David Marshall Williams
| David Marshall Williams | |
|---|---|
| David Marshall Williams | |
| Born | November 13, 1900 | 
| Died | January 8, 1975 (aged 74) Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. | 
| Other names | "Carbine" Williams | 
| Occupation(s) | Gunsmith, Author | 
| Known for | Murder of Deputy Sheriff Al Pate, Inventor of the floating chamber & short-stroke gas piston | 
David Marshall Williams (November 13, 1900 – January 8, 1975) was an American firearms designer and convicted murderer who invented the floating chamber and the short-stroke gas piston. Both designs used the high-pressure gas generated in or near the breech of the firearm to operate the action of semi-automatic firearms like the M1 Carbine.