Originally Posted by
Larry Gibson
Have to disagree.
To quote Sir Brian Harrocks;
"I have always regarded the forward edge of the battlefield as the most exclusive club in the world."
As a member of that "most exclusive club" I learned the mission of an infantryman is to "close with and kill the enemy". No mention of "wound" the enemy in that statement. If you have won the battle, engagement, fire fight, etc. then your immediate concern is to consolidate your position, prepare for a counterattack and then care for the wounded. If you have enemy wounded then they take up personnel and resources to care for them and to guard them. In that "most exclusive" clubhouse you may not have that ability and to do so may mean you are not prepared for the counter attack. Never was I, nor did I ever train any soldier, either my own or those being trained told to shoot to wound. Sometimes some barracks BS artist would come up with the old garbage about how many of the enemy it takes to carry off their wounded. Anyone who is a member of that "most exclusive" club with tell you that is BS simply because if the enemy has the where with all to use 2 - 4 soldiers to carry off their wounded you have lost the battle and are probably dead. Any enemy combatant wounded but not dead is still capable of killing you or your comrades. Additionally in todays prolonged asymmetric warfare if you wound an enemy combatant you may very well meet them again in combat......not good and something I never cared to do nor did any of the Soldiers i served with.
In the big picture with REMF officers commanding from air conditioned vehicles or bunkers I suppose a wounded enemy may "count" for something. However, to those who belong to that "most exclusive club" wounding an enemy combatant means absolutely nothing. Yes, I know that may hurt someone's self esteem or gender preference but in combat I never cared, would care and still don't.
When I hunted something with the M1 Carbine, either 4 or 2 legged I intended to kill it. Actually the one I used to hunt 2 legged DG was an M2 carbine but I never "flipped" it to rock and roll when "hunting" as I've a pretty quick trigger finger......
The 30 carbine will kill deer efficiently within it's limitations.....just as any other cartridge will within it's limitation.