Will be edited later with better photographs when available.


I'm sure everyone is familiar with the venerable M1 Carbine. It's had it's place in movies, games, books, and it landed in the Zombie Survival Guide as well. Now it's time for a realistic review of this historic weapon.

The exact firearm is a '44 manufacture Inland, with some mixed parts.



At just over 5 pounds, and 35.6 inches long, it's a short and light carbine. It maneuvers easily due to the size and weight, and protrudes no farther than an outstretched pistol (ala proper firing stance). There are a number of folding stocks available, from the original M1A1 stock and it's reproductions, to a Tasco one-piece stock. They decrease the size of the carbine even shorter, allowing for compact storage or carry.
The M1 Carbine shoots a purpose round, the .30 Carbine. It should never be mistaken for a full-blown rifle round, as it's a purpose-built Carbine round. The performance of the round at 200 yards is similar to that of similar-construction .357MAG rounds from the muzzle. The effective range is only approximately 300 yards, but it is well effective in that range.
The operation of the rifle is extremely simple. The magazine goes straight in, rather than being rocked in like many other popular rifles. The standard magazine capacity is 15 rounds, through there are a number of reliable 30 rounder magazines available, and several dubious 40 rounders available. With the magazine inserted fully, the charging handle is pulled at the way to the rear and released to slam forward. The safety is a rotating lever at the front of the trigger guard--pointing down safe, pointing back fire. With the safety off, it's as simple as aiming and pulling the trigger. Once the magazine is expended, there is no automatic bolt hold open, but it can be locked open manually. The magazine release is located above the safety. It is a metal button with an "M" on it. Most magazines drop free, but you may have to pull cheap magazines.

The sights are standard aperture sights, with two variants on the market. The first generation sights have two apertures in an L shape and flip for close and long range. The second generation has one aperture that rides on a ramp for range adjustments. Put the post in the circle, focus on the tip, and your brain should unconsciously try to center it in the ring.

Personal Review
The M1 Carbine is my favorite firearm, but it admittedly is not for everyone. The light weight and small size make it great for those of smaller stature like me, as well as women and older teens who can't take recoil. It lacks any real recoil or muzzle flip, which prevents flinching and allows fast follow-up shots. If it is in good shape, they are extremely accurate within their effective range. I regularly plink at 200 yards without issue. It has problems, though. The ammunition is somewhat rare. you can buy it in quantity online, but you will likely never see it in a brick-and-mortar store. Sometimes what you can find online is also expensive. It lacks power compared to full-blown rifle rounds, as a compromise for lighter ammunition and less recoil. Unlike more common calibers[ there is very little ammunition available other than plain Full Metal Jacket and what you can find is unbelievably expensive. The surplus ammunition dried up long ago, so that is not very available anymore. occasionally some shows up on auction sites like Gunbroker, but it is more expensive than the commercial stuff. The design lacks any attachments rails or points. All you can put on it is a bayonet (which is also rare and expensive) and a sling with oiler. Rails are available to mount sights, most of which go into the rear sight dovetail. That requires removing the rear sight. There are forend handguards available that have a rail, but you can only mount long-eye-relief scout optics on it (like red dot sights and holographic sights with large lenses) There is no option for bipods and forward vertical grips at all.

The overall verdict is if you can afford to stockpile ammunition and don't mind the tradeoffs, the M1 Carbine is an excellent weapon for ZPOC. If you are planning on garnering most of our ammunition from looting and raiding, this is about the last firearm you would want. If you aren't going for medium or close range, stay away from it as well.