For those familiar with Glock’s history and tradition, Ole Gustav coughed up the pistol that would become the Glock 17 in the early 1980s from a blank sheet of paper and carved out a future for the young company as the leader of polymer-framed striker-fired pistols. The gently shorter and more compact Glock 19 appeared… Continue reading Glock Finally Dropped a Factory 19L: Meet the New (To Glock) G49
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).
Has SIG Sauer Made a Power Move in the 10mm Carry Game?
America’s cyclical love/hate/love affair with the 10mm Auto has perhaps never been more vibrant. Originally cooked up by Col. Jeff “Because they Don’t Make a .46” Cooper of Gunsite fame for his failed Bren Ten concept gun, the 10mm was quietly kept going through the late 1980s and into the 2000s by the Colt Delta… Continue reading Has SIG Sauer Made a Power Move in the 10mm Carry Game?
TASER Pulse Review: Watt’s Up Doc
The evolution from primitive weapons to modern self-defense tools has been nothing short of remarkable. Long gone are the days of relying on stones or pointy sticks — since the invention of firearms, humans have always sought better and more effective ways to protect themselves. Enter the TASER Pulse, a less-than-lethal tool that promises safety… Continue reading TASER Pulse Review: Watt’s Up Doc
Review of the Ruger SFAR: A 7 Pound .308 That Carries Like a 5.56
Ruger recently debuted what they term the Small Frame Autoloading Rifle, or SFAR, which is nearly identical to a common 5.56-caliber M4 but carries the satisfying wallop of a .308-caliber AR-10. We’ve put one through its paces and have a full review of why you should– or should not– add one to your gun safe.
Admiral: A New Name Enters the 1911 Game
In 1911, Colt began production of their now-iconic Government Issue Model pistol, which was of course adopted by the U.S. Army that year as the Model of 1911. Other than licensed production by a few companies– North American Arms and Remington Arms – UMC– as well as production by the Army-owned Springfield Armory during the… Continue reading Admiral: A New Name Enters the 1911 Game
Hellion Bullpup: Now in Three Flavors
Springfield Armory has been importing its American take on the Croatian-made VHS2 5.56 NATO chambered bullpup carbine for a minute, and now they have expanded the line up to include both 18- and 20-inch variants, really growing the family. The HS Produkt VHS is a legit combat rifle, already seeing some real-life service around the… Continue reading Hellion Bullpup: Now in Three Flavors
The Yeet has Finally Hit the Streets
While the planned release date on the gun slipped from late 2019 to August 2023, the Hi-Point YC-9 Yeet Cannon has finally made it to the market.
A Look at Trijicon’s Updated RMR & New RCR Closed Emitter MRD
So as you may have heard, Trijicon Has an Updated RMR and Enclosed Pistol Dot The Trijicon RMR is one of the most seen pistol (or auxiliary rifle) red dots in hard use service today and it is not surprising that the company has updated the dot in the form of the new RMR HD.… Continue reading A Look at Trijicon’s Updated RMR & New RCR Closed Emitter MRD
The P320 Shake Awake Trigger?
SIG Sauer has been getting a lot of flak over their P320 series pistols in recent years over perceived safety concerns and a new video just poured gas on the fire.
What’s up with the 5.7 Resurgence?
The FN 5.7x28mm cartridge first hit the market over 30 years ago and almost died out but, in the past few years, has seen a remarkable jump in popularity. Why?