M-1 carbine for defence?

A G.I. Underwood Carbine does duty to repel boarders in this household. The AR15 is stowed away. I much prefer the M1 Carbine to the AR 15 which is hugely overrated.

Folks talk about certain handguns as natural "pointers." For me the M1 Carbine is one of the most natural pointing rifles. It is easy to negotiate hallways, stairwells, and doorways with a Carbine.
 
Originally posted by patrick james:
Here in California just about everybody trying to buy a black rifle in case the SHTF.All I have is a lowly M-1 carbine.Whats your thoughts ?
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I wonder where I could buy one??
 
I think the American crimnal type is much softer than the Chinese in Korea.
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I have one. Mine is a commercial Iver Johnson that is probably all GI save the receiver. It's my second M1 carbine.

An M1 carbine is in no way a replacement, or substitute for an M4 carbine or a proper rifle. It was never intended to be. It was meant to replace the 1911 for rear area troops or others for whom carrying an M1 Garand would have been a burden.

They found their way into the front lines all the same, and with decidedly mixed opinions and results.

These days they are iffy for a couple reasons. The first is the mags. You have your choice of dubious aftermarket (though to be fair, my 15rd ProMags actually seem okay) or 60 year old GI mags. The second is ballistics. Unlike a 5.56mm (or larger) carbine or rifle, .30 M1 Carbine bullets will not reliably penetrate soft body armor. They'll be iffy against even an uparmored Bundswehr surplus vest.

If you're in California, unless you have grandfathered mags, you're limited to 10 rd aftermarket. Many of these are worse than the full capacity aftermarket mags in terms of QC since Cali (and similar destinations) are a captive market.

Ammunition for the M1 carbine is also very hard to find right now.

Modern optics cannot be fitted without an aftermarket rail. Such rails as are available do allow "scout" mount optics, but these will add weight. Mounting a light will also be a problem unless you just want to break out the Gorilla tape.

Plus side? Light, handy, friendly looking.

Carbines can be had new from Kahr, or surplus from the DCM, or readily found on Gunbroker or Auction Arms for those that want one.
 
No, the M-1 is no good for defense. E-mail me and I'll take it off your hands for, say $250, and then you can buy a real gun.
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They shoot a little low and to the right in my gun at 50 yards.
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The sights are adjustable...
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I wonder where I could buy one??
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CMP still has them ... CMP_M1_Carbine_Sales

I much prefer the M1 Carbine to the AR 15 which is hugely overrated.
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I don't know if I would go that far, but for home defense the M1 Carbine is better than any handgun.
It still may be prudent to keep a pistol in the nightstand so you have that option.
 
My Standard Products carbine is my main zombie gun.

Here is an interesting take on the carbine vs. quilted jackets story.
 
Originally posted by GatorFarmer:
It was meant to replace the 1911 for rear area troops or others for whom carrying an M1 Garand would have been a burden.
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That's why I could never figure out why they left the thumb safety off the M1 Carbine.
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While I don't doubt the Korean vet believed what he said, I don't find that the physics support the idea. And the above link backs it up. Raking shots, misses and shots over 200 yards ? Still don't know, but 100 yards in I'd be hard pressed to believe the old carbine round wouldn't make a hole . . . John George tells of the round perforating both sides of a Japanese helmet and the melon in between, numerous times.
 
Originally posted by safearm:
My father was issued one in Korea, where he was the 1st Sgt, and later battlefield commissioned commander, of an infantry company. The one time I remarked that I thought the carbine was a neat gun, he told me that he had smashed his against a rock, so that he could turn it in and get a rifle, i.e., M1 Garand. When he became company commander, he ordered all of the carbines out, and made everyone carry a Garand. He stated that the carbine round would not penetrate the quilted jackets of the Chinese soldiers. That was the only time he ever mentioned it, and since he's deceased I can't ask him to clarify anything. He served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Silver Star, and Bronze Star with V for Valor, so I know he knew about combat. I'm convinced he told me the truth as he knew it.
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Your father was correct !!

I just finished reading The Last Stand of Fox Company by Bob Drury & Tom Clancy. Fox company was charged with holding hill # ???, later called Fox hill. This was a high point in the Toktong Pass on the road between Yudam-ni in the North where the Marines were being attacked by the Chinese and Hagaru-ri, a Marine base in the South. It was always well below zero when the Chinese attacked at night. In addition to their heavy quilted parkas, they wore several layers underneath. This made it almost impossible to get fatal hits with the carbine. After the first attack, anyone using a carbine was ordered to aim for the head ! Another interesting sidenote was that several Chinese bodies were found to have pre-installed tourniquets on their arms and legs ! They weren't going to be stopped by loss of blood if hit in the extremities !!!
 
How many thousands or ten's of thousands of men went to an early grave because of being on the wrong end of an M1 carbine. I think it would do very well as a defence (zombie) gun.
 
There are conflicting arguments about the problems in Korea among those who were there. I wasn't there, and know nothing about it first hand. One interesting version I heard was that the carbines being used at the time were actually M2's (full auto version of M1) and that much of the failure can be attributed to the fact that most soldiers did not shoot M2's accurately, especially in the winter. Whatever the problems really were, rumors of underpenetration spread throughout the army and a lot of carbines were ditched for Garands which everyone will agree penetrate just fine, probably through two or three enemies if you can line em up just right. I've read about some pretty impressive tests of .30 carbine FMJ penetration through multiple layers of frozen fabrics and other barriers.

Anyway, I have a few M1 carbines along with lots of Remington jacketed soft point factory ammo, and more of the same bullets for reloading. Using them for home defense I'm more worried about overpenetration than under.
 
Originally posted by rewster:
Another interesting sidenote was that several Chinese bodies were found to have pre-installed tourniquets on their arms and legs ! They weren't going to be stopped by loss of blood if hit in the extremities !!!
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This was also done by the Phillipine Moros, those little Moslem fanatics who famously couldn't be stopped by .38 Colt revolvers. (And, had they been available, probably not by M1 carbines, either.
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Most zombies are clad in jeans and t-shirts. Even FMJ should be adequate. I have a Quality Hardware and a IJ as back-up to a AK and mossy 500 and ample ammo. I hope that I never need any of them. I bought .30 cal. when it was $10 a box.
The Quality Hardware is spooky accurate at 100 yards. I would think that zombie encounter range would be much less.
 
Using them for home defense I'm more worried about overpenetration than under.
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Yeah, let's not compare results for across the room vs. across a mountain valley.
 
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