I've heard some fairly negative reviews with NcStar products, which has steered me away from them for years now. It could have been hearsay, but I just can't bring myself to do it.
I've bought a couple of $100 Simmons scopes that have lasted for 15+ years on magnum rifles, but that was more or less a miracle, IMO.
I think the thing about scope pricing and quality is this......The scope technology of yesterday that would have cost over $1K, is $300 technology today. Therefore, alot of these $300-500 scopes are very high quality for the money, b/c we have evolved with the standard. We grew up hunting with scopes you would use for a pry-bar if you had to, b/c the glass looked incredible back then, but looks like cloudy floating junkiness now. We have $350 scopes that are as clear as the old $1000 Nikons (I know this for a fact...I had a Nikon Tactical 2.5-10x44). For example, my Konus M-30. It is a $350 scope with glass that is clearer than the old Leupold VX-III's. I have had both. The old VX-III was clear as a bell back in the day, and cost $600.....But now you would buy a $300 Millett over that b/c the lens coating and clarity and crispness of the image are better than the old Leupold.
So, IMO, just b/c something costs less money, and isn't 110% quality, doesn't mean it's a cheap ***.
I shot that insane 24-shot group out of my 5R .308 with that cheap Konus. After that, I have been sold on them. I will not hesitate to buy another one.
Is it a Nightforce? Definitely not. But will it hold its own compared with most $1k scopes....I like to think so, just b/c I have seen how clear and crisp the image is, and how well the functions on it work. It ain't perfect, but for someone on a budget, it is the best long-range scope I've ever shot behind.