M1 Carbine-7

M1 Carbine, by Inland Manufacturing. What was old is new again.

Originally the United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1 was developed to be issued to soldiers with a more specialized training than the standard infantryman who was issued the M1 Garand. The M1 Carbine was smaller and easier to wield for soldiers such as tankers, paratroopers, mechanics, and so forth. In 1938 the chief of infantry formally requested the development of a light rifle and in 1940 the official requirements for the carbine was approved and manufacturers began to develop prototypes.

The initial prototypes failed from various manufactures so Winchester submitted it’s M2,  design by Jonathan “Ed” Browning, brother of the famous firearm designer John Browning. After Ed Browning’s death in May 1939, Winchester hired David Marshall “Carbine” Williams who was working on a short-stroke gas piston design while in prison at a North Carolina work farm. Winchester, hired Marshall Williams’ release, to complete designs left unfinished by Ed Browning, including the Winchester .30-06 M2 rifle. The M2 was too large but it was to be scaled down by Winchester and a prototype submitted which showed promise. Marshall Williams aided in finishing of the second prototype submitted while working on his own design. Though it has been said Marshall Williams’ design was better suited, the second Winchester prototype was adopted in October of 1941. Marshall Williams’ design was still a few months away from testing.

Though very similar in operation to the M1 Garand, it fires the .30 Carbine round (7.62×33) from a detachable box magazine instead of the En Bloc clip.  The .30 Carbine cartridge fires a 110gr bullet around of 2000 fps. It is very similar to the .32 Winchester Self Loading cartridge.

The M1 Carbine, as other variations, were issued in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

There were just over 6,500,000 carbines built in it’s variations ranking it as the most produced American small arm during WWII. Though several companies other than Winchester produced carbines and parts, such as Rock Ola jukebox company and IBM, the Inland division of General Motors produced the majority of carbines during the effort.

Well, 2013 brought Inland Manufacturing back, so to speak. We have a new Inland that is not associated with GM and it is still based in Dayton Ohio. The new Inland is located just two miles from the original Inland headquarters. With Inland now producing firearms, it is logical they reintroduce the M1 Carbine and it debuted at 2015 SHOT show. I was able to get my hands on a test sample not long after that and have been spending some time with the new old rifle.

A closer look

M1 Carbine-1

The charging handle worked well but for the first couple magazines I would be sure to keep the bolt well lubricated.

M1 Carbine-6

The rear sight, adjustable for windage and elevation

M1 Carbine-5

The magazine release, worked well. The trigger broke clean at six and a half pounds. It had a bit of take up and minimal overtravel.

M1 Carbine-4

The crossed cannons cartouche, as in the original. A nice touch.

M1 Carbine-3

Factory bayonet lug, though a model is available without the bayonet lug and a ten round magazine for people who do not live in free America.

M1 Carbine-2

The front sight blade.

M1 Carbine-8

Beautifully finished wooden stock and a flat parkerized finish on the steel parts and receiver which is cast. The small parts speced to the original parts close enough they are interchangeable with the older M1 Carbines, but the new parts are marked as such so folks cannot swap in new parts on an older M1 to enhance value.

Initial Range Trip

I initially tested the new M1 Carbine at twenty yards to just to get used to the way the rifle shot and to see if it was reliable before we went to the 100 yards line for accuracy testing. After running about fifty rounds through the rifle there were no issues and the sights worked as they should. I was satisfied enough to begin accuracy testing and really wring out the rifle.

Second Range Trip

M1 Carbine Accuracy

Accuracy chart, 5 rounds, iron sights, from a rest at 100 yards.  Please click on the chart for a larger version

Conclusions

After about 250 flawless rounds, here are my thoughts.

There is a great deal of US history wrapped up with the United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1, with it long out of production and surplus rifles commanding premiums it was not a bad idea to bring back Inland Manufacturing and the M1 Carbine. As carbines go it is not a powerhouse but the little .30 Carbine can get the job done. I have a ballistic test in the works now that Hornady has introduced a Critical Defense in .30 Carbine. I can see this carbine at home with WWII enthusiasts as well as a handy truck or ranch rifle. It is plenty accurate even with iron sights and with very little recoil, it is controllable. The ammunition is not that difficult to find and is relatively inexpensive.

Specifications

The M1 carbine is modeled after the last production model that Inland manufactured in 1945 and features a type 3 bayonet lug / barrel band, adjustable rear sights, push button safety, round bolt, “low wood” walnut stock, and a 15-round magazine. A 30 round mag catch was used to allow high-capacity magazines.

Caliber: .30 carbine

Magazine capacity: 15

Barrel length: 18″ 1 in 20″ twist

Total length: 35.75″

Barrel groove: 4

Twist rate: 1 x 20″

Weight: 5lb 3oz

MSRP $1049

Acknowledgments

Inland Manufacturing

MKS Supply

Hornady

 

 

By Hunter Elliott

I spent much of my youth involved with firearms and felt the call early on to the United States Marine Corps, following in my father's and his brother's footsteps. Just after high school I enlisted and felt most at home on the rifle range, where I qualified expert with several firearms and spent some time as a rifle coach to my fellow Marines. After being honorably discharged I continued teaching firearm safety, rifle and pistol marksmanship, and began teaching metallic cartridge reloading. In the late 1990s I became a life member to the National Rifle Association and worked with the Friends of the NRA. Around that time my father and I became involved with IDPA and competed together up until he passed away. I began reviewing firearms for publications in the mid 2000s and have been fortunate to make many friends in the industry. Continuing to improve my firearms skills and knowledge is a never ending journey in which we should all be committed. I am also credited as weapons master on a few independent films.

10 thoughts on “M1 Carbine, by Inland Manufacturing. What was old is new again.”
  1. Nice, under rated gun /caliber. It would make an excellent home defense weapon.
    Police in Northern Ireland also used the M1.

  2. Jim Cirrilo, and I believe his partner Bill Allard also, liked the M1 Carbine very much in their days with NYPD’s famed Stake Out Unit. Field of fire and distances would be similar to Home Defense situations. Surgical shooting at close and intermediate distances with sufficient (greater than pistol) but not excessive power, autoloading, and 15 rounds. Light and fast-tracking. Ideal.

    Even better, now, with Jacketed Soft Points (Hornady Critical Defense would be exciting), and a red dot optic and/or laser!

    1. I should have the ballistic test done pretty soon and we will see how the Hornady does in .30 Carbine. Thank you for the information and taking the time to share it with me.

  3. […] the good people at MKS Supply sent me a new Inland M1 Carbine to review, you can read that review here. In researching the rifle and cartridge I learned that is was not considered the man stopper as the […]

  4. […] You can’t swing a keyboard commando by his 511 pants without hitting a manufacture that is building a “1911”. Some may see this as a market saturation, but can you really have too much of a good thing? The fact that the 1911 is so popular makes it a buyers market that allows the consumer to get what they want, or damn close, straight from the factory with options on price point. Traditional 1911s and 1911A1s have become pretty popular over the past ten years or so, and while that is great for the market, it has driven up the costs original pistols. That being the fact original 1911s and 1911A1s can be too valuable to shoot much, if any, as most are seen as investments and the metallurgy from the early 1900s is not what it is today . For those of us who do like the cool factor of the original 1911A1s but would like a modern shooter there are a few options. The one we are looking at now is made by Inland Manufacturing. Though having the same name, the new Inland is no longer associated with General Motors. It was last year when I reviewed their new M1 Carbine, and that review can be found by following this link. […]

  5. Mr Elliott great review of the new M1 Carbine, I recently purchased one and love it, I have the 1945 model with the lug, is this for show or can a bayonet be attached? If so, which kind? an M4?..thanks for any response

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