“It has a mixture of the familiar and the exotic,” explained Gilbert. “Reliable and accurate, it is easy to see why it is the carbine of choice for our elite troops.” For these very reasons, American Rifleman editors selected the FN SCAR 16S as “Tactical Gun of the Year.”

Ammunition of the Year: Hornady Superformance

“Hornady’s new Superformance ammunition not only rewrites the performance standards for popular center-fire rifle cartridges, but it also challenges the notion that, ‘There is no such thing as a free lunch.” So wrote Managing Editor Aaron Carter in his article entitled “Something For Nothing?” (January 2010, p. 54), which detailed the ammunition’s breakthrough.

“Featuring custom blends of propellant that fill the case, but are not compressed, and representing upward of 15 percent less propellant than comparable Light and Heavy Magnum loads, Superformance typically achieves 100 to 150 f.p.s. higher velocities than SAAMI standards in all cartridges and bullet weights and types—without exceeding listed MAPs,” explained Carter. “The largest gains are in light-for-caliber and solid copper and gilding metal bullets. Better yet, the loads are extremely temperature-insensitive—from 15 below zero to 140º F—and produce less recoil.” He later wrote, “What’s equally as impressive as Superformance itself is its price,” which is “approximately $1.50 to $2 more per box than Custom, and $4 to $7 less than Light and Heavy Magnum.”

“While Superformance may not be a ‘free lunch,’ at least in monetary terms, its numerous benefits are well worth the small additional cost over its Custom predecessor,” wrote Carter. We agreed, and this justified Hornady Superformance earning American Rifleman’s Golden Bullseye Award for “Ammunition Product of the Year.”

Accessory of the Year: Crimson Trace LG-431 Laserguard

Featured in the “Where I Can Get … ?” section of “Lock, Stock & Barrel” (January 2009, p. 30), Crimson Trace’s Model LG-431 Laserguard was designed to complement the Ruger LCP’s fixed sights in low-light conditions; however, the company accomplished this goal in an unconventional and innovative way. Unlike its previous handgun offerings, which typically consisted of replacement stocks, Crimson Trace rethought the entire concept.

“The new LG-431 has a tab-and-groove interlocking system that allows the unit to attach directly to the LCP’s trigger guard using the two provided screws, and without disassembly of the handgun,” wrote Managing Editor Aaron Carter. “The unit’s 3.3 mm diode reduces the overall size of the diode housing, which, combined with the unit’s hugging the front of the pistol’s frame, barely affects the LCP’s holstering and concealment qualities.”

With the LG-431 Crimson Trace created a device that increases the utility and effectiveness of an immensely popular handgun, all without altering its desirable characteristics. Such innovation is deserving of the American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Award for “Accessory of the Year.”

NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award: Ronnie Barrett, Founder and President, Barrett Firearms, Inc.

Golden Bullseye Award Selection Criteria
To qualify for consideration for a Golden Bullseye Award, the product must have been:

-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
-Reliable in the field, meeting or exceeding the evaluator’s expectations
-Innovative in design and function-Readily perceived as a value to the purchaser
-Styled in a manner befitting the firearm industry and, perhaps more importantly, its enthusiasts