The editors of American Rifleman are burdened with myriad duties, but perhaps most daunting among them is the selection of the winner of the Golden Bullseye Award.

The Golden Bullseye is a symbol of excellence and innovation in firearms, accessories and related equipment. Each year, the staff of American Rifleman labors over this heavy decision while the contenders daydream of victory as they await the announcement.

“We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 Golden Bullseye Awards,” said Doug Hamlin, Executive Director of NRA Publications. “This year’s winners exemplify what NRA members want in their shooting and hunting equipment—outstanding performance, innovative design and value. A new category for 2015—the Women’s Innovation Product of the Year—highlights the importance of what has become the fastest-growing segment in the firearm marketplace. We congratulate those who have created the industry’s best new products and look forward to recognizing them in Nashville.”

Merely qualifying for consideration of a Golden Bullseye Award necessitates the meeting of the following requirements:

  • Recently introduced and available to consumers prior to the selection of the Golden Bullseye Awards;
  • Used/tested by a staff member or regular contributor to the magazine and/or affiliated media;
  • Reliable in the field, meeting or exceeding the evaluator’s expectations;
  • Innovative in design and function;
  • Readily perceived as a value to the purchaser; and
  • Styled in a manner befitting the shooting and hunting industry and, perhaps more importantly, its enthusiasts.

The Golden Bullseye Award acknowledges the finest products available in the shooting sports, but the Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award specifically honors outstanding personal achievement. The Pioneer Award spotlights the exemplary achievement and cumulative body of work of an individual, or members of a family, team or partnership, responsible for the development and introduction of shooting equipment that has made a profound, positive and enduring impact on the way Americans shoot and hunt. This year’s Pioneer Award goes to Lewis Danielson, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Crimson Trace Corporation. Click here for more on this year’s Pioneer Award winner.

NRA Publications will present its annual Golden Bullseye Awards and Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award at an invitation-only breakfast during the 2015 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, April 10-12, in Nashville, Tenn.

The following products, and their representative manufacturers, received 2015’s American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Awards:

  • Rifle of the Year: Ruger American Rimfire
  • Shotgun of the Year: Benelli Ethos
  • Handgun of the Year: Heckler & Koch VP9
  • Tactical Gun of the Year: DPMS GII
  • Ammunition Product of the Year: Winchester Ammunition Train & Defend
  • Optic of the Year: Meprolight MOR Reflex Sight/Laser
  • Accessory of the Year: Caldwell AR-15 Mag Charger
  • Women’s Innovation Product of the Year: European American Armory Witness Pavona
  • Pioneer Award: Lewis Danielson, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Crimson Trace Corporation