Created 23 years ago, the Golden Bullseye Awards allow for the American Rifleman editors to publicly acknowledge those recent firearm and shooting product introductions that offered our readers exceptional innovation, performance and value.
“The Golden Bullseye Awards are our way of honoring those companies that introduced products of remarkable utility, innovation and simple excellence to shooters and hunters during the past year,“ said Mike Sanford, deputy executive director of NRA Media. “We congratulate the winners, and we are confident that shooters and hunters will receive this year‘s winning products with enthusiasm.”
Although the process for our staff is a difficult one with many great selections to choose from, we are pleased to announce the 2025 Rifle Of The Year Award goes to Smith & Wesson for its Model 1854 lever-action rifle.
2025 Rifle Of The Year: Smith & Wesson Model 1854
The Smith & Wesson brand hadn’t really been associated with lever-action rifles since the company’s founding more than 170 years ago, which was just one of many reasons why Editor In Chief Brian Sheetz was keen to check out the company’s new Model 1854 family of lever guns upon their launch.
As covered in the story “Full Swing,” Sheetz found that his .44 Mag.-chambered test rifle was well-crafted and had a smooth action thanks to numerous internal mechanical tweaks that enhanced its reliability and performance. His testing included success in the field with a Model 1854 during a Tennessee hog hunt. “Horace and Dan B. would likely be amazed at the new Model 1854’s refinement—its smoothness and firepower—and at how the company is in full-swing and has come full-circle since the days they founded it.” Sheetz said. “They would no doubt be proud, too.”
The rest of the editors agreed with his assessment; for contributing such a high-performing new option to an already waxing segment of the rifle market, we awarded the S&W Model 1854 Rifle Of The Year.
