I own a lot of Nikons ( because they are great scopes ) and in that price range, you can look into the Buckmaster line to find one in the magnifications range you like....

OR

You can step up to the Nikon Monarch line ( I own these too ) and find an even better scope in the price you like and a magnification that you can accept.... You can get up to a 5-20X44 in the Monarch , but they are in the 500.00 range... but there are others like a 4-16 that cost less... Great scopes.

OR

You and get something in the Bushnell 4200 series... that is a great scope and in your range.

Or Zeiss does make some super scopes, and they are more reasonably prices than comperable Leupold scopes, but they can also get pretty pricy. A 3-9x40 Conquest is about 400.00 ... and the same thing in a Nikon Monarch is considerably less.... But they are nice, .... just not as cheap as others like to make them seem.

The best prices I have found have always come from www.theopticzone.com . Before you decide, browse their site, see whats available in the magnification range you seek, and then look at the prices.... Pick one out and compare the price to the prices at other sites.... Compare the price to the value for that price...

I would safely say that you can get whatever you want to hunt with ( magnification wise ) and be fine. Others will say that anything over 9x is wasted and unnecessary . SOme say that at 12 X , Some say that at 14 x or 16 x... I own them all. I also own a 5-20X44 and I love it. It is a Nikon Monarch, and I love the sight picture I get from it. I love being able to power it up and look at the deer a little closely when deciding if I want to shoot that one. I want to be able to look 400 or 500 yards across a field or down a pipeline and be able to pick a buck out of the weeds, trees, or brush, and not wonder how big he is.

It is all personal preference, and if you like it, and want it, then get it, and don't let anyone tell you that you don't need it.

I wish I had a 100 $$$ for everytime someone told me I didn't need anything bigger than 9X I would be rich. What they mean is that they don't need or like anything larger than 9X .... and they don't think you should either .... because THEY are such a deerslayer.....

GET what YOU like....3/4 of the scopes I own have a high end range starting at 12 X or larger ... up to the 20 X I mentioned before.... and I love using them all much more than my 3-9x40's or 3 - 10 x 40's

Go look around at www.theopticzone.com and look around.... Those folks are real nice to do business with too..... and as I said, they have some of the best pricing I have found in stores or on the net.

After that, look at www.swfa.com... I have bought a couple of scopes from them also..... but not many.

God Bless and let us know what you come up with.

MET