The M1 Carbine: A Lightweight, Battle-Proven Rifle

The World War II U.S. .30 M1 Carbine light-rifle concept was born in World War I when there were many missions for which the long, 10-pound Model 1903 rifle firing a full-power cartridge was a clumsy choice but a handgun was just not enough. Limited use of the Winchester Model 1907 Self Loading Rifle impressed many, and it was not forgotten—just ignored as other priorities such as the M1 Garand took precedence.

But in 1940, Army Ordnance revisited the light rifle. Just as in World War I, there was a vacuum between the heavy battle rifle, handgun and the new but equally heavy submachine gun. A light, handy, short semiauto or full-auto rifle firing a cartridge capable of hitting targets out to 300 yards could fill that niche—giving officers and specialists like radiomen something more effective than a handgun.

Winchester was tasked with developing the cartridge based on its Model 1907’s .32 WSL but in .30 caliber. Winchester used non-corrosive primers from the get-go and quickly achieved the target 2,000 fps with a 110-grain full-metal-jacket roundnose bullet.

Although not a participant in the original group of firearms submissions, Winchester was encouraged to participate, and its short-recoil, gas-operated entry won the competition. By late 1941, the first contracts were issued to Winchester and the Inland Division of General Motors. By the end of World War II, nine manufacturers made more than 6 million Carbines—more than any other U.S. small arm.

General Thoughts

Opinions about the M1 Carbine generally denigrate the cartridge’s performance while praising its handling qualities. Essentially the M1 Carbine fires a powerful pistol cartridge in a rifle platform that’s much easier to master than a handgun, especially for specialist troops who had to master other crafts. Although the 300-yard range proved optimistic, the M1 Carbine was effective much farther than the submachine gun, and the tare weight of five pounds was a blessing.

My sample is an early “high wood” M1 Carbine made in 1943 by Inland. The “high wood” guns are special because they feel better between the hands than later ones. The wrist is more sculpted, and the heel of the hand has a comfortable spot to rest—it feels like a fine sporting rifle.

They’re called “high wood” because the stock covers the operating rod halfway, and only the handguard is relieved for the op rod. This created a weak spot because the stock’s wood was necessarily thinner there.

Later stocks are thicker and straighter through the wrist, and the area around the operating rod fully relieved. This includes today’s reproductions, and these later models just don’t feel as lively, but they are sturdier.

Battle Rifle?

The two-mag belt pouch easily slips over the butt without trouble, and adding one to the belt puts 75 rounds within easy reach. Because the little carbine wasn’t designated as a battle rifle, provision for a bayonet wasn’t included, and those issued with a Carbine received the M3 fighting or trench knife for last-ditch defense. By war’s end a bayonet lug and bayonet very similar to the M3 knife were standard. After all, bringing a knife to a bayonet fight isn’t particularly comforting.

The rear sight was a simple flip-up aperture with two leaves for ranges from 100 to 300 yards. It was not adjustable for windage. American soldiers balked because of their reputation for shooting ability, and by the end of the war a fully adjustable rear sight with windage and finer elevation increments—but still sensibly limited to 300 yards—was standard.

The front sight was a simple square blade in a band with a ramp protected by twin ears machined integrally together. The sight picture is easy to acquire and quite good.

An early complaint was that the push-button safety and magazine release button were close together and felt the same, and soldiers occasionally dropped the magazine while taking the gun off Safe. Later models would get a rotating safety lever.

Short and Handy

The M1 Carbine’s shooting qualities are highly desirable even today. At 35.75 inches long, with a short 13.25-inch length of pull, it is a great rifle for new shooters, kids and women. The action is easily charged, and the five-pound weight and balance are perfect for beginners. Recoil is mild. The only downside is there is no automatic bolt hold-open after the last shot. The bolt must be manually opened and the hold-open button manually applied, but it isn’t hard to master.

The cartridge is often derided, but at home-defense distances the 110-grain .30 bullet at 2,000 fps is no slouch. Most carbines prefer full-metal-jacket bullets, but Remington and Winchester offer soft-point round-nose loads. A performance choice for self defense is Hornady’s Critical Defense.

Collectors enjoy the fact that there are enough subtle variations from the nine contractors to fill a specialty collection. These include a nifty folding-stock paratrooper version and even select-fire models.

Since the gun was used by the U.S. from World War II through Vietnam over an incredible lifespan of more than 30 years, they were constantly rebuilt and upgraded as well as distributed among our allies. Therefore, having one with all the parts it originally left the factory with is exceedingly rare.

Frankenstein

For instance, my Inland was made in 1943. A later GI armorer’s attention gave it a Saginaw trigger guard, a fully adjustable rear sight and a Korean War era M2 stock (the M2 was the select-fire version) but no bayonet lug. Upon disassembly for routine cleaning, the gas piston was frozen with dried cosmoline. A gas nut wrench is necessary for disassembly, and once cleaned and tightened, the little M1 Carbine runs like a champ.

I wanted my carbine to represent a World War II rifle and acquired mostly Inland-marked parts—including the high wood stock, trigger guard, oiler, magazines and a 1943-dated magazine pouch. A sight pushing tool was necessary to remove the adjustable sight, and a shim was necessary to secure the early flip sight.

A period-correct M1 Carbine may have all the correct parts, but those parts may not have been on the gun from the get-go, so buyer beware. Good books for reference include Bruce N. Canfield’s Complete Guide to the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine and Craig Riesch’s U.S. M1 Carbines, Wartime Production.

Even collector-grade examples may not have all matching parts, but you can still expect these to command prices from $4,000 on up. “Mutt guns” like mine range between $1,250 and $2,250, depending on rarity. I bought mine from Midway USA for $1,450 and sank another $450 in parts. If a lot of shooting is in your plans, adding a good reproduction like those from Auto Ordnance and Inland is the best of both worlds.

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