Mike Fellon

The M&P 15-22 is one of those rifles where people consistently overthink scope selection. I’ve watched shooters mount high-end, feature-packed optics on it, convinced they need tactical capabilities they’ll never actually use. What you truly need is straightforward: clear glass for rimfire distances, a reticle that won’t cover up squirrel-sized targets, and a lightweight setup … Read more

The AR-556 puts you in an awkward spot that most AR owners eventually face: you need close-range capability for home defense or tactical use, but you also want precision at 100 to 300 yards for target work or varminting. Slap a red dot on it and you’re limited beyond 100 yards. Mount a traditional hunting … Read more

The Remington 700 doesn’t care what you use it for. I’ve seen these rifles set up for everything from thick-cover whitetail hunting to 800-yard steel matches, and they handle it all. That’s the problem when you’re choosing a scope: a 700 in .308 Winchester is just as capable at 50 yards in the woods as … Read more

Winchester developed the .270 cartridge in 1923, but it wasn’t released onto the market until 1925. The bullet was specifically intended for the bolt-action Model 54. When you really sit down and look at the specifications and performance of this bullet, it only makes sense that individuals would want to utilize the .270 for their … Read more

When Hornady introduced a brand new rifle cartridge to the world back in 2007, no one could have predicted just how popular this round would become. Interestingly, contrary to other popular big-game rounds in the USA, the 6.5 Creedmoor was specifically made for competitive long-range shooting and not as a military round. Now, the 6.5 … Read more

Most .243 scopes fail because they try to do everything and end up doing nothing well. You need enough magnification for 350-yard coyote shots but low enough power for quick deer in timber. Light enough to carry all day but durable enough for rough use. That’s a narrow target. I tested four scopes across eight … Read more

The .308 Winchester creates a scope selection problem that took me too long to understand. This cartridge handles everything from 150-yard whitetail in brush to 750-yard steel, but most shooters buy scopes that don’t match what they actually do with the rifle. I see it constantly. Someone who only hunts at 200 yards buys a … Read more

The .30-06 doesn’t need a specialist scope—it needs a practical one. After a century of proving itself on everything from Texas whitetails to Montana elk, this cartridge has earned its reputation as the most adaptable big game round in North America. But somewhere along the way, shooters started overthinking their glass choices. I see it … Read more

The Savage 220 is a slug gun, not a rifle. That distinction matters more than most shooters realize when they’re picking optics. I’ve watched too many people walk into stores asking for “the best deer scope” and walk out with something designed for a .308 Winchester. Three months later, they’re frustrated because their BDC reticle … Read more

The problem with .300 Blackout scopes isn’t the cartridge. It’s asking one optic to handle two completely different jobs. This round operates from 25 yards (suppressed close quarters) out to 250 yards (supersonic precision work). You need true 1x for close engagements where the scope disappears, plus enough magnification for distance shots when pushing the … Read more