For this week’s discussion, I have chosen two rifle length 9mm carbines from different parts of the world. The first is the Windham Weaponry 9mm GMC Carbine made here in the USA and the second is the Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Model B Carbine made in Israel. While both are iconic in their own ways, they both utilize 9mm semi-automatic blowback operations to cycle while firing. Both also use detachable magazines, utilize a 16” barrel with 1 in 10 twists, and have pistol like grips on them. However, the similarities between the two stop there. The IWI Model B Carbine uses an open bolt concept that “improves cooling during periods of continuous fire” while the Windham GMC Carbine uses a closed bolt design. While both do use detachable magazines, the IWI Model B has the user insert the magazine in the pistol grip whereas the Windham GMC has the user insert the magazine in a separate magazine well.
The IWI Model B has a folding stock option while the Windham GMC has a collapsing 6 position stock option. While both do have 16” barrels, the IWI Model B only uses 4 Grooves to achieve its twist rate whereas the Windham GMC has 6 Grooves. The Windham GMC uses billet aluminum for its frame and the IWI Model B uses steel. Finally, the overall length of these firearms does change depending on the stock orientation you choose to run but the IWI Model B still runs 3”-6” shorter than the Windham GMC giving it somewhat of a tactical advantage when moving through small spaces during tactical operations. All in all, both of these choices are great options to have but the IWI Model B was only imported by Action Arms from 1983-1989 and can be harder to find with a price point that triples. If you’re looking for a cheaper option that is readily available than the Windham Weaponry GMC Carbine rifle is your obvious choice.
Resources
Firearms Search. https://firearmsguide.com/index.php?option=com_firearms&view=firearms&Itemid=106.
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