U.S. Carbine, Caliber .30 M1. Fitted with UltiMAK M6-B forward mount and modern optics, this great piece of militaria becomes even more effective and fun to shoot. An on-going controversy, the M1 Carbine (or .30 Carbine) was originally adopted by the U.S. military during W.W.II as an alternative to the .45 caliber Automatic Colt Pistol, for certain back-line or support troops. It fires a cartridge of the same name as the weapon– .30 Carbine. You rarely find a discussion of the M1 Carbine without hearing it called “anemic” or “underpowered”. This is due to an incorrect comparison between the .30 Carbine and full power rifles firing the highly effective .30-06 cartridge. The correct comparison would be made between the .30 Carbine and either a service pistol or a sub gun. Some soldiers who carried this weapon in combat did not like it, preferring either the .45 caliber “grease gun” or the Thompson, for the superior stopping power of the large, heavy .45 bullet. However, the M1 Carbine delivers more kinetic energy than a 6″ barreled .357 Magnum revolver, which is rarely if ever considered “anemic”. The Carbine’s problem in military use was the hard, full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet, which did not deform on impact. It punched a small hole in its target, often passing through without causing enough damage to stop a charging enemy soldier with one shot. With modern hollowpoint bullets, the Carbine has decent stopping power against combatants. The philosophy behind its creation still holds some merit today– It can be easily fired more accurately than a pistol, at greater distances, with less practice. Its light weight and small size make it easy to carry. It is ideal for small framed adults and for children too (my kids love it). Try one today. The M1 Carbine uses 15 and 30 round magazines, which are widely available (15 round mag shown).
— Lyle Keeney