Alan, if at all possible, it would behoove you to try to scape up as much as you can for a scope. These are the reasons I've found in doing so.
First off, and perhaps most important is durability. Cheaper scopes are easily knocked off zero. For most inexpensive scopes, it doesn't take much to do so. Trust me on this, regardless of how careful you try to be, a scope is going to take a hit sooner or later during a hunt. You need to trust a scope.
Secondly is clarity. The better optics glass is well worth the extra money. Considering many big game shots are taken during poor light conditions, good glass is, or should be, of high concern. The difference is like night and day.
Third, a scope that will not fog up easily.
All of the above has been painfully proven to me over the years. I haven't priced scopes for a while now but the last time I did, $400.00 was about the minimum for a descent scope. I personally have had great successes with Leopold scopes.
It is also a fact that probably 90 percent of inexpensive scopes are junk. Companies add in all kinds of gimmicks to sell them. They all look good and sound good, but that’s where it ends.
