SilencerCo Releases First Suppressed Muzzleloader

by
posted on September 19, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
silencerco_muzzle.jpg

For the first time since the National Firearms Act (NFA) was created in 1934, civilians can enjoy suppressed shooting in nearly all 50 states with SilencerCo's latest innovation: the integrally suppressed Maxim 50 muzzleloader.

With the invention of the Maxim 50, SilencerCo has created a product that is 100 percent legal for civilian ownership under federal law (some state laws may not allow it, though, depending on how they define muzzleloaders) while providing hearing-saving suppression at a reasonable price point. How is this possible? By paying very close attention to federal law. 

The BATFE defines a silencer as a “device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm . . .”  By that definition, a silencer is only a silencer if it can attach to a firearm. The Maxim 50 is built on the base of a Traditions Vortek Strikerfire Muzzleloader. For those who know muzzleloaders, you’ll also know that they are not considered firearms by the BATFE but are instead antique firearms, a definition and difference that is very distinct under federal law. Because of this, a moderator that is permanently affixed to a muzzleloader is not legally defined by BATF as a silencer, since it does not attach to a firearm. With this realization, the Maxim 50 was born. 

“It took a lot of creativity to arrive at this solution,” said Josh Waldron, SilencerCo CEO and Co-Founder. “We have been working on this product for three years, with most of that time spent waiting on a determination from the Technology Branch of the BATFE as to how this product would be classified. As soon as we received official word that it wouldn’t be considered or regulated as a silencer, we got to work on bringing the Maxim 50 to customers across the country.” 

SilencerCo expects the Maxim 50 to be a hit not only with the NFA-loving crowd, but also with hobbyists and hunters. In many states, muzzleloader hunting begins days (sometimes weeks) before standard rifle season, giving hunters using this platform an edge. But this edge does come with caveats—antique firearms are usually loud, have lots of recoil, and the shooter has to battle the thick cloud of black powder smoke billowing from the barrel as they try to see if their shot connected with their game. The Maxim 50 solves all of the issues experienced by muzzleloader shooters while also drastically reducing the resulting smoke by more than two-thirds, allowing hunters to see the location of their shot and track their game. 


SilencerCo is honored to finally be able to bring suppressed shooting to its customers across the country, and, in most places, sans a long wait or a tax stamp.

For more information visit silencerco.com

Latest

I Carry Springfield SA35 Galco 1
I Carry Springfield SA35 Galco 1

I Carry: Springfield Armory SA-35 in a Galco Combat Master Holster

See the Springfield Armory SA-35 4" High Power pistol paired with a classically styled Galco leather OWB holster and a Buck 110 Auto knife our latest "I Carry" EDC kit.

How the Mainstream Media Turned Against Armed Citizens

Why is so much of the mainstream, legacy or corporate media opposed to our right to keep and bear arms? There are real answers to this question.

The Armed Citizen® April 10, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Steyr Scout Mk II

Steyr Arms updated its Scout rifle design with a Mk II version several years back. Faced with heavy competition, is it still the benchmark for the "general-purpose rifle?"

Canadian Law Enforcement Agencies Disregard “Buyback"

The National Post, a Canadian news source, reports that “the majority” of law-enforcement agencies across Canada are disregarding their federal government’s mandated Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP).

Safariland Parent Company Announces Acquisition of Alien Gear Holsters

Following a court-supervised bankruptcy auction, Safariland's parent company, Cadre Holdings, announced it would acquire Alien Gear Holsters and other assets from Tedder Industries in a $10.3 million deal.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.