Awards & Honors

The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education recognized four DNR educators: Mike Latus received the Julian Smith Award for outdoor education excellence, Michelle Serreyn earned the William Stapp Award for environmental education, Rose Menzies won the Rising Star Award, and Tammy Smith received the Recognition Award for her work with Salmon in the Classroom.

Ballistic's Best 2026 Hunting Edition Editors' Choice Awards, featured on Athlon Untamed, recognize outstanding hunting products across eight categories including All-Purpose Shotgun, New Spotting Scope, and Backcountry Precision Rifle. The selections highlight innovation and practical performance from Bleecker Street Publications' expert editorial team.

Canik USA's Prime Radian, developed in collaboration with Radian Weapons, won both Best New Handgun and Best New Overall Product awards at the 2026 NASGW-POMA Caliber Awards. Selected from over 100 entries, the Prime Radian was recognized by industry judges for its innovation, performance, value, and market impact.

Century Arms received the Importer of the Year award from the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) at the 2026 Caliber Awards dinner in Phoenix. The recognition, voted by NASGW wholesaler members, honors the company's exceptional service, partnership, and support within the shooting sports industry's distribution channel.

Jeff Crane, President and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, received the 2026 Chairman's Award from the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers for his decades of advocacy for sportsmen, conservation, and the outdoor community. The award recognizes his leadership in growing the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and securing landmark conservation victories.

Federal Ammunition's 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak cartridge won the Caliber Award in the Best Ammunition New Product category from NASGW and POMA at the 2026 NASGW Expo. The high-pressure cartridge uses Peak Alloy cases and delivers 300 fps faster velocities while maintaining similar recoil in existing 6.5 Creedmoor rifles.

PROOF Research's Elevation MTR FDX rifle earned Outdoor Life's Editor's Choice award for Best Hunting Rifle of 2026. Shooting Editor John B. Snow praised the rifle's build quality and performance, highlighting the innovative PXT barrel technology that achieved a 0.58-inch 20-shot group average during testing.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc.'s new VX-4HD riflescope has received the Caliber Award for "Best New Optic" from the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) and the Professional Media Outdoor Association (POMA). The award was presented at the annual NASGW meeting in Phoenix on October 12.

Savage Arms' Model 110 Trail Hunter Lite V2 won Ballistic's Best Hunting Edition 2026 award in the under-$1,000 category, published by Athlon Outdoors. The rifle demonstrated exceptional accuracy with five-shot groups under one minute of angle across multiple evaluators, earning recognition for its performance and value.

Dead Air Silencers' Nomad Ti OTB suppressor won the 2026 NASGW-POMA Caliber Award for Best New Suppressor at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers Expo in Phoenix. The over-the-barrel design, manufactured from 3D-printed Grade 9 titanium, weighs 10.5 ounces and is rated for cartridges up to .300 RUM.

The Lotspeich Family in northwestern Oklahoma received the 2026 Landowner Conservationist of the Year honor from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The family manages 10,000 acres of native grassland with rotational grazing practices and collaborates with ODWC, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Farm Services Administration, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for lesser prairie-chickens.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) presented its 2026 Appreciation Awards recognizing top manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Holosun Technologies, and Hornady. NASGW partnered with the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) to present Caliber Awards for product innovation, with Canik USA's Prime Radian winning Best New Overall Product.

Sturm, Ruger & Company's Ruger Red Label III shotgun has been awarded Best New Shotgun at the 2026 NASGW-POMA Caliber Awards. Built by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company, the over/under shotgun features classic styling and premium materials, offered in 20 gauge with 28" or 30" barrels.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) presented Jeff Crane of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation with the 2026 Chairman's Award for his significant impact on the shooting sports industry. Crane brings over 40 years of experience in natural resource management and has fostered bipartisan relationships among policymakers and the sportsmen's community.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc.'s LCO Pro F2 red dot sight has been named "Optic of the Year" by Guns & Ammo magazine. The award recognizes the optic's exceptional optical clarity, rugged reliability, and professional-grade features designed for shooters and professionals demanding industry-leading performance.

Shane Mahoney, president and CEO of Conservation Visions Inc., received the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies' 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for over four decades of wildlife conservation leadership. AFWA recognized his work shaping conservation policy across North America and advancing One Health approaches that connect human, animal, and environmental health.

Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP) presented its 2026 Premier Partner Awards to Galls (USA), Antero Lopes (Portugal), and ASCiM (Turkey), recognizing exceptional distributor partnerships. ASP also introduced its inaugural Subject Matter Expert Award to Chris Patzer of Handcuff Warehouse for outstanding product knowledge and customer service.

TriStar Arms' Viper G3 Bronze semi-auto 12ga shotgun has been named a finalist for the 2026 NASGW-POMA Caliber Award for Best New Shotgun. The next-generation platform builds on the award-winning Viper G2 series and will be showcased at the 2026 NASGW Expo in Phoenix, Arizona.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) and Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) announced finalists for the 2026 Caliber Awards across seven categories including Best New Rifle, Handgun, Shotgun, Ammunition, Optic, Accessory, and Suppressor. Winners will be announced October 12 at the NASGW Annual Appreciation Reception during the 2026 NASGW Annual Meeting & Expo in Phoenix.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) announced finalists for the 2026 Appreciation Awards recognizing top manufacturers including Glock, Ruger, SIG SAUER, Hornady, and others for their commitment to two-step distribution. Winners will be announced at the NASGW Annual Appreciation Reception and Dinner on October 12 in Phoenix, Arizona.