Georgia’s MasterPiece Arms has a new DS series race gun in the showroom– one chambered in .38 Super Comp Major. Now, this is not a regular .38 Super but rather intended specifically for IPSC and USPSA competing athletes in Open Division classes. Pistols ready to run such Major Power Factor ammunition are tough to come… Continue reading Looking for a new 38 Super Comp? MPA has one
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).
Beretta Releases Three New Bobcats
Beretta has been making the Bobcat (Model 21) pistol for the past 40 years and only recently started making them in colors other than black or Inox (aluminum) and in what they call a Covert model that comes with a factory-threaded barrel, the latter something that many Bobcat owners often pay $125-$200 to have done… Continue reading Beretta Releases Three New Bobcats
SIG Announces Four New 9mm Pistols
Making sure they have all the niches covered, SIG this month has already announced at least four new 9mm handguns, including three P320 variants. The new P320s on the menu include Navy SEAL Foundation and Marine Raider Foundation commemoratives– a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these models earmarked to support those not-for-profits.… Continue reading SIG Announces Four New 9mm Pistols
Volquartsen downsizes the VT2 to .22 LR
Rimfire masters Volquartsen introduced their semi-auto VT2 Takedown rifle a little while back in .22 Magnum and .17 HMR, and now have it in .22 LR. While that doesn’t seem like a big deal, keep in mind the rimfire market is something like 80 percent .22 LR, so odds are this variant will by far… Continue reading Volquartsen downsizes the VT2 to .22 LR
Sig Sauer Debuts Civilian Variant of New Army Rifle
Last year, Sig Sauer pulled down what stands to be the largest rifle contract in 60 years by winning the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon system award. The rifle for the NGSW, the XM7, is now available to consumers in an NFA-compliant semi-auto variant complete with a 16-inch barrel. While the Army’s rifle is chambered… Continue reading Sig Sauer Debuts Civilian Variant of New Army Rifle
Cosaint Arms New 2011 CP Series
North Carolina’s Cosaint Arms has been cranking out double stack 2011 style pistols for a minute and their new model, dubbed the CP series, uses a “uniquely designed” ported slide, and barrel that sort of resembles the integrated comps seen on the Sig Sauer P365 XMacro Comp and P320 AXG Comp. The CP series includes… Continue reading Cosaint Arms New 2011 CP Series
S&W Introduces Folding 9mm Carbine, the FPC
Smith & Wesson is continuing to claw at the air with new products for 2023 by producing a 9mm pistol caliber carbine. As sort of a no-brainer, it is based on their M&P9 pistol but with a longer 16-inch barrel. Of interest, the carbine, dubbed the FPC, has a left-folding barrel assembly that roughly drops… Continue reading S&W Introduces Folding 9mm Carbine, the FPC
Beretta Channels King Tut for One-of-a-Kind Shotgun
One thing that Beretta does really well is make unique exhibition-grade shotguns and their latest was presented at the Safari Club International Convention in Nashville, Tennessee last week. No word on the price, which is surely in the mid-six figure range, but it was created to mark the 100th Anniversary of the discovery of King… Continue reading Beretta Channels King Tut for One-of-a-Kind Shotgun
Wilson Combat Debuts 16 Models of Customized P365s
Bill Wilson loves to take good platforms and make them better. He’s done it with the 1911, Glock, the P320, and the Beretta 92. His latest effort is a team-up with Sig Sauer to take their basic fire control units and some small parts for the P365 and make them into something superb– the WCP365.… Continue reading Wilson Combat Debuts 16 Models of Customized P365s
NYPD Taps Sako for Precision Rifle Needs
Beretta-owned Finnish rifle maker Sako announced last week they are delivering an unspecified quantity of their top-shelf TRG M10 multi-caliber sniper systems to the New York Police Department’s elite response them, the Emergency Service Unit. A bolt-action rifle with a fully adjustable right-folding stock, the TRG M10 is produced in .308 Winchester, .300 Win Mag,… Continue reading NYPD Taps Sako for Precision Rifle Needs