92Close Combat

Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)

M1 Carbine

Operation M1 & M1A1: semiautomatic; M2: selective fire (fully and semiautomatic)

Caliber .30 (7.62 mm)

Muzzle velocity 600 mps (1,970 fps) Capacity 15- and 30-round detachable

box magazines Weight 2.3 kg (5 lbs)

Overall length 90.4 cm (35.6 in.)

Effective range 75 m (83 yds)

The M1 carbine was developed in response to the Germans’ blitzkrieg tactics; the use of rapid mecha- nized divisions and airborne troops showed the Americans that fixed fortifications and static front lines were outmoded. Blitzkrieg tactics meant that rear echelon personnel could find themselves under attack with little or no warning, and a light rifle was needed to replace the standard issue pistol. However, the M1 carbine proved so versatile that over six million were produced by the end of the war. The M1 carbine was easier to master than a pistol, more effective at medium-to-long range than a submachine gun, and well suited as the small arm for mortar, machine gun, and bazooka teams. The M1A1 variant, with its folding stock, was specifically designed for paratroops.

Operation M1918A1: selective fire (fully and semiautomatic); M1918A2: fully automatic

Caliber .30 (7.62 mm)

Muzzle velocity 853.4 mps (2,800 fps) Capacity 20-round detachable box magazine Weight 8.33 kg (18.5 lbs)

Overall length 119.4 cm (47 in.) Rate of fire 550 rounds per minute Range 550 m (600 yds)

The initial M1918A1 version of the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) was first used in combat by American soldiers during World War I, and many saw service in World War II. The BAR received high praise for its reliability under adverse conditions. In 1940, the model M1918A2 was adopted. Unlike earlier models, it could only be fired in two auto- matic modes—slow (300 to 450 rpm) or fast (500 to 650 rpm)—but not in semiautomatic mode. Both versions were widely used in the second world war. The BAR was a popular weapon in all theaters because it was reliable and offered an excellent combination of rapid fire and penetrating power. The BAR’s only serious drawback was its lack

of a quick-change barrel to reduce the chances of overheating.

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Microsoft Close Combat manual Browning Automatic Rifle BAR M1 Carbine, Effective range 75 m 83 yds