Exactly right, ABNAK. He puts the Carbine into good perspective as to the era it was developed and used in compared to today's every increasing expectations for finer accuracy, longer durability, and minimal failures. The Carbine will not fair well in a comparison to the AR15 being at near the same price point today, and lacking the flexibility, accuracy, range and ammo selection that the AR15 has. BUT, that does not mean it is ineffective either. As Hackathorn says, within 100 yds the M1 Carbine is still a very capable fighting weapon. And it is very streamlined and lightweight. Today we expect magazines to be semi-permanent parts of the weapon, but back in WW2 they were considered disposable items.
I did not hear him mention it, but I think the "success" of the Carbine has to include that its design was also impacted by the need to be able to produce them quickly and cheaply on "light" machining tools (mostly stamped) with minimal forgings and intricate machining required unlike the M1 Garand. It was more acceptable then to give up some capability in the field in order to be able to produce more than 1 million per year.
At any rate, I love shooting my Carbines which are very reliable, and I would not hesitate to use them for home defense if needed. But I choose to use my AR15s and Glocks as primary defense weapons due to improved modern design and parts availability.
As a side note, it kind of baffles me that as far as I can see wages have not kept up with the inflation of many capital goods, yet 70-100 yrs ago companies could afford much more intricate machining and construction than we can today with all the advanced machines that were supposed to enable us to create things better and faster.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! ... Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry in an address at St. John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia, on March 23, 1775.
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