Brohawk,
I have a Simmons Aetec 3.8-12 w/illum. reticle and adj. objective.
It's clear, has a nice field of view, feels very durable, keeps it's zery, has quality knobs, and the eye relief is more than sufficient, especially for the wide field of view. I have it on my .270 which gets shot a large amount in terms of high powered rifles. So my point is, what else matters?
It's a good scope, works great, feels great for ME, and I only paid a hair over 150 (got a sweet deal on an all but new one).
Basically, I felt the need to write because in my quest for that scope, I got nothing but a line of #^@&* about buying a 100-150 dollar scope. My friend gave me crap the whole way as he paid 250(good price as well) for this Nikon (nice piece of glass as well) that did nothing more than mine, was no more clear or durable, and didn't have as much magnification, the adjustable objective OR the ill. reticle. And my Aetec holds up just as well. So who's stupid now?
Point 2. Yes, there ARE crappy scope makers out there, don't get me wrong, as there are good scopes, there are definitely bad. And there are high price scopes out there that ARE worth the money in certain situations. But when it comes to hunting deer or casual target shooting, just give me QUALITY (the key), not a name with a hefty price tag.
Do your homework, this will help you avoid these problems. Look at warranty's and get first hand feedback from people who have the scopes. And remember mounts, most people with scope problems are actually problems rooted from poor mounting equipment. I actually have Redfield solid steel. Once again, not that bad in price and they are ROCK solid.
There's my input, and a look at my 150 dollar scope. If it ever fails in a "combat" situation, I'll let you know. [pistol]
Gundraw