RE: Best scope: less than ~$60
Well, I ended up finding a refurbished Bushnell Trophy (1.75-4) on Ebay for $69. I also bought a $40 B-Square saddle mount w/ 1" rings. All-in-all a little more than I originally planned, but the scope is awesome and i'm very pleased.
My first group was a foot low and a foot right at 50 yards. 96 clicks in each direction and wham, right in the middle.
Thanks for the advice!