- CQB Pistol PDW Brace
1265 Kuhn Dr. Ste 100
St. Cloud, MN 56301
239-580-7800
About Maxim Defense
Maxim Defense is a firearms and accessories maker based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, founded in 2014 by Michael Windfeldt with a single employee. The company began by developing a replacement stock for the FN P90 and a captured spring buffer system developed with JP Enterprises, then built its reputation on a compact, patented four-position CQB stock for AR-pattern rifles. A CQB pistol stabilization brace followed, giving AR pistol owners a short, telescoping brace that helped popularize the compact personal defense weapon (PDW) look on the civilian market.
Maxim later moved into complete firearms. Its PDX, a very short AR-pattern platform developed after SOCOM and Army solicitations in 2017, launched at SHOT Show 2019, followed by the MD-15 and MDX lines, all using the company’s Hate Brake muzzle device. Maxim also sells suppressors, upper build kits and ammunition, and describes itself as a defense and security development company focused on the special operations community. For civilian owners, Maxim’s braced pistols were among the products most affected by ATF’s 2023 pistol brace rule, which a federal court vacated in June 2024. As of 2026 the company remains active under Windfeldt’s leadership.
Key Facts
- 2014: Michael Windfeldt founds Maxim Defense in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
- 2015: The patented four-position CQB stock reaches the market.
- 2016: Maxim exhibits at its first SHOT Show, selling about 530 stocks, and introduces its first CQB pistol brace.
- 2017: Military solicitations prompt development of the PDX.
- January 2019: The PDX launches at SHOT Show as the company’s first complete firearm.
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