Hezi SM-1

The M1 carbine, formally designated United States carbine, caliber .30, M1, is a lightweight semi-automatic carbine chambered in the .30 carbine (7.62×33mm) cartridge. Developed in response to a U.S. Army requirement for a compact, lightweight defensive weapon for support troops, it originated from observations prior to World War II. Development involved Winchester Repeating Arms and the creation of the .30 Carbine cartridge. While based in part on designs incorporating David Marshall Williams' short-stroke gas piston principle, its final form was a team effort led by Winchester engineers. Standardized as the M1 carbine on October 22, 1941, it became the most produced small arm for the American military during World War II, manufactured by numerous contractors at a lower cost than the M1 rifle or Thompson submachine gun.

The firearm operates as a gas-actuated weapon, utilizing a short-stroke gas piston. Originally fitted with a simple flip sight, it was later superseded by an adjustable ramp sight providing settings out to 300 yards. Its practical effective range is around 200 yards. The standard ammunition is the .30 Carbine cartridge. Magazines included standard straight 15-round boxes and curved 30-round boxes. The latter were introduced with the selective-fire M2 variant, which required a stronger magazine catch on later M1 production and conversions. Early production featured a push-button safety, later revised to a rotating lever due to reported confusion with the magazine release. Initially lacking a bayonet lug, this feature was added from 1945.

The standard issue versions were:

• M1: The base semi-automatic model.

• M1A1: Featuring a side-folding stock designed for paratroopers.

• M2: A selective-fire version of the M1 introduced in 1944, capable of semi-automatic and full-automatic fire, and compatible with the 30-round magazine.

• M3: An M2 carbine equipped with a mount for an active infrared night vision sight.

Proposed variants included the M1A2 (with improved sight) and M1A3 (with an underside-folding stock).

The M1 carbine was widely issued to U.S. support troops, officers, and non-commissioned officers during World War II, receiving praise for its handling but mixed reviews regarding terminal effectiveness, particularly in the Pacific theater. Its use continued through the Korean War, where the M2 variant largely replaced submachine guns, though cold weather reliability issues and effectiveness debates persisted. The M3 saw use in specialized night operations in Okinawa and Korea. In the Vietnam War, the M1/M2 served with U.S. advisors, Special Forces, and the South Vietnamese military, before being replaced by the M16.

Following World War II, the M1 and M2 carbines were extensively exported to U.S. allies and client states and were used by military, police, and security forces around the world for decades. Prominent former users include South Korea, South Vietnam, France, the United Kingdom, Germany (police), Israel, and the Philippines. The carbine also saw significant use in various conflicts across Latin America. Current users include elements of the police/security forces in Brazil and Indonesia. Over six million carbines of various models were produced for U.S. military service.