I am leaning toward the German #4 but also considering the mil. dot.  Is the mil. dot complicated to use?  

any help would be GREATLY appreciated (tomarrow is payday).

After all is said and done you won't regret going with the Mil-Dot. It's like Apple or PC... even if Apple is better... everybody gets PCs because it's the standard. If you get a Mil-Dot master it's not too complicated even though it is using miliradians on the reticle as opposed to minutes on the turrets....lol
--RR

What options do you you have for the illuminated scopes? I have a vari-x III LR M1 3.5x10 40 mm ill. and when I bought it I was disappointed in the options. Just mil dot and duplex.

damn. answered my own question at Leupy's web site. My scope is still listed with just 2 options the standard Vari-x III illum has 3! Listen- I have the standard ill duplex and the crosshairs are twice as wide as all my other non- illum duplex scopes. I would have bought the #4 German in a heartbeat over the duplex.

J