Garand Thumb Tests a Fulton Armory M1 Carbine as a Modern PDW

In a video from Garand Thumb, the host runs a Fulton Armory-built M1 Carbine through drills and a range test, arguing the old World War II gun still makes sense as a modern civilian defensive rifle. He notes this isn't a straight reproduction, saying the Fulton Armory version actually outperforms original M1 and M2 Carbines, with a threaded barrel for suppressors and the ability to mount modern optics.

Key points

• Caliber and ballistics: the .30 Carbine round is a low-pressure, straight-walled case pushing a 110-grain bullet around 1,800 to 1,900 feet per second, which the host says hits roughly twice as hard as .45 ACP.
• Accuracy and range: the Fulton Armory gun grouped about 1.2 to 1.3 MOA and handled a 350-yard shot, though the host calls it realistically a 200 to 300-yard carbine due to steep energy loss past that.
• Suppressor quirks: the barrel's odd thread pitch needs an adapter and jam nut, and the host notes a Dead Air can caused bad back pressure compared to the RD suppressor he used.
• Live drills: the host and two others ran Bill Drills and a hallway-to-80-yard transition drill, with sub-2-second times on the six-round test.
• Ban-state angle: he points out M1 Carbines often dodge restrictions that hit modern rifles, calling it a workaround worth knowing about.

Quick take

This is a hands-on, opinionated walkthrough rather than a dry spec sheet, and it makes a real case for the M1 Carbine as a lightweight, low-recoil option that's easy to suppress and still shoots straight by modern standards.

Watch the full video: Garand Thumb