World War II Era M1 Carbine, with Dark Walnut Stock, 'L' peep sight and no bayonet lug - .30 Carbine - correct for most of WWII, shown with khaki sling and oiler and a period twin magazine pouch for buttstock
Korean War Era M1 Carbine, with Birch Stock, Adjustable sight, bayonet lug, and twin magazine pouch - .30 Carbine. Most of the World War II variations of the M1 Carbine were sent back to the Military Arsenals and retrofitted with the Bayonet Lug and adjustable rear sight. This is the version seen after late 1945 and all the way until the 1960s. This version is seen most often in World War II movies, despite being anachronistic for most World War II battles
Korean War Era M1 Carbine, with M4 bayonet and twin magazine pouch - .30 Carbine
The Modern Manufactured version of the M1 Carbine, with standard stock, from Auto-Ordnance (affiliated with Kahr Arms and Thompson Arms) - .30 Carbine
The M1 Carbine was a lightweight, intermediate cartridge firearm, developed and adopted in 1941, as a supplement to the then standard issue M1 Garand. The M1 Carbine was to take the place of pistols for vehicle drivers, members of crew served weapons (such as artillery, anti-aircraft etc), NCOs and other secondary roles to the frontline infantryman. Despite its lack of 'knockdown' power, it was popular, primarily due to its handiness and lightweight and was seen in front line usage in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II.
Contrary to what movie and TV viewers see, the M1 Carbine did not have a bayonet lug during World War II. There is no photographic evidence of any soldiers carrying or using the M1 Carbine or M1A1 paratrooper Carbine between 1942 and early 1945, with a bayonet lug. The version with the bayonet lug, and the replacement of the "L" peep sight with the adjustable windage rear sight was an undesignated upgrade to the model and was not given a separate model number. This upgrade officially started in late 1944, but were only seen in the field in late 1945, in the very last months of the war. Occupation troops did, however, get this version of the gun. The upgraded version was used extensively during the Korean conflict and into the early years of Vietnam. The M1 carbine could still be found in US National Guard, Army or Air Force reserve unit armories on into the early 1970s, in addition it was a common police weapon from the mid 1950s into the late 1970s. Surplus M1 Carbines were widely exported to US allies, and it remains a popular weapon among Israeli police to this day.
Some M1 Carbine Based rifle were also manufactured :
- The Howa M300 was a Japanese Hunting Rifle Based on the M1 Carbine. Developed in 1960 and produced by the Howa Machinery Co. A distinctive feature of this model is a front located iron sight, unlike the original M1.
Specifications
(1941 - Present)
- Barrel length: 18 in (45.7 cm)
- Feed System: 15 or 30-round detachable box magazine
- Fire Modes: Semi-Auto (M1), Semi-Auto/Full-Auto (M2, M3)
The M1 Carbine and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
M1/M1A1 Carbine
M1 Carbine (Post-War) - .30 Carbine
M1 Carbine with heat shield, adjustable rear sight and 20 round magazine - .30 Carbine
Post-war M1 Carbine with 30 round magazine and metal barrel shroud - .30 Carbine
M1A1 Carbine with original L style rear sights, and side-folding stock, often referred to as the 'Paratrooper' carbine - .30 Carbine
M1 Carbine in Universal folding stock - .30 Carbine
M1 Carbine manufactured by Plainfield, with pistol-grip, post-WWII paratrooper stock and vertical foregrip - .30 Carbine
Short-barrel M1 Carbine with pistol grip, retractable wire stock and forward pistol grip - .30 Carbine
Film
| Title
|
Actor
|
Character
|
Note
|
Date
|
| Fury (2014) |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
2014
|
| Machete Kills |
|
|
On gun wall |
2013
|
| Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed |
|
US Army soldiers |
|
2012
|
| Corbin Allred |
T-5 Rossi |
M1A1 Carbine
|
| Memorial Day |
|
US Army Soldiers |
With anachronistic bayonet lugs, with and without folding stock |
2011
|
| My Way |
|
US Army Soldiers |
w/ anachronistic bayonet lugs |
2011
|
| My Best Enemy |
|
Corporal of MP guards |
|
2011
|
| Largo Winch II (2011) |
|
Burmese freedom fighters |
|
2011
|
| The Heineken Kidnapping |
|
Dutch SWAT team |
WWII era model |
2011
|
|
Dutch SWAT team |
paratrooper stock and customized grips
|
| The Front Line (2011) |
|
South Korean Army |
|
2011
|
| Death and Glory in Changde |
Ray Lui |
Lt. Gen. Yu Chengwan |
|
2010
|
| Fan Lei |
Col. Chang Ruan |
|
|
Chinese officers |
|
| 71: Into the Fire |
Seung-woo Kim |
Kang Suk-Dae |
with 30-round magazine |
2010
|
|
US Army soldiers |
w/ 30-round magazine
|
|
South Korean soldiers |
w/ 30-round magazine
|
| New Kids Turbo |
|
Dutch police sniper |
|
2010
|
| Red and White (Merah Putih) |
|
Dutch soldier |
Korean War Era model |
2009
|
| Spoils of War |
Krash Miller |
Sgt. Miller |
|
2009
|
| Inglorious Basterds |
|
American Soldiers |
|
2009
|
| Black Dynamite |
|
Militant |
|
2009
|
| Che Part Two: Guerrilla |
Franka Potente |
Tamara "Tania" Bunke |
|
2008
|
| Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull |
Harrison Ford |
Indiana Jones |
|
2008
|
|
Soviet soldiers |
|
| Miracle at St. Anna |
Douglas M. Griffin |
MP Freddy Naughton |
with anachronistic bayonet lugs and 30-round magazine |
2008
|
|
Military Policemen |
with anachronistic bayonet lugs and 30-round magazine
|
| Warbirds |
Brian Krause |
Colonel Jack Toller |
|
2008
|
| Caleb Michaelson |
Sergeant John Lee |
|
|
Sergeant Murphy |
|
| Intimate Enemies |
|
Fellaghas |
M1A1 |
2007
|
| Desperation |
Steven Weber |
Steve Ames |
|
2006
|
| Flags of our Fathers |
Adam Beach |
PFC Ira Hayes |
|
2006
|
| Barry Pepper |
Sgt. Mike Strank |
|
|
U.S. Marines |
|
| Land of the Dead |
Robert Joy |
Charlie |
|
2005
|
| The Lost City |
Nestor Carbonell |
Luis Fellove |
|
2005
|
|
Cuban rebels, police, army |
|
| Snakeman |
Larry Day |
Dr. Rick Gordon |
|
2005
|
| The Corsican File (L'enquête Corse) |
|
Corsican terrorists |
Sawn-off |
2004
|
| Coronado |
Kristin Dattilo |
Claire Winslow |
|
2003
|
|
Numerous rebels |
|
| We Were Soldiers |
|
Vietnamese ARVN interpreter |
|
2002
|
| In China They Eat Dogs |
|
A gangster |
|
1999
|
| Saving Private Ryan |
Tom Sizemore |
Technical Sergeant Mike Horvath |
Fitted with a buttstock magazine pouch |
1998
|
|
Members of the 101st Airborne Division, other Airborne paratroopers |
M1A1 Carbine with collapsible buttstock and handgrip
|
| The Thin Red Line |
John Cusack |
Captain Gaff |
|
1998
|
| Elias Koteas |
Captain Staros |
|
| Woody Harrelson |
Sgt. Keck |
|
| Jared Leto |
2nd Lt. Whyte |
|
| John Savage |
Sgt. McCron |
|
| The Postman |
Kevin Costner |
The Postman |
|
1997
|
| Heaven's Burning |
|
STAR team member |
|
1997
|
| Mulholland Falls |
|
US Army soldiers |
|
1996
|
| Ed Wood |
Brent Hinkley |
Conrad Brooks |
prop |
1994
|
| The Shawshank Redemption |
|
|
Seen in a pawn shop display |
1994
|
| A Midnight Clear |
Kevin Dillon |
Mel Avakian |
|
1992
|
| Pink Cadillac |
Clint Eastwood |
Tommy Nowak |
|
1989
|
| Good Morning Vietnam |
|
American troops |
|
1987
|
| Ishtar |
Dustin Hoffman |
Chuck Clarke |
|
1987
|
| Nadine |
Jeff Bridges |
Vernon Hightower |
|
1987
|
| Rip Torn |
Buford Pope |
|
| Gary Grubbs |
Cecil |
|
| Mickey Jones |
Floyd |
|
| F/X |
|
Assassin |
|
1986
|
| Thirteen at Dinner |
|
Actor portraying assassins |
scope, suppressor, custom stock |
1985
|
| The Evil That Men Do |
|
Guatemala soldiers |
with heat shield and 20 round magazine |
1984
|
| Under Fire |
|
FSLN rebels |
|
1983
|
| A Captain's Honor (L'Honneur d'un capitaine) |
Jacques Perrin |
Capt. Marcel Caron |
|
1982
|
|
French officers
|
| Thief |
|
Mobster |
|
1981
|
| Green Ice |
|
Colombian guerillas |
|
1981
|
| Choice of Arms |
|
|
Seen in Jean's armoury |
1981
|
| The Goat (La chèvre) |
|
Mexican police |
|
1981
|
| Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure |
|
US Coast Guard personnell |
|
1981
|
| The Professional |
|
African soldiers |
|
1981
|
| Brubaker |
|
|
|
1980
|
| Jupiter's Thigh (On a volé la cuisse de Jupiter) |
|
Greece police |
|
1980
|
| Love and Bullets |
|
Farroni's henchman |
|
1979
|
| And Justice For All |
|
Police officers |
|
1979
|
| The Angry Man (L'homme en colère) |
|
A criminal |
|
1979
|
| From Hell to Victory |
|
US Army soldiers |
|
1979
|
| Midnight Express |
|
Turkish police |
|
1978
|
| Goodbye and Amen |
Claudia Cardinale |
Aliki |
|
1978
|
| John Steiner |
Donald Grayson |
|
| Go Tell the Spartans |
|
South Vietnamese troops |
|
1978
|
| Marc Singer |
CPT Alfred Olivetti |
|
| Craig Wasson |
CPL Courcey |
|
| Jonathan Goldsmith |
1SG Oleonowski |
|
| Evan C. Kim |
Cowboy |
|
| Black Sunday |
|
Terrorists, police officers and Israeli commandos |
|
1977
|
| Drummer-Crab (Le Crabe-Tambour) |
Jacques Perrin |
Lt. Willsdorff |
|
1977
|
| Drummer-Crab (Le Crabe-Tambour) |
|
French sailors |
|
1977
|
| Police Python 357 |
|
French criminals |
|
1976
|
| Colt 38 Special Squad (Quelli della calibro 38) |
|
Police snipers |
With sniper scope |
1976
|
| Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold |
|
Thugs |
Post-WWII version with bayonet lug |
1975
|
| Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold |
Shen Chan |
Soon Da Chen |
Post-WWII version with bayonet lug |
1975
|
| Dog Day Afternoon |
Al Pacino |
Sonny |
|
1975
|
| The French Detective (Adieu, poulet) |
Jacques Rispal |
Mercier |
30-round magazine |
1975
|
| Jaws |
|
Carried by man patrolling waters |
|
1975
|
| The Deadly Tower |
Kurt Russell |
Charles Whitman |
|
1975
|
| Savage Sisters |
Cheri Caffaro |
Jo Turner |
w/ 30-round magazine |
1974
|
| John Ashley |
W. P. Billingsley |
w/ 30-round magazine
|
|
Philippine soldiers, guerrillas |
w/ 30-round magazine
|
| Thunderbolt and Lightfoot |
George Kennedy |
Red Leary |
|
1974
|
| The Terrorists |
|
Various police and military personnel |
|
1974
|
| The Man from Acapulco (Le Magnifique) |
André Weber |
The plumber |
Customized |
1973
|
| The Man from Acapulco (Le Magnifique) |
Philippe de Broca |
The plumber 2 |
Customized |
1973
|
| Charley Varrick |
|
Police officers |
|
1973
|
| Scorpio |
Alain Delon |
Jean Laurier a.k.a. "Scorpio" |
|
1973
|
| The Crazies (1973) |
|
U.S. National guard |
|
1973
|
| The Dominici Affair (L'Affaire Dominici) |
|
|
The murder weapon |
1973
|
| Hickey & Boggs |
|
Black revolutionaries |
|
1972
|
| State of Siege (État de Siège) |
|
Police |
|
1972
|
| The Omega Man |
|
Seen in Neville's gun rack |
Post WW2 version |
1971
|
| Cotton Comes to Harlem |
|
Robbers |
M1A1 Carbine |
1970
|
| Mr. Freedom |
|
Various |
|
1969
|
| The Bridge at Remagen |
George Segal |
Lt. Phil Hartman |
|
1969
|
| Paul Prokop |
Captain John Colt |
|
| Planet of the Apes |
Charlton Heston |
Commander Taylor |
Visually modified |
1968
|
|
Apes |
Visually modified
|
| Coogan's Bluff |
Clint Eastwood |
Deputy Sheriff Walt Coogan |
|
1969
|
| Targets |
Tim O'Kelly |
Bobby Thompson |
|
1968
|
| The Green Berets |
David Janssen |
George Beckworth |
|
1968
|
| George Takei |
Captain Nim |
|
|
U.S. Navy Seabees, ARVN soldiers and Viet Cong |
|
| Billion Dollar Brain |
|
|
|
1967
|
| The Last Adventure |
Hans Meyer |
The Mercenary |
|
1967
|
| Lino Ventura |
Roland Darbont |
|
|
The henchman |
|
| Action Man (Le soleil des voyous) |
|
US Army soldiers |
|
1967
|
| The Battle of Algiers |
|
French soldiers |
|
1966
|
| The Navy vs. the Night Monsters |
|
US Navy personnel |
|
1966
|
| Murderers' Row |
Dean Martin |
Matt Helm |
With pistol grip and underfolding stock |
1966
|
| Murderers' Row |
|
Guards |
With pistol grips and underfolding stocks |
1966
|
| Let's Not Get Angry (Ne nous fâchons pas) |
|
The Colonel's henchmen |
|
1966
|
| Is Paris Burning? |
|
US Army and Free French Forces soldiers |
|
1966
|
| Tarzan and the Valley of Gold |
|
Vinero's soldiers |
|
1966
|
| The 317th Platoon |
Jacques Perrin |
2nd Lt. Torrens |
|
1965
|
| Alphaville |
|
French security force |
|
1965
|
| None But the Brave |
Tommy Sands |
2nd Lt. Blair |
|
1965
|
| Clint Walker |
Capt. Dennis Bourke |
|
| Dr. Strangelove |
Keenan Wynn |
Col."Bat"Guano |
|
1964
|
| Goldfinger |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
1964
|
| The Manchurian Candidate |
Frank Sinatra |
Capt. Marco |
|
1962
|
| Hell Is for Heroes |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
1962
|
| Merrill's Marauders |
Jeff Chandler |
General Merrill |
|
1962
|
| The Longest Day |
|
French Resistance and US Forces |
|
1962
|
| Roddy McDowall |
Private Morris |
|
| The Black Seagull (Chyornaya chayka) |
|
Cuban soldiers |
|
1962
|
| Mothra |
|
Scientists also |
|
1961
|
| Hiroshi Koizumi |
Dr. Shin'ichi Chûjô |
|
| Hell to Eternity |
. |
US Marines |
anachronistic |
1960
|
| Pork Chop Hill |
Cliff Ketchum |
Cpl. Payne |
|
1959
|
| Gregory Peck |
Lt. Joe Clemons |
|
| Norman Fell |
S/Sgt. Coleman |
|
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
| Five Gates to Hell |
|
Vietnamesse guerillass |
|
1959
|
| Never So Few |
Frank Sinatra |
Cpt. Tom Reynolds |
|
1959
|
|
Burmese soldiers |
|
| The Black Battalion (Cerný prapor) |
|
French foreign legionaries |
|
1958
|
| The Young Lions |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
1958
|
| When Hell Broke Loose |
|
Extras |
|
1958
|
| 20 Million Miles to Earth |
William Hopper |
Col. Robert Calder |
M1A1 Carbine with collapsible buttstock and handgrip |
1957
|
|
Used by Sicilian police officers |
M1A1 Carbine with collapsible buttstock and handgrip
|
| China Gate |
James Hong |
Charlie |
|
1957
|
| Between Heaven and Hell |
Tod Andrews |
Lt. Ray Mosby |
|
1956
|
| Earth vs. the Flying Saucers |
Donald Curtis |
Maj. Huglin |
|
1956
|
|
Used by U.S. Air Force soldiers |
|
| To Hell and Back |
Audie Murphy |
Himself |
|
1955
|
| The Bridges at Toko-Ri |
Earl Holliman |
Nestor Gamidge |
|
1954
|
| Mickey Rooney |
CWO Mike Forney |
|
| William Holden |
Lt. Harry Brubaker |
|
| White Christmas |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
1954
|
| The War of the Worlds |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
1953
|
| The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms |
Lee Van Cleef |
Cpl. Stone |
|
1953
|
| Battle Circus |
Humphrey Bogart |
Maj. Jed Webbe |
|
1953
|
| Keenan Wynn |
Sgt. Orvil Statt |
|
| Steve Forrest |
U.S. Army Sergeant |
|
| Robert Keith |
Lt. Col. Hilary Walters |
|
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
| The Most Wanted Man (L'Ennemi public No 1) |
|
Prison guards and plainclothes police |
|
1953
|
| Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951) |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
|
1951
|
| Go for Broke! |
Van Johnson |
2LT Michael Grayson |
|
1951
|
| Henry Oyasato |
2LT Ohhara |
|
| Dan Riss |
Captain Solari |
|
| Halls of Montezuma |
Richard Widmark |
Lt. Anderson |
with anachronistic bayonet lug |
1951
|
| Reginald Gardner |
Sgt. Johnson |
with anachronistic bayonet lug
|
|
US Marines |
with anachronistic bayonet lug
|
| The Thing From another World |
Dewey Martin |
Bob |
|
1951
|
| The Thing From another World |
James R. Young |
Lt. Dykes |
|
1951
|
| The Steel Helmet |
|
U.S. Army soldiers |
World War II model |
1951
|
| Battleground |
|
U.S. Army Airborne Paratroopers |
|
1949
|
| Dark Passage |
|
Policeman |
w/ 30-round magazine |
1947
|
| A Walk In The Sun |
|
U.S Bazooka Team |
|
1945
|
| The Story of G.I. Joe |
|
U.S. Soldiers |
|
1945
|
| Gung Ho! |
|
Marine Raider |
|
1943
|
Television
Video Game
Anime
Animation
M2 Carbine
An M2 Carbine select Fire carbine - .30 carbine
The M2 Carbine was a select fire upgrade of the M1 Carbine that was developed in late 1944/early 1945. No examples of the M2 Carbine were issued before the surrender of Nazi Germany, however, there were some field conversion kits for altering M1 Carbines sent to units for field testing before the end of the war. Though not impossible, it would be very rare to see an M2 in any sort of action prior to Germany's surrender (however they do show up in late war Combat photographs in the South Pacific). The M2s were common among the occupation forces and U.S. Forces in Korea (1950-1953). M2 Carbine along with the M1 Carbine were used by the Army of The Republic of Vietnam as well as the Vietnamese police. US Army soldiers and Marines also used solely the M2 Carbine in extremely small numbers. A small number of M1 and M2 Carbines were captured by the National Liberation Front, also known as the Vietcong who used them against anti-communist forces.
Note: Just because an M1 Carbine is seen with a 30 round magazine, it doesn't automatically make it an M2 carbine. In Movie Armories and in real life, there were many more M1 Carbines built than M2s and many forces still used the M1 Carbine all around the world, as well as law enforcement into the 1970s. There must be a visible selector switch or the weapon must be seen firing fully automatic to declare it to be an M2 Carbine.
Film
Television
Video Game
M3 Carbine
M3 Carbine with M1 / M2 scope - .30 Carbine
The M3 Carbine in its final configuration with the M3 scope, including backpack for the infrared sight's large 12-volt battery. - .30 Carbine
The M3 Carbine (called T3 Carbine during WW2, where it was used during the invasion of Okinawa) was an M2 Carbine fitted with an early active infrared scope, requiring a large IR lamp to provide illumination for the scope. Two main configurations were produced, the M1 / M2 scope with the lamp mounted underneath the weapon (which was found to render it prone to accidental damage) and the M3 with it mounted on top of the scope tube; the latter featured a better detector, increasing the effective range from 76 yards to 125. A forward pistol grip was also added to aid in handling the M3's increased bulk, and Korean War versions have a conical T23 flash hider added to prevent muzzle flash from creating a disruptive flare in the scope. An external power source for the infrared sight had to be carried in a backpack, using a 6-volt battery with a vibrator / transformer to step this up to the 4,250 the M1 and M2 scopes required; the M3 scope used a 12-volt battery stepped up to 20,000.
Film
Video Games
| Game Title
|
Appears as
|
Mods
|
Note
|
Release Date
|
| Return to Castle Wolfenstein |
"Snooper Rifle" |
with suppressor and infrared scope |
anachronistic |
2001
|
Iver-Johnson Enforcer Pistol
Iver-Johnson Enforcer Pistol - .30 Carbine
Film
Television
| Title
|
Actor
|
Character
|
Note / Episode
|
Date
|
| Dark Angel |
|
Krit |
"…And Jesus Brought a Casserole" (S1E22) |
2000
|
Howa M300
The earlier version of the M300. - .30 Carbine
The latest version of the M300, known as the NM300 with rear sights similar to the M1 Carbine - .30 Carbine
Film
Erma Werke Model E M1
Erma Werke Model E M1 with 10-round magazine - .22LR
Erma Werke Model ESG 22 with 5-round magazine and removed rear sight - .22WMR
Erma Werke Model E M1 .22 caliber semi-auto carbine is based on M1 Carbine. It was designed in early 1960s as a training rifle for the Bundeswehr that used cheaper ammo than service M1 Carbines. The first user of the E M1 was the Austrian Gendarmerie. Numerous E M1 carbines were sold commercially under different names and with slight variations, but all manufactured in Germany by Erma Werke. The manufacturing started in 1966 and continued until Erma Werke declared bankruptcy in 1997. It was available in several versions including the ESG 22 chambered in .22 WMR, and the sporterised EGMI Model 70 which featured traditional sling swivels rather than the original M1 style sling hole in the stock and had an exposed blade front sight. The E M1 saw a brief resurgence in 1999 when it was manufactured by Suhler Jagd und Sportwaffen GmbH as the Erma Suhl Ranger (differentiated by its plainer finish and suppressor threaded barrel), however production was limited and ceased after only a few years.
Film
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