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93-572: The M1 carbine (formally the United States carbine, caliber .30, M1 ) is a lightweight semi-automatic carbine that was issued to the U.S. military during World War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War . The M1 carbine was produced in several variants and was widely used by paramilitary and police forces around the world after World War II. The M2 carbine is the selective-fire version of

186-609: A bayonet and could be loaded with ten rounds, using a stripper clip . However, the SKS was quickly replaced by the AK-47 , produced at around the same time, but with a 30-round magazine, and select fire capability. The SKS was the first widely issued weapon to use the 7.62×39mm cartridge. There are semi-automatic pistols , rifles , and shotguns designed and made as semi-automatic only. Selective-fire firearms are capable of both full automatic and semi-automatic modes. Semi-automatic refers to

279-469: A short-stroke gas piston design while serving a prison sentence at a North Carolina minimum-security work farm. Winchester, after Williams' release, had hired Williams on the strength of recommendations of firearms industry leaders and hoped Williams would be able to complete various designs left unfinished by Ed Browning, including the Winchester G30 rifle. Williams incorporated his short-stroke piston in

372-419: A 7.5 lb (3.4 kg). Ordnance found unsatisfactory the first series of prototype carbines submitted by several firearms companies and some independent designers. Winchester had contacted the ordnance department to examine their rifle M2 design. Major René Studler of ordnance believed the rifle design could be scaled down to a carbine which would weigh 4.5 to 4.75 lb (2.04 to 2.15 kg) and demanded

465-991: A closed bolt when semi-automatic is selected. Many jurisdictions regulate some or all semi-automatic firearms differently than other types. Various types of semi-automatic weapons were restricted for civilian use in New Zealand after the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings , in Australia after the Port Arthur massacre , in Norway after the 2011 Utøya shooting . In the United States, the Federal Assault Weapons Ban prohibited semi-automatic weapons with certain additional characteristics, from 1994 to 2004. As of 2023, several U.S. states still restrict similar types of semi-automatic weapons. Carbine Williams Carbine Williams

558-510: A complete loaded round weighs 195 grains (12.6 g) and has a muzzle velocity of 1,990 ft/s (610 m/s) giving it 967 ft·lbf (1,311 joules) of energy, when fired from the M1 carbine's 17.75 in (451 mm) barrel. In comparison, the .30-06 Springfield ball round used by the M1 Garand is almost three times as powerful as the .30 Carbine, while the carbine round is twice as powerful as

651-430: A fifth of the cost of a Thompson submachine gun at approximately $ 225. The .30 caliber Carbine ammunition was also far cheaper to produce than the standard .30-06 ammunition; used fewer resources, was smaller, lighter and easier to make. These were major factors in the United States military decision to adopt the M1 carbine, especially when considering the vast numbers of weapons and ammunition manufactured and transported by

744-410: A firearm that uses the force of recoil or gas to eject the empty case and load a fresh cartridge into the firing chamber for the next shot and which allows repeat shots solely through the action of pulling the trigger. A double-action revolver also requires only a trigger pull for each round that is fired but is not considered semi-automatic since the manual action of pulling the trigger is what advances

837-460: A little more. But they are so few in number that no general conclusion can be drawn from them. Where carbine fire had proved killing effect, approximately 95 percent of the time the target was dropped at less than 50 yd (46 m)." The evaluation also reported that ..."Commanders noted that it took two to three engagements at least to settle their men to the automatic feature of the carbine so that they would not greatly waste ammunition under

930-567: A modified Garand operating rod. The prototype was an immediate hit with army observers. After the initial Army testing in August 1941, the Winchester design team set out to develop a more refined version. Williams participated in the finishing of this prototype. The second prototype competed successfully against all remaining carbine candidates in September 1941, and Winchester was notified of their success

1023-467: A new design to speeding-up re-armament with existing weapons. The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany would both issue successful self-loading and selective-fire rifles on a large scale during the course of the war, but not in sufficient numbers to replace their standard bolt-action rifles. In 1937, the American M1 Garand was the first semi-automatic rifle to replace its nation's bolt-action rifle as

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1116-620: A percussion shotgun in Pugsley's collection (hook breech and barrel band assembly/disassembly). The .30 Carbine cartridge is essentially a rimless version of the obsolete .32 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge introduced for the Winchester Model 1905 rifle . The propellant was much newer, though, taking advantage of chemistry advances. As a result, the .30 Carbine cartridge is approximately 27% more powerful than its parent cartridge. A standard .30 Carbine ball bullet weighs 110 grains (7.1 g),

1209-415: A prototype as soon as possible. The first model was developed at Winchester in 13 days by William C. Roemer, Fred Humeston and three other Winchester engineers under the supervision of Edwin Pugsley and was essentially Williams' last version of the .30-06 M2 scaled down to the .30 SL cartridge. This patchwork prototype was cobbled together using the trigger housing and lockwork of a Winchester M1905 rifle and

1302-462: A result, the carbine was soon widely issued to infantry officers, American paratroopers , non-commissioned officers , ammunition bearers, forward artillery observers, and other frontline troops. The first M1 carbines were delivered in mid-1942, with initial priority given to troops in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). During World War II a standard U.S. Army infantry company was issued

1395-453: A round must first be chambered manually before the weapon can fire. When the trigger is pulled, only the hammer and firing pin move, striking and firing the cartridge. The bolt then recoils far enough rearward to extract and load a new cartridge from the magazine into the firearm's chamber, ready to fire again once the trigger is pulled. An open-bolt mechanism is a common characteristic of fully automatic firearms. With this system, pulling

1488-418: A semi-automatic handgun. However, to avoid confusion, the term "automatic rifle" is generally, conventionally, and best restricted to a rifle capable of fully automatic fire. Both uses of the term "automatic" can be found; the exact meaning must be determined from context. The mechanism of semi-automatic (or autoloading) firearms is usually what is known as a closed-bolt firing system. In a closed-bolt system,

1581-469: A standard straight 15-round box magazine. The introduction of the select-fire M2 carbine in October 1944 also brought into service the curved 30-round box magazine or " Banana Clip ". After WWII, the 30-round magazine quickly became the standard magazine for both the M1 and M2 carbines, although the 15-round magazine remained in service until the end of the Vietnam War . Perhaps the most common accessory used on

1674-625: A total of 1.5 million M1 and M2 carbines were left in Vietnam. At least 793,994 M1 and M2 carbines were given to the South Vietnamese and were widely used throughout the Vietnam War . A number were captured during the war by Viet Cong , with some made compact by shortening the barrel and/or stock. "While the carbine's lighter weight and high rate of fire made it an excellent weapon for small-statured Asians, these guns lacked sufficient hitting power and penetration, and they were eventually outclassed by

1767-435: A total of 28 M1 carbines. The company headquarters was issued nine carbines (for the company commander, executive officer, first sergeant, mess sergeant, supply sergeant, bugler, and three messengers), the weapons platoon was issued sixteen carbines (for the platoon leader, platoon sergeant, two platoon messengers in the platoon headquarters, one messenger in each of the two mortar and machine gun section headquarters, and ten for

1860-502: Is a 1952 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring James Stewart , Jean Hagen and Wendell Corey . The film follows the life of its namesake, David Marshall Williams , who invented the operating principle for the M1 Carbine while in a North Carolina prison. The M1 Carbine was used extensively by the U.S. military during World War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War . Originally filmed in black-and-white, it

1953-469: Is also shown in a computer-colorized version . The film follows the life of David Marshall Williams, who was a member of the Winchester team that invented the semi-automatic M1 Carbine used in World War II . Williams was found distilling illegal moonshine, and was held responsible for the death of a sheriff's deputy during a raid on his still. He was sentenced to thirty years' hard labor. He cycled through

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2046-436: Is common to refer to such firearms as an "autoloader" in reference to their loading mechanism. The term "automatic pistol" almost exclusively refers to a semi-automatic (i.e. not fully automatic) pistol (fully automatic pistols are usually referred to as machine pistols ). With handguns, the term "automatic" is commonly used to distinguish semi-automatic pistols from revolvers. The term "auto-loader" may also be used to describe

2139-538: The .30 Carbine cartridge for the ordnance department. Winchester at first did not submit a carbine design, as it was occupied in developing the Winchester G30 rifle . The G30 rifle originated as a design by Jonathan "Ed" Browning , half-brother of the famous firearm designer John Moses Browning . A couple of months after Ed Browning's death in May 1939, Winchester hired David Marshall "Carbine" Williams who had begun work on

2232-461: The .45 ACP -caliber Thompson submachine gun in common use at the time. As a result, the carbine offers much better range, accuracy and penetration than those submachine guns. The M1 is also half the weight of the Thompson and fires a lighter cartridge. Therefore, soldiers armed with the carbine can carry much more ammunition than those armed with a Thompson. Categorizing the M1 carbine series has been

2325-811: The Army of the Republic of Vietnam with 793,994 M1 and M2 carbines from 1963 to 1973. Along with tens of thousands of carbines left behind by the French after the First Indochina War , the M1 and M2 carbines were the most widely issued small arm during the early stages in the Vietnam War and remained in service in large numbers until the fall of Saigon . The South Vietnamese would also receive 220,300 M1 Garands and 520 M1C/M1D rifles, and 640,000 M16 rifles . Semi-automatic firearm Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher produced

2418-543: The M1 Garand being a notable example. Modern service rifles such as the M4 carbine are often selective-fire, capable of semi-automatic and automatic or burst-fire operation. Civilian variants such as the AR-15 are generally semi-automatic only. The first successful design for a semi-automatic rifle is attributed to Austria -born gunsmith Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher , who unveiled

2511-573: The Mosin-Nagant as their standard service rifle), as well as the German Gewehr 43 , were semi-automatic gas-operated rifles issued during World War II . In practice, they did not replace the bolt-action rifle as a standard infantry weapon. Another gas-operated semi-automatic rifle developed toward the end of World War II was the SKS . Designed by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov in 1945, it came equipped with

2604-545: The Vietnam War era, and they continue to be used by military, police, and security forces around the world to this day. During World War II , the British SAS used the M1 and M1A1 carbines after 1943. The weapon was taken into use simply because a decision had been taken by Allied authorities to supply .30 caliber weapons from U.S. stocks in the weapons containers dropped to Resistance groups sponsored by an SOE , or later also Office of Strategic Services (OSS), organizer, on

2697-577: The 82nd and 101st airborne divisions but were later issued to all U.S. Army Airborne units and the U.S. Marine Corps. The folding-stock M1A1 is an unusual design in that the stock is not locked in the open or closed position, but is instead held in place by a spring-loaded cam. As carbines were reconditioned, parts such as the magazine catch, rear sight, barrel band without bayonet lug, and stock were upgraded with current standard-issue parts. Also, both during and after World War II, many semi-automatic M1 carbines were converted to select-fire M2 carbines by using

2790-465: The AK-47 assault rifle." The M1/M2/M3 carbines were the most heavily produced family of U.S. military weapons for several decades. They were used by every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. After World War II , the M1 and M2 carbines were widely exported to U.S. allies and client states (1,015,568 to South Korea, 793,994 to South Vietnam , 269,644 to France, etc.), they were used as a frontline weapon well into

2883-639: The Auto-5 ended in 1998. In 1903 and 1905, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company introduced the first semi-automatic rimfire and centerfire rifles designed especially for the civilian market. The Winchester Model 1903 and Winchester Model 1905 operated on the principle of blowback in order to function semi-automatically. Designed entirely by T. C. Johnson , the Model 1903 achieved commercial success and continued to be manufactured until 1932 when

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2976-576: The M1 carbine as a standard long gun for non-combat elements and Mash'az volunteers. The U.S. provided France with 269,644 M1 and M2 carbines from World War II to 1963. The carbines were used by the French Paratroopers and Legionnaires , as well as specialists (e.g., drivers, radio operators, engineers), during the First Indochina War , the Algerian War and the Suez Crisis . The U.S. provided

3069-411: The M1 carbine magazine well. The loaded 30-round magazine would typically slant (impairing feed reliability) or even fall out, which contributed to the poor reliability record of the 30-round magazines. Because of their thin steel construction, they were also more prone to damage due to their added length and weight when loaded. In response to these issues, early production M1 carbines had to be fitted with

3162-412: The M1 carbine was a standard magazine belt pouch that was slid over the stock and held two extra 15-round magazines. This field adaptation was never officially approved but proved an efficient method to supply extra ammunition in combat. After the introduction of the 30-round magazine, it was common for troops to tape two 30-round magazines together, a practice that became known as " jungle style ". This led

3255-531: The M1 carbine with M8 grenade launcher a type of emergency-use weapon. A total of over 6.1 million M1 carbines of various models were manufactured, making it the most produced small arm for the American military during World War II (compared with about 5.4 million M1 rifles and about 1.3 million Thompson submachine guns). Despite being designed by Winchester, the great majority of these were made by other companies (see § Military contractors below). The largest producer

3348-411: The M1 carbine, capable of firing in both semi-automatic and full-automatic . The M3 carbine was an M2 carbine with an active infrared scope system. Despite having a similar name and physical outward appearance, the M1 carbine is not a carbine version of the M1 Garand rifle . On 1 July 1925, the U.S. Army began using the current naming convention where the "M" is the designation for "Model" and

3441-575: The M1 carbine. Small numbers of captured M1 carbines were used by German forces in World War II, particularly after D-Day . The German designation for captured carbines was Selbstladekarabiner 455(a) . The " a " came from the country name in German; in this case, Amerika . It was also used by German police and border guards in Bavaria after World War II and into the 1950s. The carbines were stamped according to

3534-631: The M1894 by a stripper clip . In 1902, American gunsmith John Moses Browning developed the first successful semi-automatic shotgun , the Browning Auto-5 , which was first manufactured by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal and sold in America under the Browning name. The Auto-5 relied on long recoil operation ; this design remained the dominant form in semi-automatic shotguns for approximately 50 years. Production of

3627-863: The M3 carbine. The system was refined over time, and by the Korean War the improved M3 infrared night sight was in service. The M3 sight has a longer effective range than its predecessor, about 125 yards (114 meters). However, it still required the user to carry a heavy backpack-mounted battery pack to power the scope and infrared light. They were used primarily in static defensive positions in Korea to locate troops attempting to infiltrate in darkness. M3 operators would not only use their carbines to dispatch individual targets, but also used tracer ammo to identify troop concentrations for machine gunners to decimate. In total, about 20,000 sets were made before they became obsolete, and were given to

3720-507: The M8 grenade launcher (see M7 grenade launcher ), which was developed in early 1944. It was fired with the .30 caliber Carbine M6 grenade blank cartridge to launch 22 mm rifle grenades . However, the stress from firing rifle grenades could eventually crack the carbine's stock, and it also could not use the launcher with the M7 auxiliary "booster" charge to extend its range without breaking the stock. This made

3813-598: The Models of 1905 and 1907 saw limited military and police use. In 1906, Remington Arms introduced the Remington Auto-loading Repeating Rifle . Remington advertised this rifle, renamed the "Model 8" in 1911, as a sporting rifle. This is a locked-breech, long recoil action designed by John Browning . The rifle was offered in .25, .30, .32, and .35 caliber models, and gained popularity among civilians as well as some law enforcement officials who appreciated

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3906-854: The Naval Intelligence Division of the British Admiralty, which operated across the entire Allied area of operations, also made use of this weapon.. The carbine continued to be utilized as late as the Malayan Emergency , by the Police Field Force of the Royal Malaysian Police , along with other units of the British Army, were issued the M2 carbine for both jungle patrols and outpost defense. The Royal Ulster Constabulary also used

3999-505: The Pacific, where barrel corrosion was a significant issue with the corrosive primers used in .30-06 caliber weapons. However, in the European theatre , some soldiers reported misfires attributed to moisture ingress of the non-corrosive primer compound. Initially, the M1 carbine was intended to have a select-fire capability, but the requirement for rapid production of the new carbine resulted in

4092-501: The T17 and T18 conversion kits. The conversion included a modified sear, slide, and trigger housing, and added a disconnector, disconnector lever, and selector switch that could be set for semi-auto or full-automatic fire. During World War II, the T23 (M3) flash hider was designed to reduce the muzzle flash from the carbine, but was not introduced into service until the advent of the M3 carbine. With

4185-460: The United States during World War II. The M1 carbine with its reduced-power .30 cartridge was not originally intended to serve as a primary weapon for combat infantrymen, nor was it comparable to more powerful assault rifles developed late in the war. However, it was markedly superior to the .45 caliber submachine guns in use at the time in both accuracy and penetration, and its lighter .30 caliber cartridge allowed soldiers to carry more ammunition. As

4278-465: The Vietnam War. Howa also made replacement parts for US-made M1 carbines issued to Japanese police and military. The M1 carbine was also used by the Israeli Palmach -based special forces in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . And, because of their compact size and semi-automatic capabilities, they continued to be used by Israeli Defence Forces after the creation of Israel. The Israeli police still use

4371-521: The Winchester M1 carbine had been adopted and type-classified. Winchester supervisor Edwin Pugsley conceded that Williams' final design was "an advance on the one that was accepted" but noted that Williams' decision to go it alone was a distinct impediment to the project, and Williams' additional design features were not incorporated into M1 production. In a 1951 memo written in fear of a patent infringement lawsuit by Williams, Winchester noted his patent for

4464-577: The Winchester Model 63 replaced it. By the early 20th century, several manufacturers had introduced semi-automatic .22 sporting rifles, including Winchester , Remington , Fabrique Nationale and Savage Arms , all using the direct blow-back system of operation. Winchester introduced a medium caliber semi-automatic sporting rifle, the Model 1907 as an upgrade to the Model 1905, utilizing a blowback system of operation, in calibers such as .351 Winchester . Both

4557-461: The assumption the groups so supplied would be operating in areas within the operational boundaries of U.S. forces committed to Operation Overlord . They were found to be suited to the kind of operation the two British, two French, and one Belgian Regiment carried out. It was handy enough to parachute with, and, in addition, could be easily stowed in an operational Jeep. Other specialist intelligence collection units, such as 30 Assault Unit sponsored by

4650-502: The bayonet lug. The M1 carbine mounts the M4 bayonet , which was based on the earlier M3 fighting knife and formed the basis for the later M5 , M6 and M7 bayonet -knives. A folding-stock version of the carbine, the M1A1, was also developed after a request for a compact and light infantry arm for airborne troops. The Inland Division of General Motors manufactured 140,000 of them in two product runs in late 1942. They were originally issued to

4743-523: The beginning of production, non-corrosive primers were specified. This was the first major use of this type of primer in a military firearm. Because the rifle had a closed gas system, not normally disassembled in the field, corrosive primers would have led to a rapid deterioration of the function of the gas system. The use of non-corrosive primers was a novelty in service ammunition at this time. Some failures to fire were reported in early lots of .30 caliber Carbine ammunition, attributed to moisture ingress of

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4836-539: The branch they were in service with; for instance, those used by the border guard were stamped " Bundesgrenzschutz ". Some of these weapons were modified with different sights, finishes, and sometimes new barrels. A variant was produced shortly after World War II by Japanese manufacturer Howa Machinery, under U.S. supervision. These were issued to all branches of the Japan Self-Defense Forces , and large numbers of them found their way to Southeast Asia during

4929-506: The combination of a semi-automatic action and relatively powerful rifle cartridges. The Model 81 superseded the Model 8 in 1936 and was offered in .300 Savage as well as the original Remington calibers. The first semi-automatic rifle adopted and widely issued by a major military power ( France ) was the Fusil Automatique Modele 1917 . This is a locked-breech, gas-operated action that is very similar in its mechanical principles to

5022-436: The cylinder, not the energy of the preceding shot. The usage of the term automatic may vary according to context. Gun specialists point out that the word automatic is sometimes misunderstood to mean fully automatic fire when used to refer to a self-loading, semi-automatic firearm not capable of fully automatic fire. In this case, automatic refers to the loading mechanism, not the firing capability. To avoid confusion, it

5115-467: The design in 1885. The Model 85 was followed by the equally innovative Mannlicher Models 91, 93 and 95 semi-automatic rifles. Although Mannlicher earned his reputation with his bolt-action rifle designs, he also produced a few semi-automatic pistols, including the Steyr Mannlicher M1894 , which employed an unusual blow-forward action and held five rounds of 6.5mm ammunition that were fed into

5208-446: The exception of T23 hiders mounted on M3 carbines, few if any T23 flash-hider attachments saw service during the war, though unit armorers occasionally hand-built improvised compensator-flash-hiders of their own design. Combat tests of the M2 carbine resulted in an Army Ground Forces request that led to development of the T13 recoil check adopted September 1945. The M1 carbine was used with

5301-559: The existing design as the G30M. After the Marine Corps ' semi-automatic rifle trials in 1940, Browning's rear-locking tilting bolt design proved unreliable in sandy conditions. As a result, Williams redesigned the G30M to incorporate a Garand-style rotating bolt and operating slide, retaining the short-stroke piston as the .30 M2 Winchester Military Rifle. By May 1941, Williams had shaved the M2 rifle prototype from about 9.5 lb (4.3 kg) to

5394-573: The fall and winter of 1944. In the Asiatic-Pacific Theater , soldiers and guerrilla forces operating in heavy jungle with only occasional enemy contact praised the carbine for its small size, light weight, and firepower. However, soldiers and marines engaged in frequent daily firefights (particularly those serving in the Philippines) found the weapon to have insufficient penetration and stopping power. While carbine bullets would easily penetrate

5487-449: The field, the carbine was modified to incorporate a bayonet lug attached to the barrel band starting in 1945. However, very few carbines with bayonet lugs reached the front lines before the end of World War II. After the war, the bayonet lug was added to many M1 carbines during the arsenal refurbishing process. By the start of the Korean War , the bayonet lug-equipped M1 was standard issue. It is now rare to find an original M1 carbine without

5580-431: The first impulse of engagement. By experience, they would come to handle it semi-automatically, but it took prolonged battle hardening to bring about this adjustment in the human equation." Despite its mixed reputation, the M2 carbine's firepower often made it the weapon of choice, when it came to night patrols in Korea. The M3 carbine with its infrared sniper scope was also used against night infiltrators, especially during

5673-480: The first successful design for a semi-automatic rifle in 1885, and by the early 20th century, many manufacturers had introduced semi-automatic shotguns , rifles and pistols . In military use, the semi-automatic M1911 handgun was adopted by the United States Army in 1911, and subsequently by many other nations. Semi-automatic rifles did not see widespread military adoption until just prior to World War II ,

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5766-454: The front and back of steel helmets, as well as the body armor used by Japanese forces of the era, reports of the carbine's failure to stop enemy soldiers, sometimes after multiple hits, appeared in individual after-action reports, postwar evaluations, and service histories of both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. The carbine's exclusive use of non-corrosive-primer ammunition was found to be ideal by troops and ordnance personnel serving in

5859-511: The front lines generated a request for a new compact infantry weapon to equip support troops. This request called for a compact, lightweight defensive weapon with greater range, accuracy and firepower than a handgun, while weighing half as much as the Thompson submachine gun or the M1 rifle . The U.S. Army decided that a carbine-type weapon would adequately fulfill all of these requirements, and specified that

5952-526: The future M1 Garand in the United States. The M1917 was fielded during the latter stages of World War I but it did not receive a favorable reception. However, its shortened and improved version, the Model 1918, was much more favourably received during the Moroccan Rif War from 1920 to 1926. The Lebel bolt-action rifle remained the standard French infantry rifle until replaced in 1936 by the MAS-36 despite

6045-405: The head. PVA infantry forces who had been issued captured U.S. small arms disliked the carbine for the same reason. A 1951 official U.S. Army evaluation reported that ..."There are practically no data bearing on the accuracy of the carbine at ranges in excess of 50 yd (46 m). The record contains a few examples of carbine-aimed fire felling an enemy soldier at this distance or perhaps

6138-444: The military to introduce the "Holder, Magazine T3-A1" also called the "jungle clip", a metal clamp that held two magazines together without the need for tape. The 30-round magazines introduced for use with the selective-fire M2 carbine would not be reliably retained by the magazine catch made for the original M1 carbine which was designed to retain a 15-round magazine, so the much heavier 30-round magazine would not be properly seated in

6231-518: The mortar and machine gun ammunition bearers), and the three rifle platoons were issued one each (for the platoon leader). The M1 carbine gained generally high praise for its small size, light weight and firepower, especially by those troops who were unable to use a full-size rifle as their primary weapon. However, its reputation in front-line combat was mixed and negative reports began to surface with airborne operations in Sicily in 1943, and increased during

6324-439: The new arm should weigh no more than 5 pounds (2.3 kg) and have an effective range of 300 yards (270 m). Paratroopers were also added to the list of intended users and a folding-stock version would also be developed. In 1938, the chief of infantry requested that the ordnance department develop a "light rifle" or carbine, though the formal requirement for the weapon type was not approved until 1940. Winchester developed

6417-462: The next month. Standardization as the M1 carbine was approved on 22 October 1941. This story was the loose basis for the 1952 movie Carbine Williams starring James Stewart . Contrary to the movie, Williams had little to do with the carbine's development, with the exception of his short-stroke gas piston design. Williams worked on his own design apart from the other Winchester staff, but it was not ready for testing until December 1941, two months after

6510-440: The non-corrosive primer compound. The M1 carbine entered service with a simple flip sight, which had two settings: 150 and 300 yd (140 and 270 m). However, field reports indicated that this sight was inadequate, and in 1944, it was replaced by a sliding ramp-type adjustable sight with four settings: 100 yd (91 m), 200 yd (180 m), 250 yd (230 m), and 300 yd (270 m). This new rear sight

6603-482: The number represents the sequential development of equipment and weapons. Therefore, the "M1 carbine" was the first carbine developed under this system. The "M2 carbine" was the second carbine developed under the system, etc. Prior to World War II, the U.S. Army Ordnance Department received reports that the full-size M1 rifle was too heavy and cumbersome for most support troops (staff, artillerymen, radiomen, etc.) to carry. During pre-war and early war field exercises, it

6696-672: The omission of this feature from the Light Rifle Program. On 26 October 1944, in response to the Germans' widespread use of automatic weapons, especially the Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle , the select-fire M2 carbine was introduced, along with a new 30-round magazine. The M2 had a fully automatic rate-of-fire of 750-775 rounds-per-minute. Although actual M2 production began late in the war (April 1945), U.S. Ordnance issued conversion-part kits to allow field conversion of semi-auto M1 carbines to

6789-457: The operator would fire a burst of automatic fire at the greenish images of enemy soldiers. The M3 carbine had an effective range of about 70 yards (64 meters), limited by the visual capabilities of the sight. Fog and rain further reduced the weapon's effective range. However, it is estimated that 30% of Japanese casualties inflicted by rifle and carbine fire during the Okinawan campaign were caused by

6882-493: The other to help them catch up on their quota. When receivers were shipped for this purpose, the manufacturers would often mark them for both companies. Some of the strangest combinations were the M1s made by the combined efforts of Underwood and Quality Hardware, resulting in the manufacturer mark "Un-quality". The receiver was subcontracted from Union Switch and Signal, not Underwood. Many carbines were refurbished at several arsenals after

6975-564: The prison system until a firm but compassionate warden, H.T. Peoples, allowed him to work in a prison tool shop. There, he invented the gas system for his famous rifle. Williams was released from prison in 1929 and worked with Winchester Firearms on development of the M1 Carbine. According to MGM records the film earned $ 1,787,000 in the US and Canada and $ 802,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $ 575,000. This 1950s drama film-related article

7068-533: The public as surplus. By the Korean War , the select fire M2 carbine had largely replaced the submachine-gun in U.S. service and was the most widely used carbine variant. However, the semi-auto M1 carbine was also widely used- especially by support troops. However, in Korea, all versions of the carbine soon acquired a widespread reputation for jamming in extremely cold weather, this being eventually traced to weak return springs, freezing of parts due to overly viscous lubricants and inadequate cartridge recoil impulse as

7161-427: The result of subzero temperatures. There were also many complaints from individual soldiers that the carbine bullets failed to stop heavily clothed or gear-laden North Korean and Chinese ( PVA ) troops even at close range and after multiple hits. Marines of the 1st Marine Division also reported instances of carbine bullets failing to stop enemy soldiers, and some units issued standing orders for carbine users to aim for

7254-400: The safety button while under fire. When this occurred, pressing the magazine release caused the loaded magazine to drop, while the safety remained in the off position. As a result, the push-button safety was redesigned using a rotating lever. Originally the M1 carbine did not have a bayonet lug, but personnel equipped with it were often issued with an M3 fighting knife . Due to requests from

7347-531: The selective-fire M2 configuration. These converted M1/M2 select-fire carbines saw limited combat service in Europe, primarily during the final Allied advance into Germany. In the Pacific, both converted and original M2 carbines saw limited use in the last days of the fighting in the Philippines . The M3 carbine was an M2 carbine with the M2 infrared night sight or sniperscope . The M3 did not have iron sights . It

7440-447: The short-stroke piston may have been improperly granted as a previous patent covering the same principle of operation was overlooked by the patent office. In 1973, the senior technical editor at the NRA contacted Edwin Pugsley for "a technical last testament" on M1 carbine history shortly before his death on 19 November 1975. According to Pugsley, "The carbine was invented by no single man," but

7533-645: The standard-issue infantry weapon. The gas-operated M1 Garand was developed by Canadian-born John Garand for the U.S. government at the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts . After years of research and testing, the first production model of the M1 Garand was unveiled in 1937. During World War II , the M1 Garand gave American infantrymen an advantage over their opponents, most of whom were issued slower firing bolt-action rifles. The Soviet AVS-36 , SVT-38 and SVT-40 (originally intended to replace

7626-531: The static stages of the conflict. The M1 and M2 carbines issued to U.S. forces were first given to American military advisors in Vietnam beginning in 1956, and later, the United States Air Force Security Police and United States Army Special Forces . These weapons began to be replaced by the M16 in 1964, and they were generally out of service by the 1970s. By the war's end, it was estimated that

7719-411: The subject of much debate. Although commonly compared to the later German StG 44 and Russian AK-47 , the M1 and M2 carbines are under-powered and outclassed. Instead, the carbine falls somewhere between the submachine gun and assault rifle and could be called a precursor of the personal defense weapon since it fulfilled a similar role. One characteristic of .30 caliber Carbine ammunition is that from

7812-430: The trigger releases the bolt from a cocked, rearward position, pushing a cartridge from the magazine into the chamber, firing the gun. The bolt retracts to the rearward position, ready to strip the next cartridge from the magazine. The open-bolt system is often used in submachine guns and other weapons with a high rate of fire. It is rarely used in semi-automatic-only firearms, which can fire only one shot with each pull of

7905-465: The trigger. The closed-bolt system is generally more accurate, as the centre of gravity changes relatively little at the moment the trigger is pulled. With fully automatic weapons, the open-bolt operation allows air to circulate, cooling the barrel. With semi-automatic firearms, the closed-bolt operation is preferred, as overheating is not as critical, and accuracy is preferred. Some select-fire military weapons use an open bolt in fully automatic mode and

7998-399: The type IV magazine catch used on the M2 carbine (and late production M1 carbines) if they were to be used with 30-round magazines in order to ensure reliable loading and feeding. The type IV magazine catch has a leg on the left side to correspond with the additional nub on the 30-round magazines. Initial combat reports noted that the M1 carbine's magazine release button was often mistaken for

8091-543: The various semi-automatic rifles designed between 1918 and 1935. Other nations experimented with self-loading rifles between the two World Wars, including the United Kingdom , which had intended to replace the bolt-action Lee–Enfield with a self-loader, possibly chambered for sub-caliber ammunition, but discarded that plan as the imminence of the Second World War and the emphasis shifted from replacing every rifle with

8184-447: The war, with many parts interchanged from original maker carbines. True untouched war production carbines, therefore, are the most desirable for collectors. The M1 carbine was also one of the most cost-effective weapons used by the United States military during World War II. At the beginning of World War II, the average production cost for an M1 carbine was approximately $ 45, about half the cost of an M1 rifle at approximately $ 85 and about

8277-471: Was also adjustable for windage. At 100 yards (91 m), the M1 carbine can deliver groups between 3 and 5 in (76 and 127 mm), sufficient for its intended purpose as a close-range defensive weapon. The M1 carbine has a maximum effective range of 300 yards (270 m). However, bullet drop is significant past 200 yards (180 m). Therefore, the M1 has a practical effective range of about 200 yd (180 m). The M1 carbine entered service with

8370-473: Was first used in combat by Army units during the invasion of Okinawa , where about 150 M3 carbines were used. For the first time, U.S. soldiers had a weapon that allowed them to visually detect Japanese infiltrating into American lines at night, even during complete darkness. A team of two or three soldiers was used to operate the weapon and provide support. At night, the scope would be used to detect Japanese patrols and assault units moving forward. At that point,

8463-452: Was found that the M1 Garand impeded these soldiers' mobility, as a slung rifle would frequently catch on brush or hit the back of the helmet and tilt it over the eyes. Many soldiers found the rifle slid off the shoulder unless slung diagonally across the back, where it prevented the wearing of standard field packs and haversacks. Additionally, Germany's use of glider-borne and paratrooper forces to launch surprise blitzkrieg attacks behind

8556-721: Was the Inland division of General Motors , but many others were made by contractors as diverse as IBM , the Underwood Typewriter Company , and Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation . Few contractors made all the parts for carbines bearing their names: some makers bought parts from other major contractors or sub-contracted minor parts to companies like Marlin Firearms or Auto-Ordnance. Parts by all makers were required to be interchangeable. Often one company would get ahead or behind in production and parts would be shipped from one company to

8649-484: Was the result of a team effort including: William C. Roemer, David Marshall Williams, Fred Humeston, Cliff Warner, at least three other Winchester engineers, and Pugsley himself. Ideas were taken and modified from the Winchester M2 Browning rifle (Williams' gas system), the Winchester Model 1905 rifle (fire control group and magazine), M1 Garand (buttstock dimensions, and bolt and operating slide principles), and

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