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Held my first M1 Carbine

Discussion in 'Weapons & Technology in WWII' started by Grant, Mar 1, 2008.

  1. Grant

    Grant Member

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    Yay! Today I got to hold my first M1 Carbine, well not MINE, but my grandfather bought it, and boy, it was a beauty. So light weight, in such good shape. Not a replica, but maybe used during the war. I was SO happy, looking down the sights and what not. Beautiful weapon. To bad I didn't get pictures! Maybe I will next time I go!!


    Grant
     
  2. Hufflepuff

    Hufflepuff Semi-Frightening Mountain Goat

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    Awesome :)

    I once went to a Civil War reenactment in Olathe KS and I got to hold an original Spencer Carbine that was used in the Civil war and used in the reenactment that day :)
     
  3. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Good for you, Grant.:D

    Any chance he'll let you fire it?
     
  4. Grant

    Grant Member

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    He said that he doesn't fire it much, but maybe one day I can talk him into it! :D
     
  5. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    If any WWII weapon can be described as 'sexy', the M1 carbine is a good candidate....;)

    [​IMG]
     
  6. JCFalkenbergIII

    JCFalkenbergIII Expert

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  7. bigfun

    bigfun Ace

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    Congrats Grant!
    that must have been great fun for you! I'm jealous!!
    pics would be great, if you get a chance!
     
  8. JCFalkenbergIII

    JCFalkenbergIII Expert

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  9. jagdpanther44

    jagdpanther44 Battlefield wanderer

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    A true classic...
     

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  10. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    well Grant congrats and YES you DO need to take it out to your local range and fire off many rounds. A very light weight hardly a kick to that little compact thing. compare that with a war era Garand and yes you'll feel the difference easily
     
  11. mac_bolan00

    mac_bolan00 Member

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    hiroo onoda, in his personal account of his 30 years as a straggler in the philippines, said it was easy to spot a carbine user at night. one can see the bullet flying towards you. at 200 meters, you can actually dodge it (as he had done by twisting to one side.) but with high powered .30s, no such luck.
     
  12. JCFalkenbergIII

    JCFalkenbergIII Expert

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    "Straggler"? He wasn't a "straggler". He didn't stray or fall behind for 30 years. And what do you mean by "high powered .30s? Which weapons are you referring to? The M1 Garand fires at about 2,750fps. The M1 Carbine 1,970fps and the M1903 Springfield rifle is about 2900 fps.
     
  13. Grant

    Grant Member

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    He came to dinner today. He told me that he WILL take me to shoot this summer.I'm so excited!
     
  14. bigfun

    bigfun Ace

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    that's awesome Grant!!
    I'm excited for you!!!
    when you go, make sure you give us the details!!
     
  15. mac_bolan00

    mac_bolan00 Member

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    "straggler" is probably an american term since onoda's autobiographical novel didn't use the term. but the american-authored book "the stragglers" did.

    most stragglers knew the war was over and they decided to either stay in hiding or go native (for some reason or another.) some even resorted to canibalism. the most bizarre was the case in anatahan, involving a group that included one japanese woman.

    what set onoda apart (aside from being a commissioned officer,) was that he believed the war was still on, and that he waged a guerilla war continuosly until his surrender in 1974. he was fighting (and killing) the preceived enemy up to the 70s.

    'high-powered' is admittedly a journalist's term but someone familiar with firearms could easily understand the meaning to probably include any rifle cartridge capable of velocities well past 2,000 fps, or has a lethal range past 200 meters. that's my own convenient definition so it classifies the m-1 carbine round as a medium- to low power .30 cal.

    30-'06, .303LE, 7.9mm mauser, your pick.
     

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