Performance

Although the M1 Carbine is sometimes described as a development of the M1 Garand, it has a related but different internal design. It is based upon a lightweight tappet-and-slide gas system and uses detachable, large-capacity magazines. It chambers the .30 Carbine, a smaller and lighter .30 caliber/7.62 mm cartridge that is very different, in both design and performance, from the larger .30-06 Springfield cartridge used in the Garand. The .30 Carbine cartridge was intermediate in both muzzle energy (ME) and muzzle velocity (MV); from the M1 carbine's 18-inch barrel, it had a muzzle velocity of approximately 580 to 600 m/s, between those of contemporary submachine guns (approximately 280 to 490 m/s) and full-power rifles and light machine guns (approximately 740 to 855 m/s). For example, the M3 Grease Gun had an MV of 281 m/s, the Bren light machine gun had an MV 744 m/s, and the M1 Garand had an MV of 853 m/s. It is important to realize that the barrel length affects the muzzle energy and velocity; more recent and shorter-barreled firearms (such as pistols) using the .30 Carbine cartridge are much weaker. At the M1 carbine's maximum listed range, its bullets still have about the same energy as small pistol like the Nambu pistol does at the muzzle.
One characteristic of the .30 Carbine ammunition is that it was specified that non-corrosive primers be used. This was the first major use of this type of primers in a military firearm. Because the rifle had a closed gas system, not normally disassembled, corrosive primers would have led to a rapid deterioration of the gas system.
The M1 carbine had a high practical rate of fire. This, and the carbine's light weight, compactness, and low recoil made it a convenient self-defense weapon. These advantages made the weapon popular with many soldiers, but others did not appreciate it as much. For example, the quality of the original 300-yard (270 m) sight was a subject of some criticism, as was the carbine's performance in extremely cold temperatures beyond its designed minimum operating temperature.
Categorizing the M1 Carbine series has been the subject of much debate. Its muzzle energy and range are beyond those of any submachine gun of the period, but less than those of other service rifles of the period. The classification of the M2 and M3 is also a controversial subject. Whatever the case, these carbines used an intermediate-power cartridge and have much in common with the M16 rifle series that replaced it in the U.S. Army - although with shorter range (about 275 m versus 400 m). The 18-inch barrel of the M1 is two inches shorter than the M16's, but longer than the M4 Carbine's.

Variants

Carbine M1A1

Carbine M2

Carbine M3

Related equipment and accessories

Round types

Attachments

The M1 was used with the M8 Grenade Launcher, which fired the M6 cartridge. It used the M4 Bayonet. The M4 Bayonet formed the basis for the later M6 and M7 Bayonet-knives.

Production and usage

A total of 6.25 million M1 Carbines of various models were manufactured, thus making it the most produced small arm in American military history. Despite being designed by Winchester, the great majority of these were made by other companies. The largest producer was the Inland division of General Motors, but many others were made by contractors as diverse as IBM and the Rock-Ola jukebox company.
The German designation for captured Carbines was Selbstladekarabiner 455(a). The "(a)" came from the country name in German, in this case, Amerika.
Numerous M1 Carbines were obtained and used by the Israeli Palmach-based special forces in the Israeli War of Independence in 1948. Because of their compact size and semi-auto capabilities, the M1 carbines were given to reconnaissance companies of the Israeli Defence Forces.
It was also used by police and border guard in Bavaria after WW2 and into the 1950s. Weapons that were used were stamped accordingly. For example, ones used by the border guard were stamped BUNDESGRENZSCHUTZ. Some that were used were modified with different sights, finishes, and even barrels.
After the Korean War the Carbine was widely exported to US allies and client states, and was used as a front-line weapon well into the Vietnam era. The M1 was quite popular in both the Korean and Israeli militaries. Surplus Carbines are popular among firearms enthusiasts in the US and elsewhere. Starting in the mid-1950s, U.S. military surplus M1 Carbines were sold through the National Rifle Association for $20. When surplus stocks began to wane there was limited civilian production of the design by Iver-Johnson, Universal (who made some changes in the parts), and then Israel Arms International. This extended production into the 1990s. As of 2004, the M1 Carbine was again being manufactured commercially by a subsidiary of Kahr Arms - Auto Ordnance.
The M1 Carbine is still in use today by many civilian shooters and police. The .30 Carbine is used for a number of types of hunting, including that of white-tailed deer. Note that the round is considered underpowered for larger North American game such as elk, moose, and bear, which are significantly tougher than humans. Also, the rules do not take into the account the ability to fire multiple shots, and the automatic version is highly restricted. The gun's inherent accuracy, combined with a somewhat diminished risk of over-penetration due to its round-headed comparatively lightweight projectile, is considered to be of tactical use in urban areas, where civilians may be on the other side of walls. The bullet is actually about twice as heavy as 5.56 mm NATO bullets, and has an order of magnitude higher penetration than submachine guns, as various ballistic tests confirm. The Israeli police still use the M1 Carbine as standard rifle for non-combat elements and MASHAZ volunteers.
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a police battalion named BOPE (Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais, or "Special Police Operations Batallion") also uses the M1 Carbine.

Operators Summary

Current production

The Auto-Ordnance division of Kahr Arms began production of an M1 Carbine replica in 2005. It is largely a faithful reproduction of the original, albeit with a different buttstock (birch vs. walnut) and later lever-safety (instead of the more common button safety).