Go really cheap and stay with iron sights - if you are serous about wanting to shoot long range, then you need to be serious about what gets your muzzle pointing in the right direction. I have some scopes for rifles that I ‘went the economy route” with and every time I take them out I spend 5-15 rounds getting them back on target - and even then they seem to ‘drift” during the process. Other, scopes that weren’t “economy” are dead on whenever I take the weapon out of the case.
I agree. Learn to shoot with iron (micrometer) sights first. I’m 72and have finally had to go with a scope to be competitive in benchrest shooting. Just picked up a Hawke ED 10-50x60 for $750. Comes with 3 sets of interchangeable turrets 1/8” moa, 1/4” moa, and 1/10MRAD. Optics are brilliant. Adjustments repeatable. A real steal for the money.