The M1 Carbine was designed to be a light weapon for support staff and rear echelon troops. The fact that it got pressed in to duty as a main line gun was a mistake on Uncle Sam's part.
The gun delivers more force than even the hottest factory .357 loads. People keep telling me how great their .357 mag is for stopping people. Yet they scoff at the M1 Carbine.
An M1 Carbine delivers the projectile with nearly 1,000ft/lbs of force. The .357 magnum is pushing 774ftlbs of force at it's extreme.
Is it the best choice in the world? I don't think so. However, it still put many men in their grave. I would love to use soft points or hollow points but I wouldn't discount it with ball ammo either.