The latest FBI background check figures for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System stand at just over 3 million for March 2022. When compared to the 4.6 million seen in the same month in 2021 and the 3.7 million seen in March 2020, that’s a big drop. However, it is still the third-highest since… Continue reading Background Check Numbers in a Three-Year Low…But Still Over 3 Million
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).
Half the Country Now Has Permitless Carry
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, amid a reelection bid, says he is keeping a circa 2017 campaign promise from the last time he ran to sign a constitutional carry bill into law. Lawmakers in the GOP-controlled state legislature sent Kemp just such a measure last week and, once he signs it, Georgia will become the 25th… Continue reading Half the Country Now Has Permitless Carry
Top .223 Wylde Rifles for Versatility and Performance
In the AR-15 world, it is a little known fact that .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO vary just a tiny bit when it comes to pressure and chamber dimensions– and the .223 Wylde chambering was designed to pull off the magic trick of walking the tightrope between the two, and doing it accurately. In this… Continue reading Top .223 Wylde Rifles for Versatility and Performance
Mossberg Debuts 940 Tactical
Mossberg continues to mine gold with their 940 series of autoloading shotguns. While the past installments have been Jerry Miculek series competition guns and a line of sweet-shooting hunting 12 gauges (Pro Goose, Pro-Turkey, etc.), the newest addition to the program is the optic-ready 940 Pro Tactical 8-shot semi-auto shotgun. It’s got all the bells… Continue reading Mossberg Debuts 940 Tactical
Firearm Reviews
All our firearm reviews are here to give you everything you need to know about firearms, all in one place. Learn from our expert reviews, buy the best, and shoot better!
Sig Re-enters .22LR Pistol Market with P322
Sig Sauer has made some rimfire pistols in the past to include the almost universally-hated Mosquito (made 2005-2014) and a Umarex-made 1911-22 (2011-2014). However, for the better part of a decade, the company has left the .22LR pistol category to the other guys. That changed on 3/22 (get it?) with the introduction of the new… Continue reading Sig Re-enters .22LR Pistol Market with P322
Congress wades into Solvent Trap Issue
Earlier this month, the ATF rejected 847 pending Form 1s– the paperwork needed to legally “make” a registered NFA item such as a suppressor, SBR, or SBS. The reason for the heartbreak is that the applicants had listed that they intended to use some sort of solvent trap to create a legal suppressor. Provided you… Continue reading Congress wades into Solvent Trap Issue
Gun Industry fast-tracking Ukraine items
While the export of small arms and munitions from U.S. manufacturers to overseas customers in friendly countries is common, ITAR and Department of Commerce regulations usually mean it takes months of paperwork to get cleared– even if the items are already paid for via escrow– before it can ship out of the country. For more… Continue reading Gun Industry fast-tracking Ukraine items
The Best Double-Barrel Shotguns
Double-barrel shotguns may not be enough on their own to complete the collection of a serious firearms enthusiast, but they are still a great gun to have in your battery (so to speak). The double-barrel shotgun is fantastic as a sporting shotgun — whether for sport shooting or hunting. And a double is a better… Continue reading The Best Double-Barrel Shotguns
Monstrum Scope Review [Hands-On]
Some optical brands are household names — Leopold, Vortex, Bushnell, and Trijicon are all jump to mind when thinking of new glass. Monstrum is not one of those companies. They were founded in 2008 with one goal — make gun parts affordable to the typical person. They’ve done just that, and now Monstrum has expanded… Continue reading Monstrum Scope Review [Hands-On]