5.56X45mm
Milforum Mac Daddy
This is my older M1 Carbine. I gave my father the one I ordered form the CMP as a Father's Day gift. This one is an early war model. The only item on the carbine itself that is not right for the period is the safety. It should have a push button type instead of a lever style. I like the lever style for two reasons.
1. You cannt confuse it with the magazine release button (Same reason why they were all converted to lever style safeties after WWII)
2. With the push button style you cannot use the Korean/Vietnam Era M2 30rd magazines with it.
I think that the M1 Carbine is a great PDW (Personal Defense Weapon). All it needs is the M1A1 Folding Para-Trooper Stock to make it more compact.
The small puch holds two 15rd magazines. Plus a 30rd magazine means that you have a total of 60rds right there. With a magazine clamp you can have the rifle carry a total of two 30rd magazines and two 15rd magazines. That's a total of 90rds.
I can make it a total of 91rds because I always load a round into the chamber and top off the magazine to a full complement of 30/15rds.
The .30 Carbine cartridge itself is pretty powerful for close range work (100yrds-less) The military ammo is a FMJ (Full metal Jacet) 110 grain round cooper coated round. I use a 110gr SP (Soft Point) cooper coated round. That makes it one bad ass little cartridge.
The carbine is really light and handy. Make a great thing to keep for home defense and also for something behind the seat of the truck or in the trunk of a car (NEVER LEAVE YOUR FIREARMS IN YOUR VECHILE WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN IT!)