OT - M1 Carbine arrives! updated w/ range report

[Ben_Rumson]

Always compared to the Garand.. Never compared to the puny 9mm smgs... good enough for Audy Murphy... Good enough for me.. especially with soft point ammo..

[O.S.O.K.]

Good enough for Jim Cirillo (I'm betting he was using softpoints) too. This is much like the 9mm NATO - round ball doesn't impart much shock or "lateral" damage to the target. Hollow points on the other hand elevate the round to "very effective".

Same thing with the cabine - it's higher velocity makes softpoints work in the same way. Again, Remington's have been found to be the best performers of the standard softpoints.

And Noah gave me the answer on the date - late 1943 production And he said that the saginaw barrels were not dated, so that is completely normal.

Thanks again Noah!

Also, I noticed that my mag release is marked IH - Intl. Harvester - I think that may be the only non-saginaw part on the thing other than the stock which is most certainly an Italian replacement.

[Noah Zark]

. . . Also, I noticed that my mag release is marked IH - Intl. Harvester - I think that may be the only non-saginaw part on the thing other than the stock which is most certainly an Italian replacement.

Nope. The IH is Inland, not Harvester.

Personal Rant Warning: Keep in mind that MANY parts were exchanged between the M1 Carbine contractors in the spirit of getting the production out. If one contractor fell short of triggers, then the Production Board ordered triggers expressed from a contractor that was flush with them.

For example, in 1943, Saginaw got 400 trigger housings from NPM, and over thousands of hammers and triggers from Inland. This happened ALL THE TIME, with EVERY contractor being involved in exchanging parts. And it's why I smile and shake my head at those who rabidly pursue restoration to "correct" as-built condition. Just what IS "correct" for an M1 Carbine when so many parts were exchanged between contractors to get the job done and meet production goals? The M1 Carbines were mostly "mutts," concieved out of necessity and born with pragmatism acting as midwife. "Parts is parts" must have been the motto of the day.

I had 32 M1 Carbines collected from the late 60s to 1992 when I sold all but one very early Universal because it was the most reliable of the shooter Carbines I owned. I got out of Carbines because when I went to sell my duplicates too many dealers and dealer/collectors would talk smack on what I had because they weren't "correct." Keep in mind that I bought many of them from WWII and Korean veteran officers and their widows, who years after the fact admitted to bringing the Carbines home. But if one had a stamped and brazed trigger housing when some "expert's" book said it shouldn't, I was supposed to surrender my Carbine for $200-$300, knowing full well that the offending trigger housing would be replaced within 24 hrs and the gun'd be on his table at $800 the very next show. I sold the Carbines to individual collectors and avoided the dealers, and got just over $20,000 for them in 1992. Those proceeds have funded my gun hobby since.

To those who are interested in their US martial arms being "correct," if that floats your boat, then more power to you. To me, it is nothing more than pursuit of untamed large waterfowl. JMO. Rant Off.

Noah

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, I guess I'll just quit looking at the markings!

I really don't care - I'm just happy to have a WWII version that shoots decently. That's all I really wanted anyway.

I do feel a little inadequate for not having a Winchester though

[cas]

I grabbed one of the first recent batch of Inlands. It has a US barrel, with FAT stamp added.

[O.S.O.K.]

I'm not even going to check

[Bogie35]

My brother has one (30 cal.). He killed a 120 lb. southern whitetail with it from about 75 yards with one shot behind the shoulder. He also killed a very large bobcat with it. It is so very sweet to shoot! Perfect for tactical necessities too. Perfectly reliable (countless rounds fired with no malfunctions...ever!).

bogie

[O.S.O.K.]

My brother has one (30 cal.). He killed a 120 lb. southern whitetail with it from about 75 yards with one shot behind the shoulder. He also killed a very large bobcat with it. It is so very sweet to shoot! Perfect for tactical necessities too. Perfectly reliable (countless rounds fired with no malfunctions...ever!).

bogie

Yes, I think these would be adequate with softpoints 100 yards and in for whitetail. What loading did your brother use for the deer do you know? I'm thinking probably a softpoint?