M1 Carbine

In 1938, the Chief of Infantry requested the Ordnance Department develop a lightweight rifle or carbine, though the formal requirement for the weapon type was not approved until 1940. This led to a competition in 1941 by major U.S. firearm companies and designers. Winchester at first did not submit a design, as it was occupied in developing the .30-06 Winchester Military Rifle. The rifle originated as a design by Jonathan “Ed” Browning, half-brother of the famous weapons designer John Browning. A couple of months after Ed Browning’s death in May 1939, Winchester hired ex-convict David M. “Carbine” Williams, a some-time bootlegger who had devised a short-stroke gas piston design while serving a prison sentence for murder. (This unlikely story was the loose basis of the 1952 movie Carbine Williams starring James Stewart.) Winchester hoped Williams would be able to complete various designs left unfinished by Ed Browning. Williams’ first design change for the rifle was the incorporation of his short-stroke piston design. After the Marine Corps semi-automatic rifle trials in 1940, Browning’s rear-locking, tilting bolt design was considered to be unreliable in sandy conditions. As a result, the rifle was redesigned yet again to incorporate a Garand-style rotating bolt and operating rod.

After the initial Army testing in August 1941, Winchester set out to develop a more refined version. This competed successfully against other carbine candidates in September 1941, and Winchester was notified of their victory the very next month. Standardization as the M1 Carbine was approved in October 22, 1941. Contrary to popular myth, Williams had little to do with the carbine’s development, with the exception of his short-stroke gas piston design. As a matter of fact, Williams went about creating his own design apart from the other Winchester staff. Williams’ final carbine design was not ready for testing until December 1941, two months after the Winchester M1 Carbine had been adopted and type-classified. None of William’s additional design features were incorporated into later M1 production.

Another stimulus to the carbine’s rapid development was a concern over Germany’s use of glider-borne and paratroop forces to infiltrate and attack strategic points behind the front lines, forcing support units and line-of-communications forces into combat with the enemy. Tankers, drivers, artillery crews, mortar crews, and other personnel were also issued the M1 carbine in lieu of the larger, heavier M1 Garand. Belatedly, a folding-stock version of the M1 carbine was developed, after a request was made for a compact and light infantry arm for airborne troops. The first M1 carbines were delivered in mid-1942, with initial priority given to troops in the European Theater of Operations.

The M1 carbine and its reduced-power .30 cartridge was never intended to serve as a primary weapon for combat infantrymen, nor was it comparable to more powerful assault rifles developed late in the war. Nevertheless, the carbine was soon widely issued to infantry officers, NCOs, ammunition bearers, forward artillery observers, paratroopers, and other front line troops. Its reputation in front-line combat was mixed. Some soldiers and Marines, especially those who were unable to use a full-size rifle as their primary weapon, preferred the carbine over the Garand because of the weapon’s small size and light weight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_carbine

A Pocket History of the M1 Carbine

by Robert Gibson

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Someone wanted some info on M1 Carbine….maybe this will help. Much of it is copied from the NRA’s booklet “U.S.Caliber .30 Carbine”.

Over a span of just 38 months (the first carbines were delivered in June 1942, the last in August 1945) nine primary contractors established manufacturing facilities, tooled up and turned out some six million carbines of all types – M1, M1A1, M2 and T3/M3. The production program was such a success that, excepting Inland and Winchester, the remaining contracts were cancelled in mid-1944. Those two companies completed their carbine production runs in August, 1945.

M1 Carbine Production

	Inland Manufacturing Division, G.M.C……	2,632,097	43.0%
	Winchester Repeating Arms Co…………….	828,059	13.5%
	Underwood-Elliot-Fisher Co………………	545,616	8.9%
*	Saginaw Steering Gear Div., G.M.C………..	517,212	8.5%
**	National Postal Meter Co………………..	413,017	6.8%
***	Quality Hardware & Machine Co……………	359,666	5.9%
	International Business Machines Corp (IBM)..	346,500	5.7%
	Standard Products Co……………………	247,160	4.0%
	Rock-Ola Co……………………………	228,500	3.7%
		———
	Total:	6,221,220

* Note that Saginaw had two plants in operation, one in Saginaw, MI and one in Grand Rapids, MI. The Grand Rapids facility assumed a contract that had been originally awarded to Irwin-Pedersen Arms Co….I-P had assembled only 3,542 guns at the time, none of which were accepted by the government.

**Note that a few early NPM receivers are marked “Rochester”, for the Rochester Defence Corp. A very few late receivers are marked “CCC”, for Commecial Controls Corp.

***Note that some Quality Hardware carbines were assembled using receivers made by Union Switch & Signal Co, hence the “UN-QUALITY” marked carbines. These are highly prized by some carbine aficionados.

The history of who made what during the brief 38 months of production is a story that can (and does) fill a book. Might I suggest you find a copy of “WAR BABY” or “M1 Carbine Design, Development and Production” by Larry Ruth. Another recommended book is “Guide to Collecting the M1 Carbine” by Robert Gibson (no relation, by the way!)…they’re all good books with tons of info. Another excellent reference book is “U.S. M1 Carbines: Wartime Production” by Craig Riesch, a North Cape Publications “For Collectors Only” series.