Ankeny, IA (September 20, 2017) – The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW), the association representing shooting sports wholesalers, manufacturers, and their trade partners, is proud to announce the finalists for the brand new NASGW-POMA Caliber Awards.
For the first time, NASGW in partnership with the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), has chosen the top products in six categories including Best New Rifle, Best New Handgun, Best New Shotgun, Best New Ammunition, Best New Optic, and Best New Accessory. An independent panel of 18 industry judges will select the winners for each category as well as a best overall new product. In order to qualify, manufacturers needed to be a NASGW member in good standing, the product must have been publicly released between the end of last year’s NASGW Expo and the beginning of this year’s Expo, and submission of the products was required through the NASGW Expo New Product Showcase on the Expo Website.
“NASGW is proud to partner with POMA on the Caliber Awards, and I’m grateful to the many people who helped make these awards possible,” said Kenyon Gleason, NASGW president. “There are so many great products in the marketplace that it’s hard to choose winners and voting throughout the process was very close. I want to congratulate everyone selected as a finalist, and I look forward to unveiling the winners in October.”
The Caliber Awards are a brand new addition to the industry and offer a unique, unbiased approach to selecting the winners. 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 about these products in the field.
“POMA is honored to partner with NASGW to bring the Caliber Awards to the marketplace,” said POMA Executive Director Kevin Orthman. “With innovative products spread across the industry, POMA is excited to announce the winners at this year’s awards ceremony October 17 in San Antonio, Texas. We look forward to developing a new standard of excellence with the Caliber Awards.”
Being chosen as a finalist is an honor unto itself. Over 200 products were submitted and narrowed down by our panel to a final group. Judges were asked to consider the uniqueness, market need, the value of the product, the ingenuity, and presentation. The finalists for this year’s Caliber Awards are:
Accessory
- Biss/Striker Concepts – FLEXiT 4.0
- DuraCoat Firearm Finishes – Firearm Finishes
- Leupold – LTO Tracker
Optic
- Axeon Optics – Second Zero Rail Mount & Bell Mount
- Leupold – VX-5HD
- Trijicon – RMR® Type 2
Shotgun
- American Tactical Imports – Road Agent
- O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. – 590 Shockwave
- Remington Outdoor Company – 870 TAC-14
Rifle
- Bergara – B-14 HMR (Hunting & Match Rifle)
- Ruger – American Rifle® Ranch in .450 Bushmaster
- SIG SAUER – MCX VIRTUS
Ammunition
- Barnes – VOR-TX LR Long Range Ammunition
- Doubletap – Colt Ammunition
- SIG SAUER – HT Elite Performance 223 Ammo
Handgun
- Ruger – LCP® II
- SIG SAUER – P320 X-Carry
- Springfield Armory – XD-E pistol
Winners for the all-new Caliber Awards will be announced on October 17th at the NASGW Annual Awards Dinner during the NASGW Expo in San Antonio, TX. The Annual Awards Dinner will also feature NASGW’s Annual Leadership Awards. Tickets can be purchased online through the NASGW Expo website at nasgwexpo.org.
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.