[SelfProclaimedExpert]

I've always understood that Williams didn't just build a neat little rifle in jail, he came up with a geniunely new bolt/gas system/something that allowed the rifle to be small and have a fixed barrel.

How bout it? What did he figure out first?

[Mike Irwin]

As I understand it he designed the short stroke gas action that would be used on the M1 Carbine.

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

Ah.

What's a short stroke piston?

At least, compared to the Garand long stroke piston. What's the principle?

[4v50 Gary]

The short stroke piston is just that. It's a piston that is enclosed within a housing and operates by impinging against the operating rod. The return of the rod to its position of rest returns the piston to its position of rest. The piston on the M-1 Carbine projects about 3/8" of an inch.

If you've seen the piston on the M-14, think of it as a M-1 Carbine piston on steroids. ;)

[Art Eatman]

First, the bleed hole is closer to the chamber, at a location of higher pressure. Second, the diameter of the piston is smaller, allowing the higher pressure to do equal work on the operating rod. It's the old Force = Pressure x Area thing. The last part of the deal is that the piston itself travels only a very short distance. It works against the operating rod for a very short time period, particularly compared to the Garand.

"Sorta": Comparatively, the Garand operating rod is given a long, slow push; the Carbine op rod is given a short, quick rap. I guess that's why the rate of fire of an M2 Carbine is around 750 rounds/minute.

Hope this helps...

Art

[BusMaster007]

:D
Here's a couple of answers for you:

http://www.mvipro.com/carbine.html

Now for the first time ever on video cassette the weapons genius “Carbine” Williams talks about his inventions.
David Marshall “Carbine” Williams was born November 13, 1900 and died January 8th, 1975. During the years from 1936 to 1958 he invented and patented 58 methods for weapons that are still used in modern firearms.

This video contains original 16mm footage of “Carbine” never before seen as well as vintage newsreel footage taken from actual interviews.

Own the video that even the Smithsonian DOES NOT have.

Here are just a few of the things you will see:

The invention of the short stroke principle which was used in the carbine rifle of World War II.
Demonstrations of five weapons.
“Carbine” fires his amazing wooden pistol made out of reed and reinforced fishing twine.
How the gas piston increased the firepower of our infantry.
You will see “Carbine's” actual workshop.
Tour his actual workshop as it stands today in the North Carolina Museum of History.
See the tools he used.
Listen to the two men who were there filming these events 33 years ago as they recall their experiences.
Hear an explanation of a little invention that moves less than 1/10 of an inch and reduces recoil.
See the invention that was heralded as one of the greatest revolutionary advances in gun design since Browning's development of his machine gun.
Hear how “Carbine” made it possible to use .22 caliber ammunition to train the troops in use of the machine gun without modifying the action or feel of the high caliber weapon.
An invention that saved the U.S. Army an estimated $50 million in training cost.
See one of the World's Six Best Rifles Ever Invented. It fires three different rounds of ammunition. Between 1941-1956 over 1 million of these were sold.
An “Impossible Shotgun”. The 1st shotgun in the history of firearms that was automatic without a recoiling barrel.
The only shotgun in the world combining non-recoiling barrel and independent chamber.
A shotgun where the action is so instantaneous and smooth your second shot is not disturbed.
See the 2000 rounds per minute .22 caliber machine gun. In 3 seconds this weapon fires 100 rounds.
The actual test firing of the 2000 rounds per minute machine gun at Fort Bragg, NC in 1965, just as the U.S. was entering the Vietnam War.
The only known recording of the test firing of the 2000 rounds per minutes .22 caliber machine gun.
An ultra slow motion study of the internal workings of a machine gun, something rarely ever seen by the public.
______________________________________


And, about the movie with Jimmy Stewart:
http://www.moviefolio.com/movies/Carbine_Williams_1952.cfm

[BigG]

Hear how “Carbine” made it possible to use .22 caliber ammunition to train the troops in use of the machine gun without modifying the action or feel of the high caliber weapon.

Maybe also the inventor of the floating chamber used in Colt 45/22 Ace pistols?

[ScottsGT]

All these wonderful inventions, and the man could not ligally own a gun due to his conviction! Wasn't he pardoned though? Which made him elegable to own firearms again?

[BusMaster007]

...aaahhhh! That's the 'hook' for you to buy the video!

[ether]

It's been awhile since I've had my M1 carbine apart, but I don't think the piston contacts the bolt carrier or anything else. At the end of the bolt carrier is a sort of gas trap. The piston injects gas into the trap, and the small explosion forces the carrier rearward. It's really more akin to the M16 than the M1 in that respect. It's very dirty, but it keeps all the dirt up front and away from the action/bolt.

[dickwholliday]

i grew up in the area of NC where he spent his last years. i knew a few people that had M1 carbines that he autographed the stocks with some sort of marking tool.

i remember a story some old timer told at the barber shop. He said he and Williams were supposed to go bird hunting one day and when he went to pick up Williams he was on his porch in a rocking chair and was so deep in thought about something (probably some gun design) that he could not get him to acknowledge that he was there.......No, he was not asleep or drunk or anything. He said it was not unusual for Williams to go into these almost trance like states when he was working on something.....

Hey Ether.....The gas piston on my carbine hits the inside of the slide and propells it rearward......DICK

[BigG]

Ether, as Dick said, the gas driven piston hits the slide a whack and the inertia carries thru to operate the rifle.

[Dave Markowitz]

It's been awhile since I've had my M1 carbine apart, but I don't think the piston contacts the bolt carrier or anything else. At the end of the bolt carrier is a sort of gas trap. The piston injects gas into the trap, and the small explosion forces the carrier rearward. It's really more akin to the M16 than the M1 in that respect. It's very dirty, but it keeps all the dirt up front and away from the action/bolt.

Umm, not for the M1 Carbine. The Mini-14 works much is this manner, however. On the Mini-14, the gas piston is hollow and fixed. The gas cylinder is just a hole bored into the end of the op rod; this hole fits over the piston. When fired, gas is bled from the bore, through the piston, hitting the end of the cylinder with enough force to drive it back and working the action.

In contrast, the M1 Carbine has a gas piston which is held in the cylinder by the gas piston nut. When fired, some gas is bled from the bore into the cylinder, which sharply drived the piston back.

At this point the end of the piston hits the inside of the slide (AKA op rod), driving it back. It gives the slide enough momentum so that when the piston reaches the end of its travel, the slide keeps on going, turning the bolt and retracting it, ejecting the empty case.