The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - M1 carbine vs AR for defense rifle (Yes I'm serious)

George Hill · February 20, 2001, 11:27 AM

I would never let a gunrag tell me what to carry or choose.
It was the gunrags that said the Vector CP-1 was a good pistol. It was the gunrags that have promoted many just plain horrible pistols and tried to sell them as great.
Come on... With the exception of GUN TEST, have you ever read a write up on a pistol where the editor ripped on the gun? Where he or she tore it apart?
Nope. Because the gunrags and the editors get paid by the makers to verbally polish the item and sweeten the deal.
The CP-1? Please, it was horrid! Did the writer say it was bad? No. Did he mention the fact that it jammed up on him so bad he had to send it back to the factory? Yes - he did mention that... but was it the gun's fault? No? Was it a poor execution of a poor design? Not in that article!

To me - the AR-15 is JUST LIKE the Vector CP-1. I'ld take an M1 Carbine and be very pleased with it.
Clint Smith is a smart guy - he has some money to his name as well. I bet you his ARs are far from stock. I bet you there is a great deal of custom smithing inside. I know its possible to make the AR function - I used one. But it took not a gunsmith - but an freaking ARTISAN gunsmith to detail polish and hone every internal friction bearing surface... It took a great deal of adjusting and tuning the gas ports, extractors and everything else... all because the unit's armorer was determined that his weapons would NEVER fail the men that trusted him to make them work. He would stay up all night detail stripping every weapon that was going out. He went the extra mile. That my friends is RARE. If you have a smith like that - then sure - you can have a good AR.

Now, the M1 deserves a better look. I know you guys love to disagree with me on principle - but dont take my word for it:
http://www.wwa.com/~dvelleux/m1carb.html
http://home.att.net/~ra-carbines/history.html
http://www.fulton-armory.com/M1CarbReview.htm
http://www.prairienet.org/guns/arms/m1.htm
http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/m1carbin.htm

You want to know about the M1 - those are the places to go look.

February 20, 2001, 11:27 AM	#8
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: North Carolina Posts: 11,546	I would never let a gunrag tell me what to carry or choose. It was the gunrags that said the Vector CP-1 was a good pistol. It was the gunrags that have promoted many just plain horrible pistols and tried to sell them as great. Come on... With the exception of GUN TEST, have you ever read a write up on a pistol where the editor ripped on the gun? Where he or she tore it apart? Nope. Because the gunrags and the editors get paid by the makers to verbally polish the item and sweeten the deal. The CP-1? Please, it was horrid! Did the writer say it was bad? No. Did he mention the fact that it jammed up on him so bad he had to send it back to the factory? Yes - he did mention that... but was it the gun's fault? No? Was it a poor execution of a poor design? Not in that article! To me - the AR-15 is JUST LIKE the Vector CP-1. I'ld take an M1 Carbine and be very pleased with it. Clint Smith is a smart guy - he has some money to his name as well. I bet you his ARs are far from stock. I bet you there is a great deal of custom smithing inside. I know its possible to make the AR function - I used one. But it took not a gunsmith - but an freaking ARTISAN gunsmith to detail polish and hone every internal friction bearing surface... It took a great deal of adjusting and tuning the gas ports, extractors and everything else... all because the unit's armorer was determined that his weapons would NEVER fail the men that trusted him to make them work. He would stay up all night detail stripping every weapon that was going out. He went the extra mile. That my friends is RARE. If you have a smith like that - then sure - you can have a good AR. Now, the M1 deserves a better look. I know you guys love to disagree with me on principle - but dont take my word for it: http://www.wwa.com/~dvelleux/m1carb.html http://home.att.net/~ra-carbines/history.html http://www.fulton-armory.com/M1CarbReview.htm http://www.prairienet.org/guns/arms/m1.htm http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/m1carbin.htm You want to know about the M1 - those are the places to go look. __________________ MAD OGRE