Carbines

T

TEC

Inactive
What actually classifies a carbine? Any history here?

Also, Is it pronounced "CAR-BEAN" or "CAR-BYNE"?

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Bling Bling
 
Basically, the carbine is a short barreled rifle. I've seen a number of different descriptions that try to say what defines a carbine, but I know of no "official" one. My M1 Carbine has an 18.5" barrel, and even the military thought it was a carbine... :)

FWIW, Websters thinks:

car•bine \"kar-'ben, -'bin\ noun [F carabine, fr. MF carabin carabineer] (1605)

1: a short-barreled lightweight firearm orig. used by cavalry

2: a light short-barreled repeating rifle that is used as a supplementary military arm or for hunting in dense brush
 
btt

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"Get rid of that nickel plated sissy pistol and get yourself a Glock" -Tommy Lee Jones
 
One of the slick gun mags had a dissertaion on it some time ago. The gun writer was "offended" that people were using the terms "short rifle" and "carbine" interchangably. Seems there is a distinction having to do with barrel bands and some other stuff.

As for me, it just means a short barrel, but I guess there's a proper form to these things.

Scott
 
>>>One of the slick gun mags had a dissertaion on it some time ago. The gun writer was "offended" that people were using the terms "short rifle" and "carbine" interchangably. Seems there is a distinction having to do with barrel bands and some other stuff.<<<

I have found that view primarily with Winchester (and others like Marlin) levergun collectors as it helps fully and accurately describe a given firearm. Barrel bands=carbine. No bands=short rifle. Winchester simply made too many variants and custom order firearms to use a generic descriptor.

Common vernacular goes with short barrel is a carbine, however for Winchester lever guns, it makes a critical difference.
 
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