M1 Carbine (USA)
US M1 carbine, left side. M1A1 carbine, a "paratrooper" version with side-folding buttstock. Same M1 carbine, right side. M2 carbine, a select-fire modification with enlarged, 30-round magazine. .30 M1 carbine cartridge (left) shown next to 7.62x39mm Russian (center) and 5.56mm NATO (.223 Rem, right). Caliber : .30 US Carbine (7.62x33 mm) Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt Overall length : 904 mm Barrel length : 458 mm Weight : 2.36 kg without magazine Magazine capacity : 15 or 30 rounds The M1 carbine is an interesting little weapon. The original request for a compact and lightweight shoulder arm to replace service handguns for second-line (non-fighting) troops was first issued by US Army in 1938. The idea behind this request was that a shoulder arm, such as carbine, firing ammunition of moderate power, will have more effective range and will be much simpler to train the users to fire it accurately, than the standard .45 c...