One of the big drawbacks to tubular-magazine lever guns is that they were tied to the often 19th century round-nosed bullet designs they were introduced with as feeding the new-fangled “spitzer” pointed bullets could cause a ka-boom situation. A few years back, Hornady’s LEVERevolution (get it?) series fixed this with a soft plastic shock-absorbing Flex… Continue reading Federal expands Hammer Down ammo series
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).
Comprehensive Guide to .308 Pistols: History, Features, & Top Picks
The POF Revolution is the best .308 pistol for most people. While expensive, Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF) has done a bit of a magic trick in scaling a .308 pistol down to 5.56 proportions. By using all the same parts as the 5.56 Revolution counterpart, the .308 variant is lighter than other semi-auto .308 pistols… Continue reading Comprehensive Guide to .308 Pistols: History, Features, & Top Picks
Top 6.5 Creedmoor Suppressor Picks: Silence is Golden
Lauded for its long-range performance capabilities, the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge is a newer entry into the centerfire world (introduced in 2007). And it’s a great choice – the 6.5 Creedmoor is an incredibly capable round that retains the punch of larger diameter bullets at long range. The thing that makes it special is that it… Continue reading Top 6.5 Creedmoor Suppressor Picks: Silence is Golden
The Best Ruger Handguns
What are the best Ruger firearms you can buy? Sturm Ruger & Company, generally known as Ruger Firearms or just Ruger, is one name in American firearms that everyone should know. Founded by Bill Ruger and Alexander Sturm in 1949 (both gun designers by trade) the focused on inexpensive handgun geared toward target shooting before… Continue reading The Best Ruger Handguns
SHOT Show 2022: Best New Products (Other Than Guns)
SHOT Show is far more than new guns. In fact, the majority of the more than 2,300 exhibitors across 13.9 miles of aisles aren’t firearm makers. We combed those halls for some of the best new products for 2022 that don’t go bang.
The Best AK Pistols: Compact Power for The Kalash Enthusiast
The AK platform is, arguably, more popular than ever. The original (and nearly indestructible) rifle as developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, the AK, has been the firearm of choice for militaries, revolutionaries, and guerillas across the globe for generations. The pistol variant has been shortened down and modernized, giving us the AK-47 pistol — a fun… Continue reading The Best AK Pistols: Compact Power for The Kalash Enthusiast
SHOT Show 2022: New Guns
While a hugely different show than in past years, the 43rd annual had no shortage of new guns. We spent a few hours wandering the cavernous halls of the Venetian Convention Center to answer one simple question — what are the best new guns we can expect to see in 2022?
New Springfield Armory Hellion Bullpup
Springfield Armory has been importing guns for decades. Back in the 1980s and 90s, they brought in rebranded CZ-75s, semi-auto FALs, and HK G3s from Europe. Notably, like 30 minutes after a Croatian company named HS Produkt introduced a polymer-framed striker-fired pistol with a grip safety called the HS-2000, Springer locked up the U.S. import… Continue reading New Springfield Armory Hellion Bullpup
Top Sig P320 Upgrades: Mods to Maximize Performance
The Sig Sauer P320 is a striker-fired handgun platform that was designed from the ground up to be customizable and modular. It was developed to compete in the MX17 Modular Handgun System trials, which it won. After winning the competition the P320 received the designations M17 and M18 and was adopted by the United States… Continue reading Top Sig P320 Upgrades: Mods to Maximize Performance
Top Aftermarket SKS Stocks: Modernize Your SKS In Style
Determining what to upgrade on a rifle can be daunting. Optics, triggers, rails, & accessories galore all call at your wallet. A good aftermarket stock will not only give you a huge array of configuration options for your favorite Russian firearm but can also make shooting this particular assault weapon even more fun. Many folks… Continue reading Top Aftermarket SKS Stocks: Modernize Your SKS In Style