Wal-Mart picked up a H&R wood stock .444 marlin for $288 with tax out the door. Slapped a Tasco 3x9x50 on it, and it's ready to go. I know not the best scope however ask half the guys around here, and they've had one of these on their .45-70's, .35 whelens, etc for multiple seasons with no problems.
Plus I stopped buying high end scopes after last year when a tripwire hung my boot tripping me over a log with my .30-06 I broke 2 ribs on the fall, and bent my tasco world class 3x9x40. Luckily the rifle a Mossberg ATR was unhurt in fact the scope was still on the eyepiece was just a little...off. lol
Still managed to get in the blind and hunt the entire day. It just took me around 2 minutes to get my wind back, and another 5 or so to peel myself up off the ground. lol. Couldn't sleep on my right side comfortable for a couple of months, and looked like I took a baseball bat to the rib cage.
So replaced it with a sportsman's guide special Barksa 3x9x40 and have had no problems.
Goes to show you even if you've been trained on how to fall (sounds crazy but yeah), and are conscious of protecting your weapon in such a scenario. Eventually you'll hit just the right tripwire, on the right morning, with the right log present, and break your scope and your ribs. lol