I bought a Leupold 3-9X , capped turret scope for $300 +/- because its green color kind of mimics the gree Redfields the Marines had on their M40s....
Turret adjustments dont even match the mil dot reticle.
Ive set it up at a 100 yard zero and will be diddling with it as little as possible.
Im forced to use reticle holds at different ranges and as a result learning way more than if I was dialing.
This rifle has become a favorite.
So favorite that I bought two more of these scopes.
One will go on a .223 version of the rifle pictured above.
The other I am contemplating to mount on a 30-06 Model 70 clone of Carlos Hathcocks rifle build documented here...
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/winchester-m70.6789905/
I also own S&B 5-25 PMII, Premier 3-15 ST, USO MST 100, USO 1-8X and a few Unertl external mounts.
I think I bought three of these Leupolds for less than any one of my other scopes and Im loving them for just there uncomplicated, shooting fun. Had I bought standard black ones I would have spent half what the green scopes cost.
By no means am I saying these are as good as my Premier but all Im trying to express is get something you can shoot and shoot it a lot.
Dont settle, get the scope that makes your belly ache with desire but in the interim a serviceable scope with a usable reticle will get you shooting/learning.
Just left the range doing some Mspeed load confirmation, loving that rifle/scope combo.
Cant imagine what the guys in VN would have done with a mil dot instead of Accurange.
The VC/NVA literally dodged a bullet.
PS - My suggestion to go cheap is an outlier. It has a specific window of appropriateness. If you arent shooting get the best you can afford to get shooting but you need to get what you hunger for to be happy. My standard advice is settling will cost you money - you will not get your money back on your "settle" in most cases - so settle on something you can learn with.