2022 Tactical Product Of The Year: Kel-Tec P50

American Rifleman is pleased to announce the 2022 Tactical Product Of The Year goes to Kel-Tec.

by
posted on June 16, 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. **
Keltec P50

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.”

Kel-Tec P50 handgun magazine article spread text and gun with accessories such as light magazine ammunition black background


A 56-oz., 15"-long pistol chambered in 5.7x28 mm FN that feeds from the quirky, horizontally mounted 50-round magazines used in FN’s P90/PS90 platform, the P50 exemplifies Kel-Tec’s penchant for creating novel and unorthodox firearm designs. But despite what an odd duck the P50 would seem to be, once he got his hands on one, Field Editor Jeremiah Knupp was impressed by its adaptability, and he expounded upon the pistol’s qualities in "Kel-Tec’s Radical P50."

“The P50’s compact size, ease of use and capacity ... would certainly lend itself to home defense with the addition of an electronic optic and light,” Knupp said. His testing revealed the P50’s accuracy to be excellent—partly attributed to its barrel being fixed to its receiver and partly due to its crisp trigger—and also noted the pistol’s potential as a close-range varmint-hunting tool. For thinking so far outside the box in creating a truly innovative gun capable of a broad range of applications, we determined that the Kel-Tec P50 was deserving of our Tactical Product Of The Year award.
keltecweapons.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

Taurus TXM 01
Taurus TXM 01

TX Maxed: The Taurus TXM in 5.7x28 mm and .22 WMR

Using its TX series architecture yet again, Taurus is adding the 5.7x28 mm and .22 WMR to its chambering options with the new-for-2026 TXM.

Review: Federal's 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak Ammunition

Federal’s new 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak takes a long-range staple even farther.

New for 2026: Pulsar Thermion 3 Riflescope

Pulsar’s newest thermal scope offers longer range, sharper detail and expanded functionality.

AKs In The USA: The Current State of the American AK Platform

Despite it being the primary rifle of the enemy for most of its existence, American shooters have nonetheless warmed to the AK platform, creating an unlikely love story.

Demand for Guns, Ammo & Firearm Accessories Accelerates

October gun sales increased according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) estimate, but the quarterly reports from major manufacturers reflect purchases significantly higher.

The Armed Citizen® Nov. 9, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.