Auto Ordnance currently makes semi-auto Thompson submachine gun replicas, as well as M1 Carbines and 1911s. Aside from weapons, they also make magazines. The magazine we’re looking at for this article is the one for the M1 Carbine. Specifically, the 15-round version. This magazine is OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), which means it’s not a foreign-made piece of garbage, but rather made in the USA.
The M1 Carbine
A quick history of the M1 carbine is definitely in order here.
As WWII was ramping up, the Army wanted to arm support personnel with something more than the 1911 pistol—something that would reach out farther and hit with a little more authority. The M1 Garand and Thompson submachine gun were too heavy for the given purpose, so a lighter arm was being sought.
Requirements were set, and the new weapon had to be effective to at least 300 yards and weigh about half as much as the Garand. Development led them to the M1 Carbine, which weighed around 5.5 pounds, with an overall length of 35.75 inches and a barrel length of 18 inches. It was less than a rifle, but more than a pistol.
The new carbine was used to arm officers, paratroopers, armored crew members, mortar men, machine gunners, communications personnel, truck drivers, radio men, and artillery crews, as well as cooks and other support personnel. It was generally well-liked by the troops who used it.
The Round
The .30 Carbine round fired a 110-grain .30 caliber bullet at 1990 feet per second. The muzzle energy was 967 ft-lbs from the M1 Carbine’s 18-inch barrel. These ballistics are roughly in the same neighborhood as the legendary .357 Magnum round.
The Magazine
Auto Ordnance’s magazines are made from heat-treated steel and finished in a corrosion-resistant blueing that is pleasing to the eye as well as durable. They have a matte finish and are not shiny at all.
The internal spring is constructed of heavy-duty music wire, so it should give years (decades) of trouble-free performance. The magazine follower is made from steel and slides with very little friction. It is also of the low-tilt persuasion, so rounds will not bind up while they’re feeding.
The magazine is machined to tight tolerances. Initially, the fit into the test gun was very tight. A word about the test gun: it is marked Inland Division, General Motors, and is stamped February, 1944 on the barrel.
After a few times of inserting the magazine into the carbine and then ejecting it, it began to loosen up a bit and the process became easier. It now inserts and ejects as smoothly as any other magazine. When it’s inserted in place, there is no wobble or bobble; the magazine sits firmly in the magazine well, as it should be.
I’ll note here that this magazine has a reassuring robustness to its construction, and is very well made. The finish is nice and it operates smoothly. As a matter of fact, this is the smoothest-feeding M1 Carbine magazine that I’ve used to date. I’d classify this as the Cadillac of M1 Carbine magazines.
In the Field
A quick trip to the range will remind anyone of why the M1 Carbine is such a wonderful little firearm to shoot. You can hear that rotary bolt clanking as it ejects spent cases and chambers fresh rounds. Recoil is but a mild nudge against the shoulder. Muzzle blast and noise are surprisingly substantial for such a cute, little carbine.
Feeding was, as expected, reliable. The magazine performs as advertised.
Aside from the endearing firing characteristics of the carbine, there’s just something satisfying about taking a rifle that has been used in World War II to the range and giving it some exercise. These are the guns that actively fought for freedom, and we are so blessed to be able to still use them to this day!
As I’d mentioned, this rifle is from the Inland Division of General Motors. M1 Carbines were made by a host of manufacturers back in the World War II days, including the Rock-Ola Jukebox Company, International Business Machines (IBM), and the Underwood Typewriter Company, to name a few.
Soldiering On
After World War II, the M1 Carbine soldiered on through the Korean War. In fact, my former neighbor, who was a mortar man in Korea, used an M1 Carbine. I had asked him, years ago, what he thought of the carbine during the war, and he related that he was well pleased with it in every aspect.
After Korea, the carbine also served in Vietnam, largely with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops. Many Vietnamese were of small stature, so the little carbine fit them well, physically. It was also reliable in the jungle environment.
A host of other countries used the M1 Carbine in too many conflicts to mention. Suffice it to say, somewhere on the battlefield today, there are still examples serving in some war or another.
Aside from that, many Americans are still in love with the little gun. We just can’t help but love it. Light recoil, nostalgia and history, handiness, and other factors have endeared it to our hearts. Decades ago, these light carbines sold for incredibly cheap prices. These days, however, it’s unheard of to find one for sale for under $1,000 (and that’s on the cheap end).
The DCM program did a lot to foster America’s love of the little carbine too. Some folks used them in competition.
Modern ammunition manufacturers are still making modern rounds for the M1 Carbine for those who like to use it for defense or hunting. Prvi Partizan, Underwood, Buffalo Bore, Remington, and Cor Bon are a few ammo manufacturers who are still cranking out rounds for this firearm. These rounds bring the M1 into modern times with cutting-edge bullet construction that makes the most out of the round’s ballistics.
The Final Verdict
So how does Auto Ordnance’s M1 Carbine magazine perform? Superbly! It looks good, is durable, and feeds slicker than owl poop on a linoleum floor! The follower glides along inside the body of the magazine just as it was intended to. There is no binding or tilting of the rounds inside.
Yes, there are magazines available for a little less cost. But the old adage, “Buy once, cry once” applies here. Just spend the money on quality mags and never look back. You’ll thank me in the long run. At the time of writing, these magazines sell at GunMag Warehouse for $32.99 each. That’s actually less expensive than anywhere else that I’ve seen. They also have 30-round versions available too.
And for that, you’re getting an M1 Carbine magazine that you know is quality and that you can count on. This is one case where peace of mind is well worth it.
