Sword of Light: Humanoid Self-Propelled Artillery

Chapter 318 Carbine

Of course, while Smith was thinking about these things, he also sent a company of scouts ahead to explore the area.

However, the scouts were not carrying rifles, but rather M3 submachine guns and M1 carbines.

Although this carbine is not standard issue for front-line combat units, it is actually far more popular than the Garand rifle.

If you were to ask what the most produced firearm in the United States was during World War II, most people would immediately say – the M1 Garand rifle.

However, this answer is incorrect. During World War II, the most produced firearm in the United States was the M1 carbine, with over 6.1 million units produced, compared to only 5.4 million M1 Garand rifles and approximately 1.3 million Thompson submachine guns. This weapon, strictly designed according to the definition of a carbine, was favored by many soldiers and had a profound impact on the development of firearms worldwide. The M1 carbine can be considered the world's first "individual self-defense weapon," not only becoming the standard weapon of World War II but also participating in many other wars and regional conflicts.

The M1 carbine was designed by Winchester, but the vast majority were manufactured by other companies. A total of ten companies produced the M1 carbine, with General Motors Inland Corp. being the largest producer. Many other companies, such as IBM, Underwood Typewriters, and Locke-Euler Jukeboxes, also manufactured this carbine.

At its peak, 65,000 M1 carbines were manufactured daily. In comparison, Germany produced approximately one million MP40 submachine guns and 420,000 StG44 assault rifles, while the Soviet Union produced approximately five million PPSh-41 submachine guns.

The M1 carbine was one of the most cost-effective weapons used by the U.S. Army during World War II. In the early stages of production, the average cost of an M1 carbine was about 45 US dollars, which was half the cost of an M1 Garand rifle (about 85 US dollars) and one-fifth the cost of an M1 Thompson submachine gun (220 US dollars).

The ammunition used in the M1 carbine is also much cheaper than standard .30-06 ammunition, requiring fewer resources in terms of production, transportation, and use. This was a major factor in the US military's decision to adopt the M1 carbine, especially considering the large quantities of weapons the US military would need to manufacture and transport during wartime.

People typically seek firearms with high power, and compared to the medium-caliber full-power rifles of the time, the M1 carbine was indeed quite weak. However, compared to pistol ammunition, the .30 carbine was definitely a high-powered model.

The M1911A1 pistol, designed by John Moses Browning, was designed so that even soldiers with minimal training could master and use it effectively. While pistols are the most common self-defense weapon in the world, they are also among the most difficult firearms to master. The U.S. military recognized the need for a lightweight firearm that was easy to carry and use.

从某种意义上说，M1卡宾枪是一种具有革命性意义的武器系统。.30卡宾弹标准为7.62×33mm，配备110格令全被甲弹丸，枪口初速610米每秒。
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The .30 carbine cartridge has no rim and uses a minimal taper, ensuring reliability when loaded into steel magazines. During World War II, the M1 carbine almost exclusively used 15-round short magazines. Production of the 30-round curved magazine was limited before the end of the war, but it was widely used in the Teochew War and the Yuenan War.

In contrast, only a small fraction of the M1 carbines produced during World War II were equipped with bayonet lugs.

After the war, many M1 carbines were refurbished in several arsenals, with parts interchanged. As a result, original carbines produced during the actual war have become sought-after by collectors and command high prices. Although most M1 carbines sold on the market today come with adjustable front sights and bayonet lugs, the vast majority of M1 carbines produced during the war were fitted with only a simple L-shaped flip-up rear sight and lacked a bayonet lug.

In October 1944, the M2 carbine was introduced, which could be fired in full-automatic mode, while the M1 carbine could only be fired in semi-automatic mode.

However, the fully automatic firing mode of the M2 carbine is somewhat useless, because although the bullets of the M2 carbine are not very powerful, they are still more powerful than the bullets of submachine guns that use pistol rounds.

This results in high recoil, and the accuracy of a firearm with high recoil in full-auto fire is predictably poor.

Of course, light machine guns have greater recoil, but apart from a few exceptional individuals, most machine gunners choose to deploy the bipod and lie prone on the ground to fire.

Instead of holding it in your hand like a submachine gun and firing continuously while charging, the M1 carbine was originally designed for close to medium-range burst fire. If you're going to use it for close-range burst fire, then using a submachine gun would be more practical.

After all, submachine gun bullets have low power and low recoil, and it is easier to control the muzzle when firing continuously.

This is why the M2 carbine was discontinued after only a few were produced. This was partly due to the end of World War II, but more importantly, the M2 carbine was not suitable for intense frontal battles.

The idea of ​​replacing the submachine gun was abandoned due to the high power and recoil of the bullets.

These firearms, capable of accurate single-shot firing within a range of one or two hundred meters, are the favorite of reconnaissance soldiers.

After all, for reconnaissance soldiers, 100 or 200 meters is the optimal distance for firefights. Of course, more importantly, this carbine is much lighter than the Garand rifle. The M1 carbine weighs only 2.36 kilograms, and even with a magazine, it will not exceed 3 kilograms.

This weight is even lighter than a submachine gun, making it easy for reconnaissance soldiers to carry.

It's important to understand that these carbines were not intended for primary combat personnel after production. In the US military, the main infantry units were equipped with either M3 submachine guns, Garand rifles, or light machine guns.

The lightweight carbine, weighing only two kilograms, was issued to artillerymen, drivers, or armored personnel.

After all, compared to the accuracy of a pistol, which can hit the target from 20 meters away, a carbine is much better in terms of power and portability, and it is also much more useful in combat.

Therefore, after the carbine was produced, most of it was issued to second-line members. Paratroopers were also equipped with carbines because of their lightness and convenience.

However, with the advent of assault rifles, carbines have become obsolete, and there have been no subsequent models.

After all, assault rifles completely replace rifles and carbines, and can even replace submachine guns, making them the best firearms for multiple uses.

Of course, in addition to the M2 carbine, which is a continuous-fire version, there is also a high-tech M3 version of the M1 carbine.

This M3 version of the carbine is the US military's trump card for night fighting, or rather, its powerful weapon for night combat. It should be noted that the US military, like the Japanese, is quite afraid of night fighting.

Night battles can even out the firepower advantage of both sides, especially in the darkness where you can't see a person from ten meters away. Once the two sides are mixed together, bombing raids, cannons, and light machine guns will all become useless.

(End of this chapter)