Make a brand-new start of it by discovering the best products introduced in the past year. Our annual Golden Bullseye Awards go to those products that best combine innovation, value, utility, reliability and outstanding performance from among the hundreds we test. From firearms to accessories to ammo and suppressors, we’ve determined these to be kings of the hill. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your vagabond scope or have your long-range blues melt away, each of these award-winning products is a number one.
Handgun of the Year | Taurus 327 Defender T.O.R.O.
Micro-red-dot sights (MRDS) are all the rage for handguns and have been for several years, but they were mostly limited to semi-automatic pistols, until Taurus released its T.O.R.O. line of revolvers, including the outstanding 327 Defender. Not only does this concealed-carry revolver allow mounting of RMSc- and Holosun K-footprint optics, it is also chambered in .327 Fed. Mag., allowing it to hold one more round in its cylinder compared with similarly sized wheelguns, and also to fire .32 S&W, .32 Long Colt and .32 H&R Mag. ammo for those seeking a bit less kick than the big Fed. Mag. With an MRDS mounted, you can be quicker on target and more likely to achieve fight-stopping hits with whatever round you choose to put through this Taurus revolver.
“ … the biggest advancement on this revolver is its optics mounting system. The setup for adding and removing an optical system on the 327 Defender T.O.R.O. is quite simple and well designed.”
—Dick Williams, Field Editor
Winning Features
• Optic-ready, concealed-carry revolver
• Full-size Hogue grip
• Versatile chambering allows use of multiple cartridge types
• Smooth trigger pull
Caliber: .327 Fed. Mag.
Capacity: 6 rounds
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Overall Length: 7.5 inches
Weight: 23.5 ounces
MSRP: $554
(800) 327-3776; taurususa.com
Rifle of the Year | Primary Weapons Systems UXR
Some ideas have been percolating for decades, like the concept of a single rifle to perform all missions. Efforts to fulfill that role—some successful, others less so—have been attempted. PWS tried to solve this riddle with its innovative UXR system, and it did so with panache. From easily swapped barrels and bolt faces to a piston-driven operating system that also employs a bore evacuator to keep hot gasses out of the action (and the shooter’s face), the UXR took rifle design to a new level. It also proved comfortable to shoot and accurate in testing, making it an obvious choice for rifle of the year.
“With the current .308 Win., .223 Wylde and .300 BLK chamberings soon to be joined by 7.62x39 mm, 6.5 Creedmoor and 8.6 BLK, the UXR will take another step in the direction of a ‘one rifle to rule them all’ solution.”
—Steve Adelmann, Rifle Editor
Winning Features
• User-interchangeable barrels and bolt faces
• Can fire while stock is folded
• Ambidextrous controls
• Reversible, non-reciprocating charging handle
Chamberings: .308 Win., .223 Wylde, .300 BLK
Capacity: 20 rounds (.308 Win.)
Barrel Length: 16 inches
Overall Length: 28 inches (folded); 34.25 inches (deployed)
Weight: 7 pounds, 13 ounces
MSRP: $2,650
(208) 344-5217; primaryweapons.com
Shotgun of the Year | Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical Thunder Ranch
Tactical shotguns are a place where innovation is often hard to find, as even century-old designs (and even guns) remain immensely effective for home defense. Yet, Mossberg has continued to add subtle, practical innovations to its already excellent 940 platform. The gas-operated semi-automatic is reliable in operation, and the company added an RMSc cut for mounting popular MRDS optics atop the receiver when it released its Pro Tactical model. For the Thunder Ranch version—designed in conjunction with the famed shooting school founded by Clint Smith—Mossberg did more than merely add a logo and a Cerakote finish. The company also included a fore-end designed with Thunder Ranch that includes a QD socket for adding a sling, cuts to assist in barrel cooling and M-Lok slots. This fore-end is also available on the 940 Pro Tactical SPX, so those seeking a black gun can also benefit from the collaboration.
“There’s nothing wrong with greatness by association. Mossberg knows that and bookended its well-received Model 940 Pro Tactical shotgun with the Miculeks on the front and Thunder Ranch on the back.”
—Daniel T. McElrath, Senior Executive Editor
Winning Features
• Eight-shell capacity
• Innovative heat shield
• Receiver cut for MRDS optics
• Oversize controls
Gauge: 12; 3-inch chamber
Capacity: 7+1 rounds
Barrel Length: 18.5 inches
Overall Length: 37 inches
Weight: 7 pounds, 4 ounces
MSRP: $1,190
(203) 230-5300; mossberg.com
Ammunition Product of the Year | Hornady 22 ARC
A whole lot of innovation and building off prior efforts went into the design of the 22 ARC, which is a modernized version of the 1970s-era 22 PPC. The true appeal of the 22 ARC is in its long-range application, especially out of an AR-15-platform rifle. It will push a bullet to 1,000 yards faster than any other cartridge currently chambered in an AR-15 and the bullet will drop about 7 percent less than its closest competitor at that range. Add an array of purpose-built Hornady projectiles and you have a practical round capable of accuracy once thought impossible out of “America’s Rifle.”
“Like with all new cartridges, there will be those who pooh-pooh the 22 ARC’s existence. They’ll claim it solves no problems or does not provide a substantial advantage. The truth is it does both; it’s the flattest-shooting, SAAMI-approved AR-15 cartridge in existence.”
—Richard Mann, Ammo Editor
Winning Features
• Increased muzzle velocities
• Outstanding accuracy at long ranges
• Handloading data available at launch
• Factory loads include high-BC bullets
(800) 338‑3220; hornady.com
Optic of the Year | Leupold Mark 4HD
New tactical optics regularly boast a slew of innovative features, and also, shall we say, “innovative” prices. Leupold shifted that paradigm when it launched the Mark 4HD line—yes, an entire line of tactical scopes from perhaps the most respected name in optics that starts for less than $1,000 and tops out at $1,600. They aren’t cheap, but nor are they anywhere near the most expensive option for scopes with Mark 4HD features. The new line fits in the middle of Leupold’s tactical lineup and sports many of the features found on the more expensive Mark 5HD scopes, like illuminated reticles with motion-sensor on/off capability, locking return-to-zero elevation turrets and HD glass for outstanding optical quality. Add Leupold’s famous rock-solid durability and ironclad warranty, and you’ve got a line of optics well deserving of the Golden Bullseye Award.
“What’s the bottom line on the Mark 4HD riflescope? Plain and simple, it just works. Whether dialing or using holdovers, the 6-24X scope we had … provided a sharp picture of the target and made hits at distance easy.”
—Jay Grazio, Executive Editor
Winning Features
• Electronic reticle level
• Available with first- or second-focal-plane reticles
• Multiple size and magnification options
• Motion Sensor Technology for improved battery life
Magnification: 1-4.5X (shown), 2.5-10X, 4.5-18X, 6-24X, 8-32X
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm (shown), 42 mm, 52 mm, 56 mm
Reticle: Multiple options; illuminated and non-illuminated; first or second focal plane
Length: Varies; 10.7 inches (shown)
Weight: Varies; 18 ounces (shown)
MSRP: $999 to $1,599
(800) 538-7653; leupold.com
Suppressor of the Year | SilencerCo Spectre 9
Tipping the scales at less than 4 ounces, this handgun and submachine gun suppressor doesn’t dramatically alter the balance of your firearm, making shooting even more fun and potentially boosting your ability to deliver accurate hits on target. The Spectre 9 was so quiet, in testing the sound of its host gun moving atop a metal barrel exceeded the report of a shot using subsonic 9 mm ammunition. Anyone looking to put a can on their pistol, PCC or—if you’re fortunate enough to own one—a submachine gun will benefit from and enjoy owning a Spectre 9.
“I had the RSO come up to me and say, ‘Man, that thing is quiet for so small of a can,’ and I agreed. The Spectre 9 was very quiet, and its weight created a nice balance with shooting through a Walther PDP Pro SD. It felt like it made an already accurate handgun even more accurate.”
—Jack Hennessy
Winning Features
• Lightweight suppressor offering outstanding sound reduction
• Titanium construction
• Full-auto rated (9 mm)
• Fully welded for added durability
Caliber: 9 mm, .300 BLK (subsonic only)
Material: Titanium Grade 5 and Grade 9
Diameter: 1.37 inches
Length: 4 inches
Weight: 3.9 ounces
MSRP: $879
(801) 417-5384; silencerco.com
Accessory of the Year | Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph
Measuring projectile velocity is an important step for handloaders, long-range competitors, professional marksmen and, yes, gunwriters. Setting up a chronograph has always been a bit of a pain, as it required going downrange to place screens or sometimes the device itself. Also, there was always the risk of shooting either the screens or the chronograph, either outcome resulting in a wasted day and an added expense. The Garmin Xero C1 eliminates all of those problems and builds upon radar-based chronographs by being able to work on indoor ranges of small dimensions. It is tiny, absurdly easy to use and sends data to a well-designed smartphone app for easy interpretation of results, and is an absolute miracle for anyone who wants or needs to make use of a chronograph.
“The Xero has added so much more power to the analytical ability in testing firearms. And now, it’s fun rather than fear-inspiring. That’s nothing short of amazing. Game-changing, indeed.”
—Jay Grazio, Executive Editor
Winning Features
• Easy to use without having to go downrange
• Communicates with smartphone app
• Extremely compact for easy of transport
• Can be used on indoor and outdoor ranges
MSRP: $599
(800) 800-1020; garmin.com
Pioneer Award | Bob Scott, Chairman of the Board, Smith & Wesson
Since its founding in 1852, Smith & Wesson has been an iconic American brand. The company’s guns helped tame the American West, defended this nation in times of war and have been cherished by generations of shooters, collectors and hunters. But the Smith & Wesson we know today, perhaps the entire firearm industry, would not be the same were it not for Robert L. “Bob” Scott. It was the leadership and business acumen of Scott—the current Chairman of the Board of Smith & Wesson Brands—to see this company through its roughest patch.
A British company, Tompkins PLC, acquired the assets of Smith & Wesson in 1987. Ten years later, then-CEO Ed Schultz caved to pressure from the Clinton administration and signed an agreement on sales and marketing practices—a gun-grabber’s wish list. Among other onerous provisions, the “deal” prohibited anyone younger than the age of 18 from even entering a gun shop that carried Smith & Wessons. The anti-gun restrictions the company’s management agreed to were not even close to acceptable to its customers—nor to Scott. A massive, organic, boycott ensued. The stock price fell to $.19 a share, sales plummeted and hundreds of workers were laid off from the company.
Scott became a Smith & Wesson vice president in 1989, and was also president of Walther USA, a joint venture between Smith & Wesson and Walther. In 1999, he became a Smith & Wesson board member. He worked with Saf-T-Hammer to eventually purchase Smith & Wesson in 2001 for $15 million, far below the $112.5 million Tompkins had paid for it about a decade before. With new ownership, eventually consumers put the blame where it belonged—bad management—not the workers assembling N-frames. They eventually forgave Smith & Wesson as a brand, and that’s where Bob Scott as a member of the board of directors, and eventually as chairman, worked with in-house executives to bring the company not only back from ruin, but also to its rightful, prominent place in the firearms business and American manufacturing.
