[Zedicus]

I know this may sound stupid, but what is the differance between Carbine and Non Carbine...?

Quite frankly I don't have a clue.....:banghead:

[Preacherman]

The term Carbine is basically outdated. It was in vogue before new types of vehicles came along. You now have:

1. SU-Vine: hump-backed magazine design with quadra-pod for rough terrain.

2. Truck-vine: Designed to fit across back windows, with Hell's Angels and NRA logos suitably inscribed.

3. Mini-Vanine: Bulky stock designed to carry a complete cleaning kit, including 32" rod, without compromise.

Hope this helps... :neener:

[DMK]

Preachman, huh? :confused:

Assuming the gentleman has a legitimate question... ;)

Think light(relative to big rifles like the M14 or Garand), handy, rifle that shoot perhaps a lighter recoiling round when compared to something like a .308 or 30.06.

It's a very broad term and can mean anything from a 16" barreled 9mm semi-auto to a 18" barreled .357 lever action, to a 20" barrelled 7.62x39 SKS, to even the 7.62x54R 20" barreled M38 Mosin-Nagant(which does not, I can assure you, shoot a low power cartridge). Some break the low and upper ends down to Pistol Caliber Carbine, Battle Carbine.

The thing all carbines all have in common is they are "handy", meaning they can be used in vehicles, horseback, in buildings, or generally anywhere a full size battle rifle will be clumsy. Barrel length, cartridge power and rifle weight can vary depending on intended use and preference.

Today, better designed ammo has made short barreled rifles popular. Therefore, the special term "carbine" has less meaning. Many of todays popular rifles are carbines (Ruger 10/22, semi-auto AK, probably most AR-15s for example), but most people don't think of them as such.

[Jeff Timm]

In every group dealing vaguely with firearms this question comes up.

I stick with the Cooper definition: "Carbine: A long arm designed to be carried a lot, and only shot a little."

Geoff
Who has only one rifle which meets that description. ;)

[DMK]

Carbine: A long arm designed to be carried a lot, and only shot a little. I'd say our guys carrying M-4s around in Iraq and Afganistan probably shot their's quite a bit.

[Art Eatman]

Ahright, guys. :)

The traditional meaning of carbine is a shorter-barrelled rifle. As an example, rifles with barrels less than around 20" were referred to as carbines, but in a day when "regular" rifles had barrels of 26" to 30" in length. Realize this is just a generalization, and comes from the days before semi-automatic rifles.

Another generality is that carbines were more useful to folks on horseback. Short, lightweight and handy were characteristics that were more important than the maximum muzzle velocity available from a "full length" barrel.

Hope this helps,

Art

[Sunray]

In the good old days of horse cavalry, the rifle issued, generally, was of the same calibre as the Infantry rifle but shorter to make it easier to use from a horse. The ammo was also loaded a bit lighter to reduce the felt recoil. For example, the Trap Door .45-70 rifle had 70 grains of BP under a 405 grain bullet. The carbine, used 55 grains of BP and was much shorter in length. Shooting 70 grains of BP in a .45-70 carbine hurts. Trust me. Yes, I did. Stifle!
When rifles like the No 1 MkIII Lee-Enfield(SMLE) and the 1903 Springfield came along the thinking was one rifle for every body so the rifle was made shorter. Money. There was still horse cavalry in 1903. When WW I started, Officers were told to send their swords to the armourers to be sharpened.
Jump to 1942. Your military decided it was easier, and rightly so, to train the troopies to use a rifle well than it was to train them to use a pistol well. Enter the M1 Carbine.
It was originally a select fire rifle, but the specs were changed to semi-auto only, to replace the 1911A1 pistol for troops who didn't need a rifle. Radio men, officers, artillery, cooks and bakers etc.
Now, the term 'carbine' has come to mean any short barreled, less than 22" barreled rifle.

[PaladinX13]

If only I could get used to saying Carbeeeeen instead of car-byne! :o

[Keith]

I think the term comes from the old French Carabineer - policeman - who carried a short carabine, instead of the long musket that a soldier carried. I'm not sure of the spellings on those words. And I think "Carabineer" implies a mounted policeman.

Keith