[Ricklin]

I lean more to the budget end of the scale on scopes as well. Here's why.

There have been many technical advances in optics and coatings over recent decades. Technological advances typically drive down cost, faster, cheaper, better. Just look at the advances driven by virtually unlimited cheap computing power on optics design.

Not sure how that would relate in cost to my rifle, it was manufactured about 70 years ago, and has changed darn little in the last 150 years.