Update from my browsing trip to the scope store...
OK, I only took 1 child to the store this time. Actually, he wasn't even mine!
I spent a leisurely time getting all the scopes focused for my eyes, then looked at several different points inside the store to see which ones "spoke to me". This time, the FFII didn't seem nearly as nice, & they didn't have any Signature Select or Black Diamond scopes to look at.
After about 40 minutes, I took the Swaro AV, the Bushnell Elite 4200, a Leupold VXIII, and the Zeiss Conquest over to the window to check out the countryside in thefading light conditions, as well as the target on the side of my Yukon parked 300+ yards away.
In the end, I found the Zeissto bea hugeleap up from the Bushnell, and a goodly step up from the Leupold. In fact,it was almost neck-and-neck (to my eyes, anyway) with the Swarovski.
At $399, the Zeiss seems like an excellent value. And the store had just sent me a 10% off coupon for any one item! Looks like my search has ended.
Many thanks to all,
FC