Quote:
Originally Posted by jester
Yep what Leg and Targ said, the transfer of energy is a key factor.
|
The term I've heard used with the M-1 carbine is "over penetration". It's round was basically a magnum pistol round, based on an old .32-cal pistol cartridge.
The M-1 carbine, unlike the M16, was never really intended to be the primary weapon of an infantryman. It was intended for use by support troops (clerks, truck drivers, etc.) and the men of crew-served weapons (like mortars and howitzers) and in those roles it was perfectly adequate (more useful than an M-1911A1 and a lot easier to carry than an M-1 Garand). The onlt combat troops who routinely carried it were paratroopers (especially the M-aA1, with the folding stock) and perhaps engineers (who had a lot of heavy specialist gear to carry).
At one point, revolver firing the same round was designed, for issue to paratroopers to reduce the different number of ammo types. However, while the round produced very little kick in a carbine, it had jaring recoil in a handgun and the project was dropped.