Thoughts on SilencerCo’s SWR and Maxim 9 Announcements
September 19, 2015Many readers have probably already seen SilencerCo’s huge product announcements this week. Indeed, outside of SHOT Show, this has probably been one of the most interesting weeks of firearm announcements in recent memory. Having had some time to digest the information, I can share a few thoughts on the upcoming products.
Osprey Micro
Of the products announced by SilencerCo, the Osprey Micro is the most peculiar. It shares a name with SilencerCo’s popular centerfire pistol suppressors, but it is built more like the Salvo shotgun suppressor. The Osprey Micro is adjustable in length (between 4.6” and 3.1”) and does not interfere at all with rimfire pistol sights. As intriguing as the Micro may be, I’m not exactly sure what SilencerCo is trying to accomplish with it. Few existing rimfire suppressors interfere with pistol sights. From what I gather, they seem pretty stoked that pistols with the suppressor can be used with Raven Concealment holsters that are soon to be released. On a centerfire silencer, this feature might be cooler than it is on a rimfire can, but I suppose we will see. Another point worth mentioning is that the Osprey Micro bumps from an approximate SPL of 112 dB to 127 dB when configured in the short format. 112 dB is excellent, 127 dB isn’t. Regardless, I am working with Silencer Shop to check one of these out.
Hybrid
The Hybrid is actually a very interesting concept. According to SilencerCo and the NFA Review Channel, the Hybrid will weigh in at 13.7 ounces and will be 7.6” in length with a diameter of 1.5”. It is intended to be a do-it-all silencer that can use direct thread, piston, and QD mounts. Apparently, the baffles are bored to at least .45 caliber as the Hybrid supports .45 ACP and .45-70. It even can be used with .338 Lapua! The main issues I see with the Hybrid are its large diameter that is not ideal for pistols and its bore size. The diameter of the suppressor pretty well guarantees that it will obstruct even most suppressor sights on pistols while the large bore will severely limit performance with smaller calibers, like .223 (even if SilencerCo plans to release swappable end caps.
SWR Radius
The Radius is slated to be SilencerCo Weapons Research’s (SWR) first product. The new SWR has been created by SilencerCo to bring affordable advanced optics and accessories to the civilian market. With the Radius, SWR plans to offer a sub-$1,000 infrared rangefinder that can be mounted on Picatinny rails and can be zeroed to coincide with the shooter’s point of aim. Impressively, the rangefinder can assess distances out to one mile. Though the Radius is not quite a HUD-enabled scope, it is a step closer to such a luxury.
Maxim 9
SilencerCo’s Maxim 9 has been the news of the week in the firearms world. Marketed as the first semi-automatic 9mm pistol with an integrated suppressor (a slightly dubious claim), the Maxim 9 merges a Smith & Wesson M&P with a built-in suppressor that shares many design similarities with SilencerCo’s Osprey 9. The company has cautioned that the release version of the Maxim 9 will be a good bit different than these early prototypes, and it likely will shed the M&P 9 base in favor of a wholly new design. According to people who attended SilencerCo’s release event, the Maxim sounds great and functions pretty well for a prototype. Impressively, the Maxim 9 even looks good in a holster! I am concerned about pricing on this guy. If it comes with an MSRP of $1,500 or less, I think it will sell like crazy. I’m not optimistic that we will see that price point.
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.