Minnesota-based Maxim Defense is urging the public to get involved in the fight to save pistol stabilizing braces, an act that can be as simple as commenting on a website. 

Based in St. Cloud, Maxim entered the gun industry as a bit of a maverick company, specializing originally in accessories before moving into all-up firearms such as the PDX pistol. Among their most popular products has been their series of SCW, PDW, and CQB stabilizing braces, making them well-positioned to weigh in on the looming issue surrounding the planned ATF rule that would, in all likelihood, outlaw most pistol/brace combinations without a tax stamp. 

While visiting the Maxim last month, we talked with Dave Larson, the company's CMO, about the brace question. 

"It's so important for us to fight for our rights, to fight for regulations that we all believe in that don't impede upon our Second Amendment," said Larson, urging gun owners to comment on the proposed rule. "We don't have a tremendous amount of time to comment on this." 

Larson said even the ATF has said there is a market and purpose to stabilizing braces. 

"It helps people go out and have sporting fun, it helps people for home defense, and not only that, but the school resource officers who have to carry their own purchased firearm are purchasing the pistol braces because it allows them to not have to go through a tax stamp and all the SBR regulations to actually be able to do their own job," said Larson. 

As of Wednesday, there were 112,000 comments posted on the proposed rulemaking, which has been viewed 287,000 times. It is estimated by the ATF that "only" 1 million Americans would be impacted by the proposed rule. Meanwhile, the Congressional Research Service said the true number could be as high as 40 million.