Carbine A carbine ( or ) , from French " carabine " , is a longarm similar to — but shorter than — a rifle or musket . Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles , firing the same ammunition at a lower muzzle velocity due to a shorter barrel length . The smaller size and lighter weight of carbines makes them easier to handle . They are typically issued to high - mobility troops such as special - operations soldiers and paratroopers , as well as to mounted , supply , or other non - infantry personnel whose roles do not require full - sized rifles . History . Early history : before the 1900s . The carbine was originally a lighter , shortened weapon developed for the cavalry . Carbines were short enough to be loaded and fired from horseback but this was rarely done - a moving horse is a very unsteady platform , and once halted a soldier can load and fire more easily if dismounted , which also makes him a smaller target . The principal advantage of the carbine ' s length was portability . Troops could carry full length muskets comfortably enough on horseback if just riding from A to B ( the practice of the original dragoon s and other mounted infantry ) . Cavalry proper ( a ' Regiment of Horse ' ) had to ride with some agility and engage in sword - wielding melees with opposing cavalry so carrying anything long would be a dangerous encumberance . A carbine was typically no longer than a sheathed sabre , both arranged to hang with their tops clear of the rider ’ s elbows and bottoms clear of the horse ’ s legs . Some sources derive the name of the weapon from the name of its first users — bernarda troopers called " carabinier s " , from the French " carabine " , from the Old French " carabin " ( soldier armed with a musket ) , perhaps from " escarrabin " , gravedigger , which derives from " scarabee " , scarab beetle . Carbines were usually less accurate and less powerful than the longer muskets ( and later rifles ) of the infantry , due to a shorter sight plane and lower velocity of bullets fired from the shortened barrel . With the advent of fast - burning smokeless powder , the velocity disadvantages of the shorter barrels became less of an issue ( see internal ballistics ) . Eventually , the use of horse - mounted cavalry would decline , but carbines continued to be issued and used by many who preferred a lighter , more compact weapon even at the cost of reduced long - range accuracy and power . During the 19th century , carbines were often developed separately from the infantry rifles , and in many cases did not even use the same ammunition , which made for supply difficulties . A notable weapon developed towards the end of the American Civil War by the Union was the Spencer carbine . It had a spring - powered magazine in the stock which held seven rounds . In the late 19th century it became common for a number of nations to make bolt - action rifles in both full - length and carbine versions . One of the most popular and recognizable carbines was the Winchester lever - action carbine , with several versions using revolver cartridges . This made it an ideal choice for cowboy s and explorers , who could carry a revolver and a carbine , both using the same ammunition . Shorter rifles , shorter carbines : World War I and World War II . In the decades following World War I , the standard battle rifle used by armies around the world had been growing shorter , either by redesign or by the general issue of carbine versions instead of full - length rifles . For example , the Russian Model 1891 rifle with an 800 mm ( 31 . 5 inch ) barrel was shortened to 730 mm ( 28 . 75 in . ) in 1930 , and to 510 mm ( 20 in . ) in 1938 ; the German Mauser 98 rifles went from 740 mm ( 29 in . ) in 1898 to 600 mm ( 23 . 6 in . ) in 1935 as the " Karabiner Kurz " ( K98k or Kar98k ) , or " short carbine " . The barrel lengths in rifles used by the United States did not change between the bolt - action M1903 rifle of World War I and the World War II M1 Garand rifle , but the 610 mm ( 24 in . ) barrel on the M1903 was short for its day . The US M1 Carbine was more of a traditional carbine in that it was significantly shorter and lighter , with a 457 . 2 mm ( 18 in . barrel ) , than the M1 Garand rifle . The M1 Carbine was not a shorter version of the M1 Garand , as was typical for rifles vs . carbines in the 19th century , but a wholly different design firing a smaller , less - powerful cartridge . The United Kingdom also developed a " Jungle Carbine " version of their Lee - Enfield service rifle , featuring a shorter barrel , flash suppressor , and manufacturing modifications designed to decrease the rifle ' s weight . Officially titled " Rifle , No . 5 Mk I " , it was introduced in the closing months of World War II , but did not see widespread service until the Korean War , the Mau Mau uprising , and the Malayan Emergency . After World War II . A shorter weapon was more convenient when riding in a truck , armored personnel carrier , helicopter or aircraft , and also when engaged in close - range combat . Based on the combat experience of World War II , the criteria used for selecting infantry weapons began to change . Unlike previous wars , which were often fought mainly from fixed lines and trenches , World War II was a highly mobile war , often fought in cities , forests , or other areas where mobility and visibility were restricted . In addition , improvements in artillery made moving infantry in open areas even less practical than it had been . The majority of enemy contacts were at ranges of less than , and the enemy was exposed to fire for only short periods of time as they moved from cover to cover . Most rounds fired were not aimed at an enemy combatant , but instead fired in the enemy ' s direction to keep them from moving and firing back ( see suppressive fire ) . These situations did not require a heavy rifle , firing full - power rifle bullets with long - range accuracy . A less - powerful weapon would still produce casualties at the shorter ranges encountered in actual combat , and the reduced recoil would allow more shots to be fired in the short amount of time an enemy was visible . The lower - powered round would also weigh less , allowing a soldier to carry more ammunition . With no need of a long barrel to fire full - power ammunition , a shorter barrel could be used . A shorter barrel made the weapon weigh less and was easier to handle in tight spaces , and was easier to shoulder quickly to fire a shot at an unexpected target . Full - automatic fire was also considered a desirable feature , allowing the soldier to fire short bursts of three to five rounds , increasing the probability of a hit on a moving target . The Germans had experimented with selective - fire carbines firing rifle cartridges during the early years of World War II . These were determined to be less than ideal , as the recoil of full - power rifle cartridges caused the weapon to be uncontrollable in full - automatic fire . They then developed an intermediate - power cartridge round , which was accomplished by reducing the power and the length of the standard 7 . 92x57 Mauser rifle cartridge to create the 7 . 92x33 " Kurz " ( Short ) cartridge . A selective - fire weapon was developed to fire this shorter cartridge , eventually resulting in the Sturmgewehr 44 , later translated as " assault rifle " . After World War II , the USSR would adopt a similar weapon , the AK - 47 , which became the standard Soviet infantry weapon . The United States during World War II also had the M2 Carbine , a selective - fire version of the M1 Carbine firing a 7 . 62x33mm cartridge . However , the semi - automatic M1 carbine was produced in a 10 - to - 1 ratio to the M2 . Although the NATO countries did not adopt an intermediate - power round , they continued the trend toward shorter and lighter magazine - fed battle rifle s . NATO adopted the 7 . 62x51 NATO round ( which in reality is only slightly different ballistically to the . 308 Winchester and . 303 British cartridges ) , along with several rifles such as the FN FAL and M14 . By the 1960s NATO had adopted the 5 . 56 NATO cartridge . This round was even lighter and smaller than the Soviet AK - 47 cartridge , but possessed higher velocity . In U . S . service , the M16 assault rifle replaced the M14 as the standard infantry weapon , although the M14 continued to be used by designated marksmen . Lighter carbines came to be adopted as the standard infantry long rifle . What changed was that only a certain number of soldiers now needed to retain longer range weapons , serving as designated marksmen . Development of lighter assault rifles continued , matched by developments in even lighter carbines . At the same time the infantry switched to 5 . 56 mm weapons , carbines like the AKS - 74U ( which fired a Warsaw pact 5 . 45x39 round ) and CAR - 15 were being developed . Modern history . Contemporary military forces . By the 1990s , the US had adopted the M4 carbine , a derivative of the M16 family which fired the same 5 . 56 mm cartridge but was lighter and shorter ( in overall length and barrel length ) , resulting in marginally reduced range and power . Meanwhile , many armies are experiencing a backlash against carbines and lighter rifles in general , and are equipping selected soldiers , usually called Designated Marksmen , or DM , with higher power rifles . While firing a higher quantity of smaller bullets makes it easier to hit a target ( and is therefore good for beginner marksmen ) , it offers very little to more advanced marksmen . Furthermore , the additional range of the heavier weapons has proven to be necessary in open environments such as deserts . As a result , the focus on more highly trained soldiers equipped with , for example , 7 . 62 mm NATO firing rifles , such as the U . S . Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle variant of the M14 , has increased somewhat . A squad of soldiers armed with assault rifles would have a single soldier assigned as DM who would carry a battle rifle for selectively engaging long range targets . The DM differs from the sniper in that the DM moves with his unit , and engages targets at ranges beyond the 500 meter ( about 550 yd ) effective range of modern assault rifles , but less than the 600 meter ( about 650 yd ) range which is the optimal engagement range for snipers . Special forces . One bastion of the carbine which is unlikely to be unseated is the special forces of the world which need to perform fast , decisive operations . A pistol , though light and quick to operate , is viewed as not having enough power . Consequently , carbines have gained wide acceptance among SOCOM , UKSF and other communities . Usage . The smaller size and lighter weight of carbines makes them easier to handle in close - quarter situations such as urban engagements , when deploying from military vehicles , or in any situation where space is confined . The disadvantages of carbines relative to rifles include inferior long - range accuracy and a shorter effective range . Larger than a submachine gun , they are harder to maneuver in tight encounters where superior range and stopping power at distance are not great considerations . Firing the same ammunition as rifles gives carbines the advantage of standardization over those personal defense weapon s ( PDWs ) that require proprietary cartridges . The modern usage of the term carbine covers much the same scope as it always had , namely lighter weapons ( generally rifles ) with barrels less than 457 . 2 mm ( 18 inches ) . These weapons can be considered carbines , while rifles with barrels of 457 . 2 mm ( 18 inches ) or more are generally not considered carbines unless specifically named so , and depending on the weapon ' s power . Modern carbines use ammunition ranging from that used in light pistols up to powerful rifle cartridges , with the usual exception of high velocity magnum cartridges . In the more powerful cartridges , the short barrel of a carbine has significant disadvantages in velocity , and the high residual pressure when the bullet exits the barrel results in substantially greater muzzle blast . Flash suppressor s and muzzle brake s are common solutions to this problem , which may ease their acceptance . Pistol - caliber carbines ( PCC ) . One of the more unusual classes of carbine is the pistol caliber carbine . These first appeared soon after metallic cartridges became common . These were developed as " companions " to the popular revolver s of the day , firing the same cartridge but allowing more velocity and accuracy than the revolver . These were carried by cowboy s , lawmen , and others in the Old West . The classic combination would be a Winchester lever action carbine and a Colt revolver in . 44 - 40 or . 38 - 40 . During the 20th century , this trend continued with more modern and powerful revolver cartridges , in the form of Winchester and Marlin lever action carbines chambered in . 38 Special / . 357 Magnum and . 44 Special / . 44 Magnum . Modern equivalents also exist , such as the discontinued Ruger Police Carbine , which uses the same magazine as the Ruger pistol s of the same caliber , as well as the ( also discontinued ) Marlin Camp Carbine ( which , in . 45ACP , used M1911 magazines ) . The Beretta Cx4 Storm shares magazines with many Beretta pistols , and is designed to be complementary to the Beretta Px4 Storm pistol . The Hi - Point 995 carbine is a cheaper alternative to other pistol caliber carbines in the United States and shares magazines with the Hi - Point C - 9 pistol ( although many owners report that early Hi - Point C - 9 magazines are too short to function in the Model 995 Carbine ) . Another example is the Kel - Tec SUB - 2000 series chambered in either 9 mm Luger or . 40S & W which can be configured to accept Glock , Beretta , S & W or SIG pistol magazines . The recent introduction of such products may indicate that there is a growing demand for these companion carbines . The primary advantages of a pistol caliber carbine are increased accuracy due to the buttstock and longer barrel ( and with it , sight radius ) , relatively low muzzle blast / flash / recoil , higher muzzle velocity and energy of a longer barrel for increased wounding potential and penetration ( depending on the particular load used ) , and ( sometimes , but not always ) greater adaptability for easily accepting accessories such as optics , weaponlights , and lasers . Furthermore , PCCs may not be as legally restricted as comparable handguns , depending on the jurisdiction . One less - noted advantage of PCCs is their lower muzzle report compared to more powerful rifles ; because they are less noisy when fired , they are less likely to cause permanent hearing damage when fired indoor without hearing protection - this can be an important consideration during home defense . Compared to " regular " carbines / rifles ( such as those in . 223 and 7 . 62x39mm ) , pistol - caliber carbines may suffer from a shorter effective range , more pronounced trajectory , less power , and less effectiveness against body armor . Short barrelled rifles . Firearms with shoulder stocks and barrels less than 406 mm ( 16 in ) in length are classified as " short barreled rifle s " ( under the US National Firearms Act or NFA ) , and are sometimes restricted in the same way that short barrel shotguns and machine gun s are . Because of this , rifles with barrels of less than 406 mm ( 16 in ) , or pistols with shoulder stocks , are rare . A list of firearms not covered by the NFA due to their antique status may be found here or due to their " Curio and Relic " status may be found here ; these lists includes a number of carbines with barrels less than the minimum legal length and firearms that are " primarily collector ' s items and are not likely to be used as weapons and , therefore , are excluded from the provisions of the National Firearms Act . " Firearms classified as machine gun s are also not subject to the barrel length restriction . Pistol conversion carbine . Kits exist which will convert many pistols into carbines by the addition of a shoulder stock ; notable examples are the long barrelled Colt Buntline revolver stock , the Mauser C96 " Broomhandle " holster / stock , and various others for models such as the Browning Hi - Power , Luger , Colt M1911 , and the Heckler & Koch VP70 . Since these stock additions retain the short pistol barrel ( as short as ) they are highly restricted under the NFA unless the shoulder stocks are of original manufacture for the gun and the gun has been " delisted " as outlined in links 1 & 2 in the paragraph above , as is the case with so - equipped " Broomhandle " Mausers and Lugers . Many pistols which had attachments for the stocks , including rare wartime models , were altered to remove the attachment point . Other carbines . Another class of carbine is a semi - automatic version of a submachine gun , with an extended barrel , usually just over long , which will escape ban by some " assault weapon " legislation . While functionally identical to pistol - caliber carbines , these are banned in some places as " assault weapons " based on their cosmetic similarity to submachine guns . However , they may not accept certain parts ( such as magazines or collapsing stocks ) from the submachine guns they resemble . These are a popular compromise for ( American ) shooters who would like to own a submachine gun but cannot due to local restrictions or the prohibitive cost of buying a civilian legal submachine gun ( full automatics or semi - automatics with barrels shorter than are restricted under Title II of the National Firearms Act ) . Many owners may choose to shorten the barrels down to NFA - lengths , and register them as " short barrel rifles " SBRs . Examples of PCCs that are derivatives of submachine guns but are rifles under Title I ( Gun Control Act ) include the HK USC ( derived from the HK . 45ACP UMP submachine gun ) , the HK94 ( derived from the MP5 ) , pistol - caliber AR - 15s ( such as the Bushmaster Carbon 15 9 mm Carbine ) , semi - automatic only versions of the Thompson by Auto - Ordnance and the FN PS90 ( derived from the FN P90 SMG ) . Unlike the above - mentioned PCCs , these carbines utilize either magazines from their SMG derivatives , or proprietary magazines ( as in the case of the USC ) . In some historical cases the term " machine carbine " was the official title for sub - machine guns , such as the British Sten and Australian Owen gun s . The semi - automatic only version of the Sterling submachine gun was also officially called a " carbine " . While the original Sterling semi - auto would be classed a " short barrel rifle " under the U . S . National Firearms Act , fully legal long - barrel versions of the Sterling have been made for the U . S . collector market .