Inventor. Born in Cumberland County, North Carolina, he was nicknamed "Carbine" for being the designer of the short-stroke tappet gas piston system for the M1 Carbine rifle used by the US Military. While serving time at Caledonia State Prison in Halifax County, he was assigned to the prison's machine shop where he repaired the weapons for the guards. It was there, he began building lathes, plus other tools and then parts for guns. He invented the short-stroke piston and the floating chamber principles, and upon his release from prison in 1929, he went to Washington, DC to show his work to the War Department. In 1931, he got his first contract to modify the .30 caliber Brownings which resulted in the M1 Carbine rifle manufactured by Winchester. In 1952, actor Jimmy Stewart portrayed him in the Warner Bros. film "Carbine Williams". Williams' floating chamber was also used in the military .22 Browning machinegun, Colt .45 automatic pistol and versions of the automatic sporting rifles. He died at age 74 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Inventor. Born in Cumberland County, North Carolina, he was nicknamed "Carbine" for being the designer of the short-stroke tappet gas piston system for the M1 Carbine rifle used by the US Military. While serving time at Caledonia State Prison in Halifax County, he was assigned to the prison's machine shop where he repaired the weapons for the guards. It was there, he began building lathes, plus other tools and then parts for guns. He invented the short-stroke piston and the floating chamber principles, and upon his release from prison in 1929, he went to Washington, DC to show his work to the War Department. In 1931, he got his first contract to modify the .30 caliber Brownings which resulted in the M1 Carbine rifle manufactured by Winchester. In 1952, actor Jimmy Stewart portrayed him in the Warner Bros. film "Carbine Williams". Williams' floating chamber was also used in the military .22 Browning machinegun, Colt .45 automatic pistol and versions of the automatic sporting rifles. He died at age 74 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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