The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) in partnership with the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), has chosen the top three products in seven categories including Best New Rifle, Best New Handgun, Best New Shotgun, Best New Ammunition, Best New Optic, Best New Accessory, and Best New Suppressor. An independent panel of 18 industry judges, comprised of NASGW members and POMA members, selected the finalists in each category. In order to qualify, manufacturers needed to be a NASGW member in good standing and the product must have been publicly released after November 1st, 2023.

"The Caliber Awards always bring a wave of anticipation as we review the latest innovations in our industry," said Kenyon Gleason, NASGW president. "The array of groundbreaking products submitted this year was impressive. Being named a finalist for the Caliber Awards is a significant achievement in itself."

The Caliber Awards offer a unique, unbiased approach to recognizing and honoring new innovative products. The voting panel is comprised of the people who buy and sell these products on a daily basis as well as the media members who review and report on these products in the field.

"POMA is thrilled to join forces with NASGW in presenting the Caliber Awards, which highlight the cutting-edge products entering the market," said POMA Executive Director, Rob Sexton. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to this year's finalists. Our media members are eager to test your new products."

The panel narrowed down this year's 170 submissions to three finalists in each category. Judges were asked to consider the uniqueness, market need, value of the product, ingenuity, and presentation. The finalists for this year’s Caliber Awards are:

Best New Accessory

• American Outdoor Brands - Caldwell Claymore® PullPup®
• CobraTec Knives - OTF Utility Knife Side Button
• Radian Weapons - AFTERBURNER+RAMJET FOR SIG P365 3.1"

Best New Ammunition

• CCI Ammunition - UpperCut 22LR
• Hornady - 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge (ARC)
• Winchester Ammunition - 400 Legend - Deer Season XP

Best New Handgun

• CANiK - TTI Combat
• SIG SAUER - P365 Fuse
• Smith & Wesson - Bodyguard® 2.0

Best New Optic

• Leupold - Mark 4HD Riflescope
• Sellmark - Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XL50
• SIG SAUER - ROMEO-X Enclosed

Best New Rifle

• Christensen Arms - Modern Carbon Rifle
• Ruger - Ruger American® Rifle Generation II
• Walther Arms - Hammerli Force B1 Rifle

Best New Shotgun

• Beretta USA - A300 Ultima Competition 12GA Shotgun
• Beretta USA - 1301 Tactical MOD 2 Shotgun
• Weatherby - SORIX

Best New Suppressor

• Dead Air Silencers - Lazarus 6
• Rugged Suppressors - SurgeX™
• SilencerCo - Spectre 9

Winners for the NASGW-POMA Caliber Awards will be announced on October 15th at the annual NASGW Appreciation Dinner to kick off the NASGW Expo in Kansas City, Missouri.

About NASGW

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers is comprised of wholesalers, manufacturers, independent sales reps, media, and service providers - both national and international - all of whom are primarily focused on shooting sports equipment and accessories. As a trade association representing the business interests of its members, NASGW’s mission is to bring shooting sports buyers and sellers together. For more information about the NASGW, visit the association’s website at www.nasgw.org.

About POMA

POMA continues to uphold its tradition of promoting excellence in communications at all levels. This includes connecting the companies and organizations whose focus is the outdoor industry with the content creators who can help tell their stories and promote their products.