EAST ALTON, Ill. - Since 2011, Blind Side® waterfowl ammunition from Winchester® has dominated the outdoor industry's most prestigious awards. The latest in an impressive list is announced in the April 2012 issue of the National Rifle Association's American Rifleman magazine.

In the issue, Blind Side is named a winner in the coveted "2012 Golden Bullseye" awards as the Ammunition Product of the Year. Winchester Ammunition will officially be presented the award at the 2012 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in St. Louis.

"For Ammunition Product of the Year, Winchester's Blind Side shotgun ammunition made for an easy choice. Its hexahedron-shaped shot, ironically, exemplifies 'outside the box' thinking," said an article published by NRA staff at AmericanRifleman.org.

The "outside the box" thinking referenced in the quote refers to Blind Side ammunition's combination of ground-breaking, stacked HEX™ Shot technology and the new Diamond Cut™ Wad in the most deadly Winchester waterfowl load available. The HEX Shot pellets, shaped much like cubes, literally stack together inside the shell, resulting in up to 15 percent more pellets in every shell.

"We're honored to receive this award from the editors at American Rifleman and the NRA - an organization we are proud to support," said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of sales and marketing. "The Golden Bullseye award further cements what we already knew - Blind Side ammunition is the most amazing and innovative steel waterfowl load in the more than 145-year history of Winchester."

In the September 2011 issue of Field and Stream magazine, Blind Side was the only shotshell named among the magazine's "Best of the Best" new hunting products in 2011. That award came a month after Blind Side was named "Editor's Choice" as the top overall ammunition in the 2011 "Ammo of the Year" awards from Outdoor Life.

Winchester engineers spent more than three years designing and developing Blind Side ammunition. Loaded with 100 percent HEX Shot, Blind Side gives hunters more pellets on target, a larger kill zone and more trauma inducing pellets than ever before - meaning quick kill shots. The shot is designed to hit waterfowl like high-velocity tumbling bricks - preventing over penetration and maximizing energy deposit and knock-down shock within the bird.

With a company heritage dating back to 1866, Winchester Ammunition was there for the taming of the American West, the Allied Forces' victory in World War II and through the years, millions of fond memories made in the great outdoors. Known as The American Legend™, Winchester is a global leader in sporting, law enforcement, military and personal defense ammunition production. Winchester continues to raise the bar with new products like Blind Side waterfowl and PDX1® Defender™ personal defense ammunition.

For more information about Winchester Ammunition, visi www.winchester.com, or connect with The American Legend on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.