NG2 Defense MAXFLO 3D

Backpressure, Noise Reduction, First-Round Pop. You No Longer Have to Pick Just Two …

Photos by Kenda Lenseigne

Although silencer technology has benefited from advances in materials science since Hiram Maxim patented his original invention, the basic design hasn’t wavered much from that seen in the early 1900s. We still employ the principle of high-pressure gas flow being interrupted by a series of baffles — the propellant simply slams into them as it leaves the muzzle — with perhaps a little additional turbulence coming into play from mouse holes and baffle clipping. Monolithic cores achieve the same ends and are easier to manufacture, often at the expense of incurring louder first-round pop. But if it’s simple and works, then why mess with a good thing?

NG2 Defense couldn’t leave well enough alone, and while its can isn’t any quieter than its competitors, its innovative design does offer one major advantage. We should probably state up front that if you plan to use this suppressor on a bolt gun, then there are a lot of better options that are both lighter and cheaper. However, it really shines when mated to a semi- or full-auto rifle, as it’s the only can we’ve ever shot that doesn’t appreciably increase cyclic rate.

It achieves this remarkable feat by ditching the traditional baffle stack, instead relying on an intricately machined core that never gets in the way of expanding gases, but rather offers them a meandering pathway to daylight, all the while allowing them to cool and decelerate. If you appreciate slick design and even slicker CNC tool paths, then you’ll probably want to frame the photos of this can’s guts, or send them as postcards to friends.

By minimizing backpressure, the host firearm operates within its design parameters, leading to greater reliability and reduced wear. It’s not unheard of for conventional suppressors to increase cyclic rates from 650 (unsuppressed) to 900 rpm in the case of a 16-inch barreled AR-15. The shorter the barrel, the faster the cyclic rate, and the greater the increase when running suppressed. At rates over 1,000 rpm, there’s a very real danger of the bolt running so fast it outstrips the magazine’s ability to present rounds in front of it. Then the wheels fall off.

During range testing, we used a dedicated three-gun rig set up with an adjustable gas block to reliably run on 77-grain OTM rounds, gently ejecting spent cases about four feet from the shooter while unsuppressed. After screwing the can into place, cases landed in the same pile, indicating that no increase in bolt velocity was noticeable. In another range session, the suppressor was then attached to one of Patriot Ordnance Factory’s full-auto carbines and a shot timer used to measure cyclic rate. As best as could be determined, the gun sped up around 30 rpm with the can attached, which was so little as to be negligible in terms of its impact on performance — we’ve seen the same variation occur by switching between different lubes.

Bottom line — the MAXFLO 3D is pretty hefty in its current form (there’s another model in the works with more Ti components that should shave a few ounces) and it’s not exactly cheap, but it’s the only one we know that keeps backpressure to an absolute minimum.

Make: NG2 Defense
Model: MaxFlo 3D
Caliber: Up to .300 Win Mag
Material: Titanium, 17-4 Stainless
Length: 7 inches
Diameter: 1.8 inches
Weight: 22 ounces
MSRP: $1,500
URL: www.ng2defense.com

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