This video explores the Turner Light Rifle Prototype, a unique firearm design submitted for the US Light Rifle trials that ultimately led to the adoption of the M1 Carbine. The rifle features a distinctive tubular metal stock and handguard in its first iteration, later replaced with traditional wooden furniture in the second model. A key point of contention was the ammunition used during trials, which utilized Hercules 2400 powder, differing from the IMR 4227 the inventor Russell Turner had developed with, leading to reliability issues. The rifle is characterized by its simple design, long stroke gas piston, side-locking tilting bolt, and M1 Garand-style safety. Despite potential, it did not get adopted due to these ammunition-related challenges. The video also mentions related firearms like the Thompson SMG in .30 Carbine and the Winchester M2 Rifle.
This video analyzes the Winchester M2 rifle prototype, a development stemming from the Winchester G30M's failure in Marine Corps trials. David Williams adapted the G30M by incorporating a Garand-style rotating bolt and reducing weight to 7.5 pounds. This M2 prototype, largely built from M1 Garand forgings, impressed Ordnance Department's Rene Studler. He then advised Winchester to scale it down to the .30 Carbine cartridge for light rifle testing. This scaled-down version proved successful, leading to the M1 Carbine, the most-manufactured semi-auto rifle of WWII. The video hints at the return of the .30-06 design in future episodes.
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