duties was to clear a recent battlefield of all weapons. They had truckloads of ammo and weapons. During the Battle of the Bulge, these combat engineers ran into a unit moving forward with no weapons. When asked where their weapons were, they stated that they had been told they would be issued weapons prior to arriving at the front. The engineers then told them that they were "at the front", but that they could help them. They promptly lined everyone up at the truckloads of just picked up weapons and began taking orders like it was a drive through. The engineers were glad because they did not have to lug this stuff back, and the impromptu infantrymen were glad to be armed.

Can you imagine! "I would like a BAR and could you supersize it!"

In that situation what would you want, since you could pick. I would probably pick a BAR if a private, but a carbine if I was some sort of NCO or officer.