SHOT Show is still about four months away, but it looks like companies are already starting to ramp up their product announcements to build some pre-show momentum. After last week’s big tease, SilencerCo is fast out of the gate, announcing a slew of new products from their launch party in Florida. We weren’t there, but looking through the other blogs it seems that has given us the leg up on breaking the news first so I’m not complaining. While everyone else is still partying, let me fill you in on the details we have so far . . .
Maxim 9 Integrally Suppressed 9mm Handgun
It looks like SilencerCo has chopped up and hot-rodded a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol, adding a truly integral suppression device to the front of the gun. Details are scarce, and really the only thing we have to go on at this point are the picture (above) and the firearm name.
Silencer companies have been getting into the integral suppression market for years — AAC’s integral 10/22 and Liberty’s integral 300 BLK guns immediately come to mind — so while this isn’t a huge surprise, it’s certainly intriguing. We’ll have to see how it performs in real life though, since a semi-auto 9mm is extremely difficult to integrally suppress.
RADIUS Laser Rangefinder
SilencerCo Weapon Research (an internal division at SilencerCo) is releasing their RADIUS laser rangefinder. Capable of being attached to a standard Picatinny rail section, the device will provide a way for shooters to get accurate range information without whipping out a separate piece of gear or having to lose focus on their target. From the presser:
Introducing the Radius, a rail mounted rangefinder capable of ranging out to a mile on a reflective target and attaching to a Picatinny rail in any orientation. When we first decided to create our own rail mounted rangefinder, we wanted something that would allow us to range out to incredible distances reliably without having to come off of the gun and without breaking the bank – and that’s exactly what we’re delivering to you. Additional features of the Radius include a user configurable display, continuous ranging for 12 hours with (2) CR123 batteries, and resistance to even extreme elements.
SWR’s stated goal is to bring advanced technology to the public at an attainable price – and with the announcement of a capability-heavy range finder for only $999, we’ve done just that.
That sounds like a pretty cool product, but this is clearly a departure from SilencerCo’s core business. We’ll have to see where their head is as far as line extensions come SHOT Show.
Osprey Micro Rimfire Silencer
SilencerCo has been very successful with their modular shotgun silencer, and it looks like they are starting to dip their toes into “proper” cartridges with the same design. The Osprey Rimfire modular silencer is basically the exact same concept as the Salvo shotgun can they recently introduced, but scaled down for rimfire operation. From the presser:
The Osprey Micro is the most versatile, shortest, quietest, and easiest to clean rimfire silencer available. What makes this silencer truly unique is that it is user-configurable and can be shortened from the already compact size of 4.6” down to a mere 3.1”. Due to its eccentric design with a flat sight plane, the Osprey Micro is compatible with factory sights and can be holstered. SilencerCo also plans to release our own holsters made specifically for use with the Osprey Micro.
The Osprey Micro is available for purchase now at a price of $599 and will begin shipping in October of 2015.
I like the idea of modular silencers, but the question remains as to whether they actually offer better suppression or lighter weight than existing products. AAC introduced a couple products with this same concept last year, but don’t seem to be getting much traction in the market so SilencerCo going in the same direction seems a bit of a gamble. Again, we’re going to have to see this one in the flesh before passing judgement.
Chris Cheng shoots the Maxim 9:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfnnrmeliGA
There’s a failure to feed on the first shot, but the rest flow normally.
According to him the gun had fired several hundred rounds without issue prior to then. One round malfunction doesn’t make a bad gun. In fact it’s to be expected when breaking in a gun. Also bad ammo or limp wristing can cause issues.
I want one, or three!
And of course, I live in MA where only assassins need suppressors…
Try living in NY 🙁
Try living in Australia.
Be ready to possibly put in some work on that rimfire can! Might be time consuming / difficult to keep it clean enough to make everything connect & disconnect easily, to keep it truly modular. It could end up being great – or could prove to be a pain & therefore many owners might end up just forgoing the modularity feature in the long run.
I see a potential problem with someone having a ‘short’ build and the excess parts being considered suppressor parts and an arrest made.
It’s legit, google around.
“Already been done twice, at least. The Griffin Arms Revolution 9 and 45 are both very similar to your design. The Silencerco Salvo is also configurable and in all but one configuration, there are ‘spare’ baffles lying around. ATF approved.”
The price of range finders hasn’t been dropping as much as I had hoped. I was kinda hoping they would have been like DVD players and such.
California is the worst. I want silencer(s)!!
shut up and take my money! I want that M&P/SiCo morphodite.
I don’t see the need for an integrally suppressed handgun, it takes what is supposed to be a compact gun and turns it into a brick. It’s better to have a detachable suppressor because you can take it off and clean it easier or if it fails, you can detach it and just work with an suppressed gun.
Now, for rifle, I think integral suppressor are great. Keeps what is already a long gun from becoming longer.
I agree. I would rather see it in a .22 platform rather than centerfire. Keep cost down and I think more people would opt for a rimfire.
.22 intergral silenced handguns have been on the market for decades. Look up the AAC amphib. You do not run subsonic in it. Also these days with monocore baffles cleaning an intergrated silencer is very easy.
“I don’t see the need for an integrally suppressed handgun, it takes what is supposed to be a compact gun and turns it into a brick.”
I can absolutely see this for home defense.
A good light on it (and maybe a laser) in a fast-open safe would be just the trick for me…
Stole my idea.
Do integrally suppressed firearms require the same BATF stamp as a silencer?
Yes.
And if it’s an integrally suppressed rifle, the barrel better be at least 16″ long unless permanently attached to a suppressor tube that brings it up to at least 16″, or else you’re looking at paying two tax stamps, one for the suppressor, and another for the SBR.
OTOH, my solution (which included the 2 tax stamps) also allows me to use the silencer on other rifles, in my case a .300 blk suppressor works fine (surprisingly well, in fact) on my 5.56 AR. The same result with integral would have been 9″ barrel with 8″ suppressor permanently attached, one stamp; another suppressor for AR, another tax stamp. Once you figure it out (as if I ever will), you’re still going to have to pay your money and take your choice.
Wrong. If intergrated on a sbr rifle you only pay one tax stamp. You only pay two tax stamps if the silencer can be detached. look up De Lisle Carbine replicas. Only one tax stamp unless you get the models that allow you to detach the silencer.
Is this life imitating – ahem – art? It seems that the influence of sci-fi movies and FPS role-playing, sci-fi games are the inspiration for what in all purposes, is a functional(maybe) movie prop. Let’s see someone appendix carry that hunk of metal. Is that an integrally suppressed Blade Runner gun in your pocket, or…..? Pass.
However, if someone develops a working Predator, light-bending camouflage suit…..I’m all in.
“However, if someone develops a working Predator, light-bending camouflage suit…..I’m all in.”
Someone made a 3-dot laser sight a while back…
>However, if someone develops a working Predator, light-bending camouflage suit…..I’m all in.
Old news, the Japanese have been hard at work on Type 2509 Thermoptic Camouflage.
http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/an-invisibility-cloak-you-have-to-see-to-believe-video
I’ve wanted to ask Nick, is there any big pros for integral silencers other than suppressing noise in a tighter package (and cool factor)?
Is the package tighter? Can someone compare an integral with similar barrel length and suppression factor, with 2-piece, for weight, accuracy, etc? I think we have too many variables to compare effectively.
They’re a 200.00 solution, to a 400.00 problem. I have a GemTech Mist(10/22 integral barrel), Element 2(DT), and a Spectre II(DT), the difference is not noteworthy when it comes to sound.
That looks about like what I’d expect an integrally suppressed handgun to look like, putting the baffle stacks beneath the sighting plane.
My question: was Cheng shooting subsonics, or does the Maxim 9 port the barrel to reduce standard loads down to subsonic?
It can shoot all factory ammo and when the video was taken he says it had shoot several hundred rounds no problem. Nor did the barrel get hot.
A Maxim 9? Is that anything like a Glock 7? Because I heard this cop, John McClane telling another cop about it – “That punk pulled a Glock 7 on me, you know what that is? It’s a porcelain gun made in Germany. It doesn’t show up on your airport metal detectors and probably costs more than what you make in a month.”
I’m very happy about this new Maxim 9. It’s about time we had a modern semiauto purpose built for integral suppression. However, I’m looking at it as a proof of concept more than a practical weapon, even if it’s completely reliable when released. I love all the volume that the can has. Yet, they still made the weapon apparently just as long as a subcompact with a 4″ small suppressor (such as the Thompson Machine Poseidon (link), among others.) A 3.8oz, 4″ can on an M&P9C or Glock 26 might be more practical than the Maxim 9, which is disappointing. I’m sure the Maxim 9 will be quieter and it should have considerably less recoil if properly designed. It will also be heavier and probably just as long and difficult to carry holstered. As such, it will remain a niche pistol. I’m waiting for the second generation, a Maxim 9 Compact. 3″ barrel, make the overall length like a full-size pistol, or at most like a long-slide (like a Glock 17L). With the volume from an off-center (I forget the technical term) suppressor that goes as low as the bottom of the trigger guard like that, it should still on par with a conventional suppressed pistol in terms of performance. Handguards to prevent the shooter burning their hands (because suppressors quickly get very hot) while manipulating the pistol would probably be a key design consideration. A high-performance suppressed pistol the size of a conventional suppressed pistol would be a game-changer. I’d conceal carry it! I like the idea of adapting the squared-away M&P platform, but if it’s really a new gun designed from the from the ground up it should be based on the Boberg “Reverse Feed System” design to move the barrel an inch rearward, with the result of basically having an inch longer barrel size for the same length and concealability when you factor in a beavertail. The Boberg isn’t reliable, but I’m confident a pistol with such a feed system could be reliable. With such a feeding system, the 3″ barrel would end at about the front of the trigger guard, so an off-center integral suppressor need not result in an unusually long pistol. But hey, it’s just an inch. Even with an M&P, it could be done shorter than this. When we’re talking weapons and not range toys, any suppression is usually a tremendous improvement, it’s not about metering the lowest possible with integral suppression. If we have enough to take the edge off and prevent immediate serious long-term hearing damage or immediate tinnitus during a defensive gun use, that’s a tremendous advantage, and the potential is that with smart design that ability can be built into a standard-length handgun that can be used for all conventional defensive pistol roles.
But even if it’s still a “my impractically long integrally suppressed pistol is a few decibels quieter than your externally suppressed conventionally threaded pistol” situation, Silencerco should be commended for moving in the right direction. It sure isn’t a conventional 9mm ammo PSS (we won’t get a pistol that small with conventional ammo and current suppressor technology, but I’d love a captive-piston ammo pistol if it was available and feasibly USA-legal), and the Maxim 9 actually looks longer and more cumbersome than a decades-old Chinese Type 67 pistol (though 9mm ammo is more powerful than the Type 67 7.65×17 Type 64, around 100 ft-lbf from what I’ve read) but the Maxim 9 is still of the size that it could be a great option in some niche roles and perhaps as a primary weapon home defense pistol. It’s the first step toward the release of an integrally suppressed pistol that could see widespread use.
The modular-length .22 can could be pretty cool, people often prefer short cans on pistols and long ones on rifles. Buy one suppressor, get any length you want. As it’s a .22 can, I hope it’s easy to clean for use with cheap nonjacketed ammo.
Its the same length as a glock 34.
You got a specifications source on that claim? It looks several inches longer to me.