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Chiappa’s M1 .22 LR Carbine
Posted by Junior Shooters
By: Andy Fink and Ryker Bell (8)
I have always had a nostalgic feeling for the M1 Carbine (United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1). A standard firearm for the U.S. Military during World War II, the Korean War, and well into the Vietnam War, its appeal to the civilian market for collectors is huge. The M1 Carbine is a semi-automatic firearm while the M2/M3 are selective fire. However, it is the M1 Carbine that is readily available and a lot of fun to shoot. New replicas from Inland Manufacturing are usually priced a little lower than originals. We tested one last year and were very impressed with it.
Above, right: Ryker popping down plates from the plate rack using Chiappa’s M1 .22 LR Carbine. A Romeo red dot from Sig Sauer was used to replace the original GI style rear sight.
The .30 carbine caliber is close in muzzle velocity to the .357 Magnum’s velocity when both are fired from a long-gun (carbine for .30 caliber carbine and 18” barreled rifle for the .357 Magnum):
Standard Factory Bullet Weight M.V. 100 yds 200 yds
.357 Magnum 158 Gr 1830 1427 1138 fps
.30 Carbine 110 Gr 1990 1567 1236 fps
The .30 caliber carbine has a noticeably flatter trajectory, but the .357 Magnum has a slight advantage in energy (foot pounds of force.)
Hornady offers the .30 carbine critical defense load that produces the following out of a 20” barrel (typical carbine barrels are 18”):
Velocity Energy Trajectory
Muzzle 2000 977 -0.9
100 yards 1601 626 0
200 yards 1279 399 -12.9
300 yards 1067 278 -47.2
A Hornady .357 Magnum 125-gr FTX bullet fired out of a handgun with an 8-inch barrel has a muzzle velocity of 1500 fps and energy of 624 foot pounds.
I have three M1 carbines, two originals and a replica from Inland. Enjoy them all. They are lightweight, easy to handle, very low recoil, and I can hit a clay at 100 yards almost every time.
So, what happened when I found out that Chiappa has a M1 .22 LR Carbine? “WOW! I have to get one!”
The old, original M1 .30 Caliber carbine, and the new, Chiappa’s .22 LR carbine.
We got one in for review and I was very pleased. It shot extremely well without any malfunctions and it comes with a 10-round magazine. I decided to replace the rear sight with a red dot. I had a Leupold Delta V Pro mounted on one of my M1 carbines that I was really happy with. This time, I used a Sig Sauer Romeo3 red dot which worked out very well. After shooting it a few times, I decided to have our youngest junior try it out. Here is what he said.
Ryker:
“The M1 .22 looks like a military gun. It was lightweight and easy to line up the red dot with my targets. I was a little scared at first, but it was easy to shoot and made me feel fine after I shot it. With no kick in my hands, it was fun. I liked shooting it and would love to shoot it again.”
Ryker had an abosulte blast shooting the Chiappa M1 Carbine.
In conclusion, Chiappa’s M1 .22LR Carbine is well built, operates like the original, is fun to shoot, lightweight, has no recoil, and is a great buy. They now offer one in 9mm. “WOW! I have to get one!”
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