Sometime around 2011, depending on who you ask, the phrase “CCW insurance” entered the carry conversation as shorthand for a new product category. The permit system had expanded fast enough after Heller that the legal exposure of a lawful defensive use had become a real market, and companies were moving to fill it. The reasoning… Continue reading CCW Insurance Doesn’t Cover What You Think It Covers
Author: Michael Crites
Michael Crites has served as executive editor of AmericanFirearms.org since 2016 and previously held positions as associate editor and range correspondent dating back to 2000. He discovered his passion for precision shooting at age 12 during his first visit to his grandfather's shooting range, eventually earning an Expert classification in three different shooting disciplines before age 18.
During his studies at University of Wyoming, he earned four varsity letters on the collegiate rifle and pistol teams, serving as team captain for three consecutive years. He became the first UW student to complete the NRA Range Safety Officer certification while maintaining full-time student status. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Communications.
His diverse career has included roles as Range Safety Coordinator for the National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry 2001; editor-in-chief, Precision Shooter Quarterly; series editor, Modern Firearms Handbook collection; managing editor, National Shooting Sports Foundation Newsletter; editor, Competitive Shooter Magazine; operations director for Western Arms & Ammunition Co.; senior editor for the Shooter's Reference Annual (Cheyenne); content director for The Firearms Report, published by the American Shooting Coalition in Billings, MT; firearms correspondent for Hunting & Shooting, produced by Outdoor Sports Media Group in Jackson, WY; and publisher for Wyoming Shooting Sports Journal in Casper. He has contributed as a regular columnist for American Rifleman (NRA Publications), technical editor for Precision, a publication of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (Phoenix, AZ); and as firearms specialist for the Gun Owner's Annual.
As a digital content creator, he has written more than 400 articles on AmericanFirearms.org, developed shooting technique coverage for the Brownells Shooting Blog (Montezuma, IA) and Federal Premium "Range Notes" platform (Anoka, MN), and served as lead content strategist for International Defensive Pistol Association (Berryville, AR). Beyond Tactical Firearms, his current endeavors include content development for the Wyoming State Rifle Association (Cheyenne, WY) and technical manual production for High Plains Publishing of Laramie, WY.
He has contributed to the 12th, 13th, and 14th editions of Modern Sporting Rifles Guide and edited The Complete Guide to Tactical Shooting and Competitive Shooter's Reference Manual (Gun Digest Books).
Best Over Under Shotguns: What I Learned After Buying the Expensive One First
I bought the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I in October, convinced it was the last over-under shotgun I’d ever need. The oil-finished walnut was gorgeous, the scrollwork on the receiver looked like something that belonged in a museum, and the action closed with the kind of thunk that makes you feel like you’ve made a… Continue reading Best Over Under Shotguns: What I Learned After Buying the Expensive One First
The Caliber Wars Were Always Marketing
April 11, 1986. Pinecrest, Florida. Two bank robbers — William Platt and Michael Matix — are stopped by eight FBI agents in a residential neighborhood, and what follows is four minutes and eighteen seconds that will reshape American handgun culture for the next three decades. Platt and Matix are killed in the firefight. So are… Continue reading The Caliber Wars Were Always Marketing
Top Handguns for Home Protection: Defend Your Domain
Perhaps the most common and effective means of home protection, given purpose-driven selection and the proper training in use, is a good defensive handgun. With that in mind, let us take a look at some of the better options out there.
Glock 45 Gen 6 Review: Range-Tested and Ready for Duty
We put the Glock 45 Gen 6 through its paces with live fire, optics testing, and holster checks. Here’s what has actually changed — and whether it’s worth the upgrade.
Top MP 15-22 Suppressors: Quiet Your Rimfire AR In Style
Smith & Wesson’s M&P 15-22 is a quality firearm that will quickly become anyone’s rimfire favorite. The M&P 15-22 is Smith & Wesson’s .22 variant of the tactical M&P 15 semi-automatic rifle. This firearm is designed for recreational shooting (plinking) as well as small-game hunting. It was modeled after the traditional AR-15 but – thanks… Continue reading Top MP 15-22 Suppressors: Quiet Your Rimfire AR In Style
Springfield Echelon 4.0FC Review: The Duty Pistol Aiming to Dethrone Glock
Springfield Armory has a reputation problem. For years, the XD series occupied an awkward middle ground in the striker-fired pistol market — functional enough to earn a loyal following, but never quite escaping the shadow of Glock’s dominance or achieving the tactical credibility of SIG’s P320. The guns worked, sure, but they were rarely anyone’s… Continue reading Springfield Echelon 4.0FC Review: The Duty Pistol Aiming to Dethrone Glock
Our Fav New Guns from Shot Show 2026
As we do every January, we spent the past week running around Las Vegas at SHOT Show 2026 to sniff out and lay hands on the 20 best new guns. Here’s our rundown.
Complete Recce Rifle Guide: Build, Buy, and Optimize Your Setup
This article is part of our Guide to Everything AR. In general, the Recce (pronounced: “Wreck-E”) Rifle has been something of the Bigfoot or Loch Ness Monster of the AR-15 world for the past quarter-century. However, going past the basic “enhanced carbine” concept — theorized originally by the country’s most elite special operations commandos — … Continue reading Complete Recce Rifle Guide: Build, Buy, and Optimize Your Setup
The Best Revolvers: Expert-Tested & Rated for Defense, Hunting & Plinking
Revolvers are a staple American firearm and arguably some the best self-defense weapons you can buy. Wheel guns tend to be small, simple to use, easy to conceal and work in any type of holster, either open carry or beneath your shirt. More than that, most of them are chambered for cartridges that are powerful… Continue reading The Best Revolvers: Expert-Tested & Rated for Defense, Hunting & Plinking