Don’t let the 5.5″ barrel fool you–this is an effective weapon that won’t leave your ears ringing. (Photo: MaximDefense.com)
One of the funnest guns to shoot at the SHOT Show range day was Maxim’s new PDX. There were giggles all around whenever it was shot on full auto. Everyone raved about how great it was to shoot 7.62 rounds form a 5.5″ barrel. Speaking with the reps, they said part of the requirement for this gun was that it shoot 8″ groups at 300 yards with a 5.5″ barrel, and they said it does. Maxim wanted it to be an effective gun that can be carried in small places, like a saddle bag on a police motorcycle. Even though it’s small, Maxim has invented some new aspects that make it effective (and fun) to shoot.
Obviously, a rifle a that has a 5″ barrel requires a tax stamp. However, Maxim made it clear that they would make the same gun available as a pistol with their Maxim pistol brace so that no stamp would be required.
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- It’s a good looking gun with all the right specs.
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- The PDX screams quality every time you pick it up.
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- Don’t overreach on the handguard–you’d hate to put your hand on that.
HATEBREAK
The new HATEBREAK is key to the whole system. It effectively controls muzzle rise and directs much of the report forward away from the shooter. That makes it a lot more pleasant for the shooter, but if you were shooting at the next table at the range you could definitely feel a significant report. The HATEBREAK also provides back pressure that helps the weapon cycle.
SCW Stock
Maxim’s SCW stock system collapses to just 4″, but extends instantly and is rock solid and makes this a truly portable weapon. It comes standard with the PDX, but you can also buy it for your AR. There are no buttons to push, and you can adjust it to deploy to your preset length.
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- The SCW stock doesn’t need buttons to extend and it’s got 5 detents and can be configured for individuals.
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- You can have any color you want, as long as it’s Black or Arid
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- Chambered for 7.62x39mm or 5.56 NATO.
It was surprisingly easy to shoot, and I didn’t feel limited by its size. I didn’t shoot anything like 8″ at 300 yards, but I put several rounds on paper and enjoyed every one. This is a gun you should seriously consider. Get all the details and more pictures at Maxim Defense.
Specs
- 5.56 NATO and 7.62x39mm
- 5.5″ barrel
- Black or Arid finish
- 18.75″ overall length
- 5lbs 11oz
- HATEBREAK muzzle break included
- SCW Stock included
- ALG Combat trigger (ACT)
- MSRP $2299
I’d like to know if the that Hate break does anything for the velocity of the bullet.
Yes, I agree with Donald. 300BLK may have been better for versatility and use with subsonic, and it seems if a guy has the $ to buy this, that cheap ammo would not be relevant.
It’s cute but it’s too damned expensive.
This and the Rattler are high on ‘cool factor but again and again, unless you’re a collector with min-gun ammo money to blow away on such bling bang these things are just a waste of time and money. My neighbor is a real combat Vet and likes compact PDW pistols like these and makes his own using his own which are only slightly longer as he refuses to use anything less than a 7.5 barrel and really prefers a 10.5 for actual pragmatic use in CQB as a 5 inch barrel in 5.56 just doesn’t cut the cake compared even to some high powered pistol calibers, hell, I’ve see guys (and girls) do 90% hits on a steel silhouette out to 300 meters with a 10mm or 7.62 X 25 handgun. Which is why they have those nice little Mini Roni drop in frames using Glocks. If Glock came out with a higher cap mag for the 10mm then that would be the dog of choice i’d use first for a CQB PDW Pitbull.
Meanwhile my neighbor’s ho-made versions (in any caliber AR’s can take) of this Drag Queen here is only a little longer but more practical, accurate, maybe even lighter, and versatile and looks just as cool. But at less than half the price!
This is because your neighbor seems to have common sense. These micro ARs look all tacticool, and I can see practicality in what was mentioned about saddlebags and backpacks and such… But no one in their right mind is trying to shoot 300 yards with a pistol. Even an SBR is pushing it. On the range, fine, we all do the fun competitions to see who can do it, but if you enter an intermediate range engagement with this thing, you should maybe hang up your body armor. Now plenty of people are going to go off about that remark but so be it. The fact is this thing and others like it are for CQB, period. Kicking doors and clearing rooms usually isn’t followed up by shooting into the mountains. And if it is, you choose the tool that fits both worlds, hence the M4 that we still use today. This is a specialist gun. Think tank crews, or swat teams entering buildings. Definitely not all around fighter.
I’m sure they have their reasons, but why not 300BLK? It seems to be a proven short barrel performer as does the ever decreasing in popularity 6.8 spc. Both cartridges do phenomenal in short barrels compared to 5.56. I completely understand going NATO with at least one caliber option, so the 5.56 gets a pass, but 7.62×39? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that ammo is easily resourced no matter what part of the globe you’re on, I don’t know. I don’t have anything against the 7.62 x 39 it’s just that the 300 is much more versatile with bullet weights and the option to shoot subsonic with a suppressor using heavy (200-240gr) bullets. A small rifle like that could host a compact suppressor and still be very conveniently sized. Come to think of it, maybe they didn’t want to compete with Sig’s rattler. Maybe offering their gun in a different caliber is their way of getting a different crowd without being compared to a weapon system that doesn’t need a buffer tube. 🤔
Agree with you here. They also are pricing this beauty a tiny bit lower than the Rattler. My guess is to show they are a serious contender. In addition to motorcycle cops now having a reliable option for a large caliber felony/armed suspect(s) stop weapon, regular patrol and UC would benefit from a rifle caliber PDW up front with them instead of losing valuable seconds going to the trunk.
I’d also think this would benefit the citizens, especially those living in smaller homes, either as a NFA registered SBR, or more practically, as a “pistol”, although in either case I’d recommend a sound suppressor if possible.