Hornady® Manufacturing, a world-renowned leader in ballistics technology, received two National Rifle Association (NRA) Publications Golden Bullseye Awards during a special ceremony at the 2009 NRA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in May. Hornady received the awards for the 450 Bushmaster, which is the "Shooting Illustrated" 2009 Ammunition Product of the Year, and the 300 RCM and 338 RCM, which are the "American Hunter" 2009 Ammunition Products of the Year. Articles featuring these products appeared in the May issue of "American Rifleman" and "American Hunter," and in the June issue of "Shooting Illustrated."

"The Golden Bullseye Award acknowledges the companies and individuals who pursue excellence and innovation in the manufacture of firearms, accessories and related equipment," said Joe H. Graham, Executive Director of NRA Publications. "We honor our winners for bringing to market products remarkable in their utility to shooters and hunters."

Highly prestigious within the shooting industry, the Golden Bullseye Awards honor the finest products available in the shooting sports. Winners are chosen by a committee of NRA Publication editors and staff with more than a century of collective experience in the firearm industry. Winning criteria includes: products must be recent introductions and available to consumers; feature innovative design and function; meet or exceed field reliability expectations; and demonstrate style befitting the firearm industry as well as good purchase value.

"The Golden Bullseye Awards signify success in the shooting industry," said Hornady Manufacturing's Steve Johnson, "Being honored by an organization as venerable as NRA Publications is extremely gratifying, as Hornady constantly strives to raise the bar for products serving hunters and shooting enthusiasts."

Nicknamed, "The Thumper," the 450 Bushmaster, a joint development between Bushmaster Firearms and Hornady Manufactuirng, introduces radical big bore performance to the AR-15 platform, and is suitable for shooting any North American game from prairie dogs to bear, by simply switching uppers. Firing a .452" 250 gr. patented FTX™ (Flex Tip eXpanding) bullet, with an overall cartridge matching the 223 Remington at 2.25", the 450 Bushmaster delivers surprisingly flat trajectories and tremendous downrange energy.

The 300 RCM and 338 RCM exceed 300 and 338 Win Mag performance, but do so in short action rifles with 20" barrels. This lighter weight and compact package enables hunters to trek with greater ease through heavy brush and rugged terrain in the most extreme hunting environments. Optimized case geometry delivers more velocity with 10-15% less powder, an extended barrel life, less recoil, and lower muzzle blast. Superior temperature stability from -15°F to 140°F ensures reliable magnum performance from the Alaskan glacial fields to the African Savannah.