Announced in the same week, Beretta-owned Swedish-headquartered Norma is launching a $60 million/600-job factory project in Georgia while Italy’s Fiocchi is growing its operations in Arkansas with a $41.5 million/120-job ammo primer plant (which will be just one of six in the country). It is easy to surmise that Americans want bullets and– as overseas… Continue reading Fiocchi, Norma Expand Ammo Ops in the U.S.
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).
Vang Comp Brings Tidings of Great Combat Shotguns
Nevada’s Vang Comp has been making shotguns better since the 1990s and their custom 12-gauge service can get you about as close to perfect as it comes to a “combat shotgun.” However, nobody has ever accused them of being cheap. It is easy to go well over the $2K mark on a tricked-out Vang Comp… Continue reading Vang Comp Brings Tidings of Great Combat Shotguns
After Mid-Terms, Looks Like More of the Same in Gun Politics
Well, it turns out that the promised “Red Wave” tsunami of Republican candidates sweeping to office in this month’s mid-term election cycle ran out of steam just shortly past the high tide mark. As the smoke clears a week later, the tabulations across the country leave the U.S. House in the likely very narrow (like… Continue reading After Mid-Terms, Looks Like More of the Same in Gun Politics
Timney Gets in the MP5 Trigger Biz
Timney has been in the trigger game for almost 80 years and, when a gunmaker elects to sell a tricked-out model of their pistol or rifle complete with a semi-custom trigger, they often just go with Timney right off the bat. While they originally started making triggers for classic bolt guns such as Remington 700s,… Continue reading Timney Gets in the MP5 Trigger Biz
Savage Introduces A22 Takedown Rifle
Takedown .22LR rifles are just kinda cool. Minimalist designs that date back to the old Marbles Game Getter reached more widespread adoption by the time of the 1960s Armalite AR-7 and the Marlin 70 Papoose of the 1980s. Today, besides the Mountain View Arms Pack-Rifle, and Volquartsen VT2 Takedown, you can also add Henry’s rebooted… Continue reading Savage Introduces A22 Takedown Rifle
Smith & Wesson Gets an Equalizer
Smith and Wesson introduced the “easy to use” M&P Shield EZ models in 2019. Chambered in .380 ACP and equipped with a special reduced-weight recoil spring that allowed those without a lot of hand strength to better rack the slide, they were handy and compact single-stack pistols that included both a standard rear grip safety… Continue reading Smith & Wesson Gets an Equalizer
New From Staccato: An Officer-Sized 2011
Texas-based Staccato just announced the new CS pistol, a 16+1 capacity 9mm single-action 2011-style pistol. While they already have a similar “carry” sized 16+1 round 2011 on the market– the Staccato C2– that pistol runs a more Commander Sized 3.9-inch bull barrel, which sets up the CS to be a more compact gun as it… Continue reading New From Staccato: An Officer-Sized 2011
So, FN Found 400 FALs in a Warehouse
The true-blue 7.62 NATO FN FAL battle rifle was in production in Belgium from 1953 (when it was born) until 1988 when it was replaced by the smaller and easier-to-handle 5.56 caliber FNC. While it was (and is still) made under license around the world, just something like one out of every seven FALs produced… Continue reading So, FN Found 400 FALs in a Warehouse
Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro, now in FDE
Springfield has evidently been calling in requests for new colors to the folks over at HS Product in Croatia because we have been reporting on a slew of fresh Hellcats in Robin’s Egg and Burnt Bronze. Now, they have added a Flat Dark Earth Hellcat Pro to the list as well. Of course, they already… Continue reading Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro, now in FDE
Dan Wesson Heirloom 2022 1911 (and CZ Lions)
Showing they are still making at least some pistols, CZ-owned Dan Wesson is marketing a new “Heirloom” series 1911 pistol. The Heirloom 2022 is a full-size Government Issue in .45 ACP and uses all-steel components for the frame, slide, and parts. Running a standard 5-inch barrel, beavertail grip safety, and a commander-style hammer, it sports… Continue reading Dan Wesson Heirloom 2022 1911 (and CZ Lions)