Non NFA Maxim 9- the future of RDS Pistols ?

[AdioSS]

This talk of fixed barrels makes me think of a Beretta 92 with some sort of boss on top of the barrel that an optic could mount to. It is, in essence, fixed, since it neither tilts, nor rotates. But maybe I'm just too sleep deprived...

It is definitely not a fixed barrel.

[Rex G]

How in the world are you gonna AIWB that?

Eh, AIWB an SP101, or two, and carry the big ‘un in a sling bag.

While that is a winking smile-y, I am not joking. This weapon seems to fall into the category of what some used to term “offensive pistol,” and I have no problem with that.

[Bergeron]

The Maxim9 seems interesting as a showcase for suppressor design, but everything that I’ve been able to read or see about its performance as a pistol leaves me cold.

I think that there will be a general preference for keeping RDS behind the chamber. I feel like new pistol designs will tend to leave room in the slide for low-mount RDS, but that it will likely be a bit longer until fixed, low-mount, behind-the-chamber RDS slides become available on practical pistols. The Laugo Alien May be the first, but it being a single-action concealed hammer, 2.5 lbs, $5k pistol keeps it firmly in the competition pistol market. While I think that the benefits of a non-reciprocating low-mount RDS are apparent for pistol usage, the design work to make a future pistol RDS-optimized in this regard can’t take away from the design work required to make a future pistol as good at actually “being a pistol” as the ubiquitous Glock/SIG/HK/whoever pistols. I won’t be surprised if such a design moves away from Browning tilting barrel mechanisms.

I’m genuinely interested in seeing a holster for the forward-mounted RDS on the Maxim9, or really any other pistol.

[ChaseN]

Not to mention the further forward an RDS goes, the worse it looks in my experience. I have 20/15 vision, no astigmatism but an RMR a foot away from my eyeballs still looks way better than one at presented-pistol-length. Not interested in increasing that distance.

[Grouse870]

But know we have the new question of front sight in front of the rds or behind?

[RevolverRob]

Damn that thing is ugly.

I'm not sure if non-reciprocating slides really are the future or if they are just marketing attempts. While those of us here on P-F recognize the utility of the PMO, most of the gun buying world is still buying cheap guns with meh iron sights...I just don't know if I see it.

And the Mauser C96 is an interesting comparison. Since it came out in 1896, but semi-automatic pistols played second fiddle to revolvers for another...50 years in Europe and 75+ years in the U.S. Maybe it was the harbinger of things to come, but if we just compare from 1896 to 1996, it took the better part of 8 decades for there to be the wide-scale police and civilian adoption of semi-auto pistols.

[runcible]

I think that's a matter of practicality and not preference.

While I don't know if I'd like the RDS up front, I also can't try that to figure that out with currently available options for guns and holsters.

Concur. Every increment that the optic is further forward from being vertically aligned over center-fist increases the wobble zone significantly, and to a greater degree than it being displaced rearwards from that same.