“Testing the War Weapons” by Timothy J. Mullin (1997)
Mullin, a former U.S. Army infantry officer and ex-U.S. Marshal, tested each of the military-pattern firearms included in this work himself, and the book was the result of his efforts. His entry about the U.S. M-1 Carbine was particularly interesting from a historical standpoint.
Most firearm historians view the German MP43/StG44 assault rifle as the first weapo of its kind, and it has become the archetype of such weapons down to the present, along with the Soviet AK-47/AKM which came into service some years later. Mullin, however, notes that the title of the “first” developer of an actual assault rifle may not belong to the Germans after all, but to the Americans instead, in the form of the M-1/M-2 Carbine.
There are a number of technical/design criteria which define a true assault rifle, which distinguish it from earlier classes/types of weapons. These include:
1. A compact, light-weight and short-barreled weapon, typically with a barrel of less-than-twenty inches in length.
2. A weapon firing an intermediate cartridge, i.e., one whose power, range and size are intermediate between a pistol cartridge on one hand, and a full-bore, full-sized center-fire rifle cartridge on the other.
3. A weapon capable of select-fire operation, semi-automatic single-shot or fully-automatic, at the discretion of the user.
4. Unlike a submachine gun, a weapon which fires in full cyclic operation, from closed bolt.
5. A weapon which is optimized for use 0-300 yards/meters, the range envelope typical of most ground infantry combat.
In its select-fire variant, the M-2, Mullin argues that the U.S. Carbine, .30-caliber, M-1/M-2 is, in fact, the world’s first assault rifle, with the caveat that one must accept its straight-walled cartridge as a true intermediate.
Mullin goes on to note that the .30-Carbine made it into action in 1942, a full year ahead of the German MP43/StG44, which debuted the following year on the Eastern Front.
Mullin himself notes that the MP43/StG44 is rightfully the archetype and pattern upon which many/most modern assault rifles are based, and does not dispute that fact. Still, his hypothesis is an intriguing one.
After all, it is germane to note that the Carbine was not intended to supplant or replace the service rifle, the M-1 Garand in 30-06, but instead to augment or supplant the side-arm, the Colt M1911 service pistol in .45 ACP. The whole point of the carbine was to give officers, NCOs, MPs and other personnel whose role was something else other than an infantryman, an effective, compact and easy-to-use weapon with greater range and accuracy than the side-arm.
Modern observers might be more-inclined to call the M-1/M-2 Carbine, a “PDW” or “personal defense weapon,” a category and nomenclature which did not yet exist in the mid-20th century. Indeed, the M-1/M-2 could qualify as the first of that category of small arms.
As for the M-1 Carbine, a now-deceased uncle on my wife’s side of the family was a U.S. Army infantryman during the Korean War, and saw a lot of action 1950-1951 before being seriously wounded. His personal weapon was an M-1 Garand rifle in 30-06, but he spoke highly of the carbine, and mentioned how sought-after and popular they were with the men.
On May 8, 2021 at 8:17 pm, blake said:
My answer to the M1 Carbine Bolt Hold Open question:
This article is filed under the category(s) Firearms,Guns and was published May 5th, 2021 by Herschel Smith.
If you're interested in what else the The Captain's Journal has to say, you might try thumbing through the archives and visiting the main index, or; perhaps you would like to learn more about TCJ.
On May 5, 2021 at 11:32 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:
“Testing the War Weapons” by Timothy J. Mullin (1997)
Mullin, a former U.S. Army infantry officer and ex-U.S. Marshal, tested each of the military-pattern firearms included in this work himself, and the book was the result of his efforts. His entry about the U.S. M-1 Carbine was particularly interesting from a historical standpoint.
Most firearm historians view the German MP43/StG44 assault rifle as the first weapo of its kind, and it has become the archetype of such weapons down to the present, along with the Soviet AK-47/AKM which came into service some years later. Mullin, however, notes that the title of the “first” developer of an actual assault rifle may not belong to the Germans after all, but to the Americans instead, in the form of the M-1/M-2 Carbine.
There are a number of technical/design criteria which define a true assault rifle, which distinguish it from earlier classes/types of weapons. These include:
1. A compact, light-weight and short-barreled weapon, typically with a barrel of less-than-twenty inches in length.
2. A weapon firing an intermediate cartridge, i.e., one whose power, range and size are intermediate between a pistol cartridge on one hand, and a full-bore, full-sized center-fire rifle cartridge on the other.
3. A weapon capable of select-fire operation, semi-automatic single-shot or fully-automatic, at the discretion of the user.
4. Unlike a submachine gun, a weapon which fires in full cyclic operation, from closed bolt.
5. A weapon which is optimized for use 0-300 yards/meters, the range envelope typical of most ground infantry combat.
In its select-fire variant, the M-2, Mullin argues that the U.S. Carbine, .30-caliber, M-1/M-2 is, in fact, the world’s first assault rifle, with the caveat that one must accept its straight-walled cartridge as a true intermediate.
Mullin goes on to note that the .30-Carbine made it into action in 1942, a full year ahead of the German MP43/StG44, which debuted the following year on the Eastern Front.
Mullin himself notes that the MP43/StG44 is rightfully the archetype and pattern upon which many/most modern assault rifles are based, and does not dispute that fact. Still, his hypothesis is an intriguing one.
After all, it is germane to note that the Carbine was not intended to supplant or replace the service rifle, the M-1 Garand in 30-06, but instead to augment or supplant the side-arm, the Colt M1911 service pistol in .45 ACP. The whole point of the carbine was to give officers, NCOs, MPs and other personnel whose role was something else other than an infantryman, an effective, compact and easy-to-use weapon with greater range and accuracy than the side-arm.
Modern observers might be more-inclined to call the M-1/M-2 Carbine, a “PDW” or “personal defense weapon,” a category and nomenclature which did not yet exist in the mid-20th century. Indeed, the M-1/M-2 could qualify as the first of that category of small arms.
As for the M-1 Carbine, a now-deceased uncle on my wife’s side of the family was a U.S. Army infantryman during the Korean War, and saw a lot of action 1950-1951 before being seriously wounded. His personal weapon was an M-1 Garand rifle in 30-06, but he spoke highly of the carbine, and mentioned how sought-after and popular they were with the men.
On May 8, 2021 at 8:17 pm, blake said:
My answer to the M1 Carbine Bolt Hold Open question:
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Ping!