- T26 BR3
- 1903 Carbine BR1
- Krag Carbine BR1
- NO
The united states has been about speed and fire power, independent command and bold commanders. Given the ever-expanding nature of the US borders the US has favored Calvary. From the lows of Custer at Little Big Horn to highs of Theodor Roosevelt and the Rough Riders at kettle hill. From the Lever action Winchesters to the M4 Carbine America has loved short rifles.
- TT
- BP
- Event
- Premium
- Weaon
- Squad
For decades after the end of the Great War the United States attempted to develop a replacement for the 24-inch Krag-Jorgensen calvary carbine the last ‘true us carbine’ for some time. The first was an attempt to turn the 1093 Springfield into a 20-inch calvary carbine failed as well as the second. The calvary carbine program outlived the death of horse calvary and the 1903. Between WW1 and WW2 the US and most other armies traded their calvary horses for internal combustion engines on cars, trucks and tanks.
Between wars it was clear weapons like the maxim a fully automatic machine gun had largely made bolt actions like the 1903 obsolete. Adoption by the US of the BAR, Thompson SMG and 1911 proved this. The switch from the 1903 Bolt action Springfield to the semi-auto Garand begun in the 20’s did little however to change the goals of the army of replacing the krag carbine.
A program to replace the carbine began in earnest with small scale testing within elements of 503rd paratroopers who found shorter Garand unsatisfactory but promising. This would prove later fruitless as it was never adopted by the United States. This shorter rifle described is not the tanker Garand this is the T26 Jungle or Paratrooper Carbine. The prototype would have become the first carbine based on a rifle since the use of the Krag-Jorgensen carbine in the Spanish American war and First World War. This rifle was renamed the tank Garand after a commercial version was released post war.
The T26 semi auto rifle was developed for closer quarter jungle warfare and the needs of paratrooper. The T26 lost a lot of hot air with the development of the M1 carbine and M1E5 folding stock carbine a development itself of the T26. The M1 though not intended as a carbine for front line troops but instead for support trooper.
The M1’s Intermediate round made it incapable of sharing ammo with the M1 Garand it fulfilled other requirements. its short length made it excellent in the tight confines of a plane, truck, tank or even thick foliage of a jungle. The light bullet meant that soldiers could carry more ammo and were provided with 15 instead of 8 rounds in their magazine nearly twice as many.
In parallel development with the Garand and M1 was the M1E5 identical to the T26 save only with a folding stock making it ideal for Paratroopers, The M135 used the same 30.06 ammunition and when folded was even shorter than the T26. It had the same failings of the T26 and its shorter barrel as it was harder to control. This was less of an issue for Paratroopers then jungle fighters. Jungle fighters who no doubt approved of the increase control of the less powerful shorter 30 caliber carbine round.
A further 150 were sent to the 6th Infantry Division in the Philippines for testing with orders for 15,000 more. By the end of the war no further examples were made and Military production ended. Men like Robert E. Penney, Jr. and Companies like Golden State took surplus full M1 Grands and parts. Using the T26 as a template they invented the Tanker Garand as marketing to sell to returning GI’S to be used as target and hunting rifles
Why should it be added to enlisted the same reason why the No5 MK1 should be added it has a place in history. Like all carbines it works better in tight areas for aim down site like buildings and ither built up urban areas. To many times to count i have bumped into a wall with my full sized rifle. It add flavor to the game and helps me larp as a jungle fighter in the pacific and Asia vs a gi fighting across Africa or Europe.
