Smith and Wesson, one of the most known names in handguns, recently announced that its Model 69 revolver was named “Handgun of the Year” and recieved the Golden Bullseye Award at the recent NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits. The award was given out during a special ceremony on Friday, April 10, 2015.

Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced that its Model 69 revolver has received the National Rifle Association (NRA) Golden Bullseye Award for “Handgun of the Year” from Shooting Illustrated magazine. Smith & Wesson will receive the award during a special ceremony at the 144th NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits held in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday, April 10, 2015.

Presented annually, the NRA Golden Bullseye Awards were developed to acknowledge the finest products available in the shooting sports industry. At the conclusion of each year, NRA editors and staff select those products they feel are most worthy to receive the distinguished award from the hundreds of products reviewed in the magazine’s past issues. Now in their thirteenth year, the NRA Golden Bullseye Awards have come to symbolize the most innovative and reliable products currently available for today’s consumers.

While reviewing the Model 69 revolver, Shooting Illustrated characterize the Smith & Wesson revolver by saying:

“Why did a magazine that covers the latest and greatest tactical and personal-defense firearms choose a revolver? Because revolvers still have an important place in the defensive realm, and the Model 69 takes the platform to an exciting new level. Bringing the power of Elmer Keith’s favorite handgun round to the midsize frame is no small feat, considering that the larger N-frame barely withstood the punishment doled out by the mighty magnum. Smith & Wesson was able to design a big-bore wheelgun for its smaller L-frame, making the powerful chambering available in a more concealable form.” 

The Model 69 Combat Magnum® is the first L-Frame .44 Magnum revolver produced by Smith & Wesson in the company’s history. Once known as the most powerful handgun in the world, the .44 Magnum is world renowned for its versatility and accuracy and has been a staple in the Smith & Wesson lineup since 1956. The five-shot revolver is manufactured with a stainless-steel frame and cylinder with a glass-bead finish. The Model 69 is standard with a 4.25″ barrel, and an overall length of 9.75 inches. The revolver has an unloaded weight of 37.2 ounces and comes equipped with a red-ramp front sight and an adjustable white outline rear sight.  The Model 69 also features synthetic grips, ball-detent lock up, full top strap and barrel serrations and a 2-piece barrel.

Jim Unger, Director of Product Innovation for Smith & Wesson, said, “It is very exciting that even after 163 years of revolver development, our engineers continue to deliver ingenious design improvements that enable us to manufacture products like the .44 Magnum Model 69.  This award is truly an honor because it acknowledges these achievements and reaffirms that the industry and our customers appreciate our innovation in revolvers.”