I'd go Prostaff.

also agree leupold vx2 used around $ 150 period

X2

Where are you finding that? You might find a Vari-X II in low power for $150, but I haven't seen any VX2s of sizable power (3-9) for anywhere near that. I paid over $200 for a used VX1 4-12 and was pretty happy with the deal.

If going new, the Burris FF II is a great scope and is under $200, and even cheaper if you find it on sale.

I bought a recent lightly used Nikon Buckmaster off "another channel" in a 3x9x40 at half your budget last month....couldn't pass the price. I've run half a dozen Burris FF II's over the last 20 years and never had one fail on me. They were bought both NIB & Used for use on everything from 22lr's to a 9.3x62 slinging 270gr'r in maxmax loads.

As far as the Vortex stuff IMO price per value in the bottom grades are found in the Crossfire II's, but the upgraded D'Back HP is a steal of a deal that can be had for about $250/$260 TYD in a 3x12x42 with a Side Focus....and I bought a 4x16x42 last winter to go on a 300ShortMag that fits just right for under $300 net net shipped.

On the Minox line, the 1st step up out of the ZV series is a ZA 5 1" tube, fixed paralax and German made Schott glass lenses, assembled in California and about the same price as the Vortex D'Back HP's in 42mm objectives...but I like the crosshairs on Minox a little better. Again the Minox Step up is a ZA 5 HD series in a 30mm tube and the Minox 2x10x50 30mm HD that's MSRP'ed at $599, that I bought last winter is the best scope in that power range I've owned, and Doug still has them at $299 & $319 for a Plex or BDC last I looked at the Demo List. Look at the Deal of the Day list of all the previous Deal weeks from earlier this year, at the very last line of text on the bottom of the Blog page, and see what's still in stock at that old Deal price for a real surprise & call Neil to check stock & price...I know I saw some Minox ZV's in one of the old Lists from April or March....and just picked up a Minox 10x42 binocular for $130 that had been listed at $299 on the Demo List....and still in the shrink wrapper.
Ron

Bushnell Elite Tactical 3200 gets my vote