2022 Optic Of The Year: Crimson Trace Brushline Pro 4-16x42 mm BDC

American Rifleman is pleased to announce the 2022 Optic Of The Year Award goes to Crimson Trace.

by
posted on June 20, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Crimson Trace Brushline Pro 4-16x42 mm BDC

Now in their 20th year, the Golden Bullseye Awards are chosen annually to recognize the firearm industry’s best new offerings. Here is this year’s winner as selected by the editors of “The World’s Oldest And Largest Firearm Authority.”

Crimson Trace Brushline Pro 4-16x 42 mm BDC riflescope optic review magazine article illustration text

Best known for essentially creating the firearm-mounted laser sight industry back in 1994, Crimson Trace has nonetheless steadily branched out in recent years, adding both red-dots and variable-power riflescopes to its catalog a few years ago. And 2021 was a big year for the company in this regard, as it introduced four new scope lines—the tactically oriented Hardline and Hardline Pro and the hunting-focused Brushline and Brushline Pro. Our staff was able to evaluate the latter in its 4-16X 42 mm BDC guise in the “Dope Bag” section of the magazine, and we determined the scope offered a lot of performance given its reasonable price tag.

Features on the second-focal-plane Brushline Pro include a tool-less zero-reset, the company’s proprietary scratch-resistant Maximum Optical Clarity multicoating and an eyepiece with very effective purchase-enhancing grooves. Our testing found the scope was able to shrug off considerable recoil, was waterproof, offered consistent adjustments and that, “in side-by-side tests, its optical quality was equal to—if not better than—scopes from other long-established brands.” For providing a quality, feature-rich new optic option that doesn’t break the bank, we felt Crimson Trace’s Brushline Pro 4-16X 42 mm BDC earned its place as Optic Of The Year. crimsontrace.com


About the Golden Bullseye Award:
The Golden Bullseye Awards were created two decades ago to recognize quality, innovation and value within the firearm industry, with the editors of the NRA Publications Division convening annually to nominate and select the standout performers from the previous year’s crop of new products. The discussions can get animated at times—as each year there are always more new guns, ammunition, optics and accessories worthy of accolade than we could possibly call out—but consensus eventually results in winners being selected, with the passionate back and forth serving as evidence of the firearm industry’s health and innovative spirit.

Latest

SDS Arms MAC-5K
SDS Arms MAC-5K

Review: Military Armament Corporation MAC-5K

SDS Arms, under its Military Armament Corporation (MAC) brand, imports Turkish-made roller-delayed handguns of the H&K MP5 pattern called the MAC-5K.

8 New Revolvers for 2026

Despite the incredible array of polymer-frame, striker-fired, semi-automatic handguns on the market, the classic revolver not only refuses to die, it has seen something of a resurgence in recent years.

The Armed Citizen® May 18, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

8 New Semi-Auto Shotguns for 2026

For 2026, the semi-automatic shotgun market has seen even more growth, with some manufacturers expanding their current offerings and other makers entering the marketplace with novel designs.

SAAMI Celebrates 100th Anniversary

For the past 100 years, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) has established the standards that ensure our safety when using modern shotshells, cartridges, firearms and more.

Shooting Is Fun: How I Rediscovered the Benefits of Rimfire

A recent event at Range Ready in Robert, La., reminded us how much fun the simple rimfire firearm can be, whether in handgun, carbine or rifle form.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.