Maxim-Silverman .455 Caliber Behemoth of a Pistol

Published on March 20, 2021
Duration: 12:26

The 1896 Maxim-Silverman .455 Webley pistol, a rare collaboration between Hiram Maxim and Louis Silverman, is a massive 3.6 lb firearm with unique ergonomics like a central rear sight. Its simple 17-part blowback design was efficient for its era but ultimately flawed due to an overpowered .455 caliber and ammunition compatibility issues, likely leading to Hiram Maxim's disinterest.

Quick Summary

The 1896 Maxim-Silverman .455 Webley pistol is a massive 3.6 lb firearm with unique ergonomics like a central rear sight. Its simple 17-part blowback design was efficient for its era but ultimately flawed due to an overpowered .455 caliber and ammunition compatibility issues.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: 1896 Maxim-Silverman .455 Webley
  2. 02:04Massive Size & Weight Comparison
  3. 02:43Unique Ergonomics & Sights
  4. 03:40Ammunition Compatibility Problems
  5. 06:17Simple Blowback Mechanism Explained
  6. 07:30Clever Trigger & Disconnector Design
  7. 10:56Design Assessment & Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Maxim-Silverman .455 Webley pistol unique?

The 1896 Maxim-Silverman .455 Webley is unique for its immense size, weighing 3.6 lbs and measuring 14 inches. It features a central rear sight and a simple 17-part blowback mechanism, representing an early, albeit flawed, attempt at a large-caliber self-loading pistol.

Why did the Maxim-Silverman .455 pistol likely fail?

Its failure stemmed from using an overpowered .455 caliber with a simple blowback action, which is generally unsuitable for such power. Additionally, critical ammunition compatibility issues with standard .455 Webley rounds and Hiram Maxim's lack of interest hampered its potential success.

What were the main ergonomic features of the Maxim-Silverman .455?

The pistol had a very steep grip angle and an unusual balance point. Most notably, its rear sight was located in the middle of the slide, likely a design choice to help shooters maintain a sight picture on the heavy and unwieldy firearm.

How complex was the internal mechanism of the Maxim-Silverman pistol?

The Maxim-Silverman featured a remarkably simple internal mechanism for its time, consisting of only about 17 parts. It operated on a simple blowback system, with a top dust cover acting as reciprocating mass and a single spring serving both recoil and striker functions.

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