Silencer Saturday #372: Centurion Arms Maximus-L

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturers of the new Victra-12 shotgun suppressor. This week we are taking a look at the new Maximus-L silencer from Centurion Arms. Some of you may already be familiar with Centurion from their AR rifles and parts, but they are a newer manufacturer on the silencer scene.

Silencer Saturday @ TFB:

• Silencer Saturday #371: PSA Gets Into Silencer Sales
• Silencer Saturday #370: Silencer Mounting Overview
• Silencer Saturday #369: ATF Silencer Industry Data
• Silencer Saturday #368: Breaking Down Nielsen Devices
• Silencer Saturday #367: What Is Haynes 282 & Why Is Everyone Using It?

Centurion Arms Background

Monty LeClaire founded Centurion Arms while he was still an active duty Navy SEAL in 2006. The company started out making parts, particularly diopter sights like those on the HK416 and AR handguards, and branched out as time went on. Monty was in the SEALs for the adoption of the Mk12, and Centurion Arms sells their own versions of the Mk12, both very clone accurate ones as well as others that are modernized while still keeping the “vibes” of the original.

Centurion Arms also makes a full range of complete firearms and uppers, ranging from 300 Blackout pistols to 6mm ARC uppers. They even make a Mk11 upper and lower receiver set for people who want to build up their own take on the classic large-frame gasser. If you are interested in more of Monty’s backstory, I highly recommend this interview with Chris at Small Arms Solutions on YouTube.

Maximus-L Silencer

Centurion Arms previously sold suppressors for the Mk12 like the AEM5, and their own Centurion Arms Modular Suppressor (CAMS). The new Maximus-L suppressor is made of inconel and features a reduced blowback design that vents gas away from the chamber.

Here are the full specs:

Length: 6.25in

Blast Baffle Depth: 1.5in

Diameter: 1.625in

Weight: 14.0 oz

Material: INCONEL

Caliber: 5.56/.223

Caliber Range: .17 to .223

Finish: C-series Cerakote

Colors: Armor Black, Coyote, OD Green

Sound Reduction: - 34 dB

Mount Style: 1 3/8x24

Full-Auto Rated: Yes

Like most of the other new silencers entering the market, the Maximus-L is a 3D printed design. Centurion uses inconel construction, which offers excellent durability and is a well-regarded material for silencers and other high-heat applications like hypercar exhaust systems. The marketing materials from Centurion state that the silencer survived ten cycles of the SOCOM firing schedule test, each of which includes eight 30-round magazines fired at differing rates, culminating in a full magazine dump. And yes, that means it is machine gun rated.

Rather than creating yet another new mounting system, the Maximus-L is HUB compatible. It has 1.375x24 threads so it fits with whatever muzzle device fits that thread pitch. Using a universal mounting system can introduce some issues, and it may not offer the best performance. But there are so many mount systems already in use and most potential buyers are probably already using one they like, so giving that option is a good call.

Pew Science Results

Some of the hype from the Maximus-L release is a result of Pew Science testing. For those unfamiliar with Pew, if you are a silencer purchaser you should check out their site and the reports they publish. The short version of the story is that decibels, while the standard measurement of sound “loudness,” are not very descriptive. We all know what 1 pound (or a kilo if you're in the uncivilized parts of the world) feels like, or how far a foot or meter is. But decibels are not a unit we use much in everyday life. To add even more complexity, they are logarithmic, meaning that an increase from 130 to 140 is much more of an increase than going from 120 to 130 dB.

Measurement of sound reduction from silencers is even harder. The peak sound level from a gunshot only lasts a tiny fraction of a second. Many sound meters (especially common ones used for measuring sound at a concert or job site, let alone phone apps) can't measure the peak sound accurately. Pew Science exists to try and address these issues. Jay is an engineer and developed his own standards for measuring silencer performance.

Centurion Arms had Pew Science put the Maximus-L through testing before commercial release. The Sound Signature Review was conducted on a Mk18 with 5.56 ammo. Pew rated the Maximus-L with an overall score of 40.3, with a shooter’s ear rating of 28.5 and a muzzle rating of 39.5. That is a very impressive score, coming in 3rd in the overall ratings for suppressors tested on this host gun.

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