M1E5: Folding Stock Garand Carbine
While the M1 Carbine was an excellent weapon, it was never intended for use as a frontline rifle, instead the US Army had envisaged it as a personal defence weapon. However, the light, handy carbine had been well received by troops despite lacking the firepower of the M1 Garand. By 1943, there were increasing calls from troops in all theatres for a handier carbine version of the M1 Garand.
In January 1944, the Infantry Board had tested a shortened and lightened version of the M1 Garand developed by the 93rd Infantry Division. Following the Board’s conclusions that shortening the rifle had not impaired its accuracy Colonel Rene Studler, the Chief of Ordnance, directed Springfield Armory to develop a suitable carbine for service issue. John C. Garand, the M1′s designer, began work on a folding stock. Within a couple of months a prototype was ready for testing.
The M1E5 had a barrel shortened to 18 inches, from the standard 24 inches, and an ingenious folding pantograph-style stock which attached via a rear metal cap. The weapon’s overall length with the stock extended was 37.5 inches (95.2cm) and the carbine weighed 8.4lbs (3.8kg). This was still longer and heavier than the 5.8lbs (2.4kg) and 36 inches (90cm) of the M1 Carbine but lighter and more compact than the Garand at 9.6lbs (4.4kg) and 43.5 inches (110cm).
Initially the M1E5 did not have a pistol grip and instead had a conventional straight grip stock profile. During testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds an addition of a grip was recommended.
The initial incarnation of the M1E5, minus pistol grip (source)
Following recommendations made during testing, the original M1E5 carbine was retrofitted with a new pistol grip to improve the carbine’s ergonomics. Both the stock and pistol grip folded forward. This feature was also covered in Garand’s later patent (see image #1). Interestingly the stock also had a provision for a rifle grenade sight which could be attached to the ‘fixed sight base’ (see ‘30′ in image #1).
While the shortened barrel did not impact accuracy when tested out to 300 yards, the weapon’s recoil, muzzle blast and flash were greatly increased. It became clear that an additional muzzle break would be needed to mitigate these problems. Improvements to the stock were also needed to improve ergonomics and strength - especially when firing rifle grenades. However, Springfield Armory suspended development shortly after the testing at Aberdeen. Springfield redirected staff to focus on the select-fire T20 rifle then in development.
While development of the M1E5 ended in late 1944, and despite renewed requests for a Garand carbine in 1945 the war ended before Springfield could revisit the project. Garand filed a patent protecting the stock design in June 1946, which was granted in February 1949. Springfield Armory only built one M1E5 prototype, today it remains in the Armory’s collection.
‘Collapsible Stock for Firearms’, J.C. Garand, US Patent #2462091, 22/03/49, (source)
U.S. Carbine.M1E5 .30 SN# 1, Springfield Armory Database, (source)
‘Improving The Deadliest Rifle In The World: The M1E Series (Light Rifle, Part III)’, TFB.com, N. Fitch, (source)
Know Your M1 Garand Rifles, E.J. Hoffschmidt, (1975)
(Image #4 scan)
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