NRA Gun of the Week: U.S. M1 Carbine

American Rifleman Staff

posted on February 2, 2019

Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Winchester won the M1 Carbine design contract in late October 1941, but it wasn't until 1942 that these arms, chambered for .30 Carbine, arrived on the battlefields of Europe. Total production of the U.S. M1 Carbine came to 6,079,648 units, which is more than the ever-popular M1 Garand during World War II. Several factors contribute to the high production numbers, and though Winchester can be credited for the design, it wasn't the sole contributor of M1 Carbines to the war effort. Others such as Rockola, IBM and General Motors pitched in. For this week's review we take a close look at a flat-bolt M1 Carbine built by the Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors. To learn more, check out this week's NRA Gun of the Week video hosted by Mark Keefe.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors
Action Type: short-stroke-gas-piston-operated, semi-automatic center-fire rifle
Chambering: .30 Carbine
Weight: 5 lbs., 1 oz.
Overall Length: 35.6”
Barrel Length: 18”
Production Dates: August, 1941 to mid-1945
Saginaw M1 Carbine Production: 517,212
Total M1 Carbine Production: 6,079,648

Additional Reading:
10 Things You Didn't Know About the M1 Carbine
General Motors Went to War
Winchester Goes to War
An M1 Carbine for Home Defense?
A Look Back at the M1 Carbine
The M1 Carbine in Vietnam
Redeployed: FN M1 Garands and Carbines
Inland Mfg.'s New-Production M1 Carbine

Latest

Review: Galco Revenger Holster & SB7 Gun Belt

For those who choose to carry a finely finished, K-frame revolver, Galco offers one of its finest concealed-carry setups in the form of its Revenger holster and SB7 gun belt.

Reviews, News

Rimfire Power: The Primary Arms CLx 1-6x24 mm Riflescope with ACSS 22LR G2 Reticle

Low-power variable optics have become popular options for today's AR-15s and other modern sporting rifles, and Primary Arms now offers an option tailored for rimfire versions of those same guns.

News, Optics

Gun of the Week: Walther Arms PDP F-Series Pro-X PMM

One of Walther Arms' recent introductions combines the features of several other PDP handguns, meaning the Walther PDP F-Series Pro-X PMM is packed with a number of different design elements.

Reviews, News

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 30, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Armed Citizen, News

President's Column | Your Input is Valued

I wish to thank all our members who have sent me e-mails these last 12 months. I’m doing my best to keep up with all your e-mails, but please be aware it seems I’m always 300 to 400 e-mails behind. I want to reiterate that I am reading them all as fast as I have time for.

News, President's Column

Building an X-Card Gun for Turkey Shoots

Unofficially known as a “turkey shoot,” X-Card competition challenges shotgunners to place shot pellets as closely as possible to the center of a target. And some makers have perfected a way to fine-tune shotguns for this purpose.

News, Guns