I'd stick with known commodities.
Also, what is your intended use?
With care and consideration you can get into a good mid-range optics package from Burris, Nikon, Bushnell, or maybe even Leupold. A lot of folks over-scope their guns. Just don't expect too many features to be packed into the scopes for those prices. Which shouldn't be a problem because the low end optics that claim and attempt to offer the feature set of a $2,000 night force or USO for $250 usually don't work the way they advertise it anyways. Also, part of your budget needs to include about $60-70 minimum for a decent scope mount.
Give us a bit more detail on your rifle setup, what you like to shoot at, and what you envision your intended use to be and we will help put you in the right direction! Welcome aboard