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).

Springfield Hellcat, now in many colors

Hellcat/Hellcat OSP and Hellcat Pro pistols in Burnt Bronze and Robin’s Egg Blue Cerakote patterns.

Springfield is bringing a ton of new SKUs online in the coming days and weeks featuring the 11+1 round capacity Hellcat/Hellcat OSP and 15+1 round Hellcat Pro pistols in Burnt Bronze and Robin’s Egg Blue Cerakote patterns. The asking price, depending on the model, runs from $635-$677. Word is, an FDE Hellcat Pro is also… Continue reading Springfield Hellcat, now in many colors

Magpul MBUS 3, finally

Magpul last week announced their newest series of backup folding sights, the third generation following up on their original MBUS and second gen MBUS Pro series. The MBUS 3 comes in a smaller form than the original MBUS, sitting just under a 1/2 inch tall when folded and under 1.4 inches wide, with aesthetics and… Continue reading Magpul MBUS 3, finally

And out of nowhere came 7mm PRC

Hornady just coughed up another new high-performance hunting cartridge– the 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge. Calling it the “first truly modern 7mm magnum” the new round brings heavy, low-drag bullets and a co-designed chamber concurrently. It uses a long, heavy-for-caliber high-BC bullet that uses magnum speed propellants for consistent velocity, rather than cranking up the speed… Continue reading And out of nowhere came 7mm PRC

Sig Sauer Rushes out 17 Round Mags, Grip Module for XMacro Series P365

While Sig Sauer introduced their new 17+1 P365 XMacro just a couple of months ago, most thought it would be at least a year or longer before they made the grip module or mags available separately. However, as there are a couple of million P365s out there, it makes quick sense as anyone that already… Continue reading Sig Sauer Rushes out 17 Round Mags, Grip Module for XMacro Series P365

Ammo, Inc Moving into .50 Cal BMG Production

Thousands of 50-caliber bullets were expended as U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from several companies in the 470th Movement Control Battalion, Elwood, Ill., attempted to qualify with a Browning M2A1 .50-caliber machine gun at a range on Fort McCoy, Wis., April 9, 2022. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. 1st Class Clinton Wood).

Arizona-based Ammo, Inc. says they are kicking off .50 cal BMG production in a big way at their newly opened 185,000 sq. ft. factory in Wisconsin. They are specializing at first in M33 High Accuracy ball ammunition, the most commonly used military type—vanilla if you will– which typically features a 660-grain FMJ bullet. However, they… Continue reading Ammo, Inc Moving into .50 Cal BMG Production

Daniel Defense Expands Their Suppressor Line with New SoundGuard Cans

Georgia-based Daniel Defense made its debut in the standalone suppressor field in 2017 with the innovative DD WAVE. One of the first cans crafted completely through direct metal laser sintering additive manufacturing– that negated the traditional tube and baffle system used by legacy platforms– the 7.62 caliber Inconel, stainless and titanium suppressor came in at… Continue reading Daniel Defense Expands Their Suppressor Line with New SoundGuard Cans

The 5 Shotgun Types

Guide to Shotgunning Since their introduction in the 16th century, shotguns have been built in a huge variety of designs, evolving from early muzzleloading configurations to embrace the introduction of percussion ignition in the 19th century, adding a hinged breech in the 1830s, and eventually, with the advent of modern self-contained cartridges that includes primer,… Continue reading The 5 Shotgun Types