I faced the same scope dilema recently and decided to go with a leupold vari-x II, while you do pay for the name, the quality that backs is up is worth far more than the price you pay. We were up elk hunting when the 280 fell scope first onto some rocks, next morning we took it out and at 150 yards it was in about a 2 inch group on a paper plate. I would pay far more than $200 for that assurance