RE: scope question - is this a good idea?
Bushnell Legend or Nikon ProStaff will be your best bet if that's the route you're going to take. You can get a refurbished ProStaff from SWFA's Sample List for $99. You can also get a brand new one on ebay for about $125. I haven'tpriced the Bushnell, but it's a similar scope for probably similar money.