M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3)

Sniper Carbine Rifle

United States | 1944

"About 3,000 M3 Sniper Carbines were produced for American troopers towards the end of World War 2 - these weapons seeing service in Korea and Vietnam thereafter."

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/13/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

At its core, the M3 Carbine was nothing more than the M2 Carbine form (detailed elsewhere on this site) with its upper section of the receiver modified to accept an InfraRed (IR) sight mounting to allow for engagement, at range, in low-light-level/night time conditions. It lacked the open iron sights of the earlier M1 and M2 marks as a result but all other functions of the gun were faithful to the originals. Various IR sights were developed during the course of the M3's operational existence and these scopes designated simply as the "M1", "M2", and "M3".

Again the engineers of the Inland Division of General Motors were charged with getting more out of the M1/M2 Carbine family so design work began in 1940 leading to limited production beginning in late-1944, early-1945. This, in turn, led to the developmental designation of "T3" being assigned to the new carbine. The earliest scope in play became the M1 "sniperscope" which was known developmentally as the "T120". Effective range of the modified M2/T3 was now out to 200 to 300 yards in low-level-light conditions, aided primarily by the installed scope.

Between 2,100 and 3,000 M3 Carbines were produced by Inland but the gun series never existed, at least officially, beyond their few-thousand-strong semi-prototype forms. The series did see limited circulation towards the end of World War 2 (1939-1945), and were actively fielded at the Battle of Okinawa, but wider-spread service was had during the Korean War (1950-1953). It saw some service in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) as well with special forces elements but, in time, was surpassed by more potent sniper solutions of the Cold War period.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

900 ft
274.3 m | 300.0 yds
Max.Eff.Range

750
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

2,000 ft/sec
610 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity

Physical
The physical qualities of the M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3). Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

905 mm
35.63 in
O/A Length

460 mm
18.11 in
Barrel Length

5.62 lb
2.55 kg
Weight

Selective-Fire (Semi-/Full-Automatic); Gas-Operated, Short-Stroke Piston
Action

30 M1 Carbine
Caliber(s)

15- or 30-round detachable box magazine.
Feed

Telescopic Scope with IR system fitted.
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3) Sniper Carbine Rifle family line.

M3 Carbine (Sniper) - Base Series Name.

US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3 - Formal designation, about 3,000 units produced.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Inland Division of General Motors - USA

[ United States ]

1 / 2

Image of the M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3)

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

2 / 2

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

❮ ❯

Going Further...
The M3 Carbine (US Carbine, Caliber 30, M3) Sniper Carbine Rifle appears in the following collections:

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)