There isn’t much true innovation in the gun world. This isn’t the fault of gun makers; it’s just due to a slight stall in technology. Ultimately, until we discover something crazy, like caseless ammo, laser beams, or something similar, the tech will largely remain the same. Every so often, however, something finds a way to work within the ballistic box we currently have while being innovative. SilencerCo’s Maxim 9 is an example of real innovation.
I think the Maxim 9 could be the future of duty handguns. Maybe not the exact model, but the idea of an integrally suppressed handgun has a lot of merit. The Maxim 9 by itself could easily be one of the best choices for a duty pistol in 2021. Sadly the administrators in charge of military and police forces will likely shy away from a suppressed pistol. The idea of assassins wielding suppressors in film and media plagues their minds.
A cop with a suppressed handgun seems like a PR nightmare, but in reality, it’s a safety-based decision. Sadly, the safety of the end-user comes second to agency public relations. But without diving too deep into internal agency politics, let’s look at why the Maxim 9 would be an outstanding duty handgun.
The Maxim 9 Is an Integrally Suppressed Design
The big selling point of the pistol is its integral suppression. This greatly reduces the noise of a gunshot and protects the user’s hearing as well as the people potentially around the user. The Maxim 9 comes in short and long configurations, and the end-user can shorten or lengthen the suppressor portion of the gun. The long model is hearing safe with any 9mm load, and the short is hearing safe with 147-grain loads.
Additionally, outside of the safety aspect, it allows for the shooter to have situational awareness after pulling the trigger. They won’t be deafened by a gun blast thus unable to hear their radio or potential approaching threats.
The Maxim 9 is noticeably longer and a bit chunkier than most regular handguns. That’s the trade-off with an integrally suppressed design. However, as a duty handgun, there is no need to conceal the pistol. Weight wise the pistol isn’t overly heavy. It weighs a few ounces more than a 1911.
While it’s bigger than most pistols, it’s smaller than most pistols with suppressors attached. That’s where the big benefit lies. Instead of an unwieldy hogleg, the Maxim 9 presents an easy-to-holster option for police officers and military personnel.
Extremely Easy to Control
I love shooting the Maxim 9. It’s a 9mm pistol that feels like a 22LR. It barks quietly, and both recoil and muzzle rise are greatly reduced. Suppressors naturally act like big muzzle brakes. They catch the escaping gas with baffles, thus counteracting rearward recoil.
The minimal muzzle rise and increased control make it a better fighting weapon. People shove a variety of muzzle devices on their guns to do a tenth of what the Maxim 9 can do. With this gun, police officers and military personnel will be more accurate and faster in placing follow-up shots on target when necessary.
It’s already tough to shoot with pistols. Add in a stressful situation, and it’s even harder. Giving our servicemembers every advantage possible should be a priority.
Modern Accoutrements
A modern fighting handgun needs the ability to mount both a weapon-mounted light (WML) and a red dot sight. A weapon-mounted light guarantees that the shooter can obtain positive identification of a threat in low-light situations. For certain activities, a WML is a must. Climbing ladders, handling a K9, working doors, etc. A good light goes a long way, and the Maxim 9 can accommodate any full-sized pistol light out there.
Beyond that, the Maxim 9 has an optic slot to accommodate mini red dots sights from Trijicon, Holosun, Leupold, and others.
The interchangeable plate system makes it easy to mount whatever mini red dot you could ever want. These mount forward of the chamber thus giving the Maxim 9 a real big benefit when it comes to optic’s use.
The optic doesn’t move when the gun fires. This gives the shooter a fixed focus point and makes follow-up shots super simple and easy to accomplish accurately. Without a moving sight, the gun is easy to keep on target and make those follow-up shots a lot faster.
The Modern Fighting Pistol
The Maxim 9 should be considered and tested as an option with police and military forces. The integral suppressor certainly adds a boost of appreciable tech to a rather stale design. The integral suppressor makes this a very effective pistol, which is then topped with all the modern features a fighting pistol needs. Integrally suppressed weapons could be the very future of military and police tech, as long the politicians stay out of it.
