I am trying to get an understanding of the Maxim 50. In order to build my own version of it.

I have an old inline muzzleloader a friend gave me, missing the bolt assembly and since it is out of production I decided to see if I can do something else with it.   Chucked it up in my lathe and reprofiled the breech end to fir in an AR15 upper.  made my own bolt, and modified an AR15 Firing Pin. cut the barrel down to 16 inches and threaded it. So far I got it this far.





I want to suppress it.  As I understand the Maxim 50,  If a sound moderator is permanently attached to the barrel it is not considered a Silencer that would fall under the NFA.

I could build a monocore type moderator.  But the question becomes, Do I permanently attach the monocore, or the tube?

Attaching the tube would make it so the monocore could be removed for cleaning, attaching the monocore would make it so the tube could be removed and monocore cleaned on the barrel.  Being able to remove the monocore would mean that I could should regular patched ball or sabot loads if I wanted to.

What are your thoughts?

I suppose my other option is to form 1 a .50 cal can that I could also use on my .45 Pistols.

Of course it may not count if the whole suppressor is not permanently attached.  May not be able to have a non servicible unit.

I think the issue you'll run into is the monocore is a suppressor part on its own, so you'd have to pay for a stamp.

ETA:  might be good w/ a removable sleeve.

AFAIK it’s not a can if it’s permanently attached to the black powder gun.

No idea if having it on an AR lower changed things since one could argue that’s not permanently attached.

I would probably try and steal everything the maxim 50 is and follow how it’s attached.


Cool project though!

That might be correct.

As far as I can tell the Maxim 50 is non serviceable.  I could do it that way, but really don't want to if I can avoid it.

I would hope that the AR15 lower is irrelevant, however it is the BATFE.

You could really screw w/ stamp checkers mounted on an AR, though, particularly if you carry it around w/ a loaded 30 round mag.

- Do you have a stamp for that?

- No.

- Hilarity ensues...

Make the sleeve an unthreaded piece of pipe that you tighten down w/ hose clamps.  Then it's just an unmodified piece of pipe, not a suppressor component.

Weld the baffles to the bbl and then drill your vent holes in the bbl chamber side, so you have a permanent fixed suppressor on the muzzle loading bbl, and now you're not trying to load through a suppressor.  Make sure your bbl vents are smaller than a solid pellet, then you can just drop one or two down the muzzle, follow it up w/ your patch & Minie ball or sabot load.

Very Tempting

I designed the bolt so as not to allow an AR15 magazine to be inserted.  For no other reason than I did not feel like milling out the slots for the feed lips to fit in.  Now I may have to rethink that Idea.  Plus I was trying to figure out out to turn a magazine into storage for a few reloads and maybe some other parts.

I have considered doing the suppressor like you described.

Why not use a .22 LR adapter for a bolt that extracts & ejects the ignition cap?  Put in a better mag adapter & chop a S&W 10 rnd mag so that all it does is operate the LRBHO?

Or don't chop it, & have it autoload the caps?

Not really worried about autoloading caps.  however I am looking at installing an extractor for the cap.  I looked at the .22bolt, and I don't think it will work without serious mods. mainly because of the way the firing pin is set up for rimfire.

Fair point.

i mean non serviceable is irrelevant if you can weld and machine...

bwahahahh, "serviceable" that only matters to the apartment dwellers, lolz

I can machine okay, but my welds look like pure garbage.

Very thankful for a grinder.

What if you used 22lr nailgun blanks as a primer? Then you can magazine feed your primers.

Isn't the maxim supposed to be loaded with pellets, not loose powder?

Weld a piece of chain to the monocore, which has its front cap welded on. Weld other end of chain to tube. Then it's permanently attached. Secure excess chain with duct tape.

Obviously that's kind of a horrible idea, but it seems to be legally fitting.

I have considered a few different ways to prime.  The 209 shotgun is easy and it was already set up for that.  And has worked pretty good so far.

I am still trying to figure a way to suppress it, and have not settled on a system yet.  But anything is possible.