i know leupold is a more reliable, better quality scope, but they're awefully expensive. will the Aetec perform reliably and shoot accurately to take down deer and elk?

YES!!!!!!. I have Leupolds and Aetecs. The Aetec is a very good, clear, bright and rugged scope.I have several and over quite a few years, I just have not been able to find a single down side to these scopes. The new ones won't have the 5 inches of eye relief like the older ones so be sure to look at them in a shooying position to see if it has enough eye relief. I think they will still be close in eye relief to the Leupolds. I have had a 2.8x10 on my 25-06 and 308 for some time now and you can't beat them for the price. I have never had to touch the adjustments since I zeroed them in.

I put one on my wifes Ruger 243. She and I both love the scope, for the money I dont think you can beat it. I almost put one on my deer rifle - then I fell into a free Leupold Vari x3 3.5x10x50. Kind of hard to stomach buying another aetec when you score a scope like that.