that 700 dollar budget u spoke of, does that include the scope? cuz if so good luck my man on getting a leopauld. they are a beautiful scope for a beautifully high price.

if your max range is 300 yds a 3-9 is def sufficient. i shoot in 6x at all ranges wether 50 yds or 300. hell i started out with a 4x scope. those higher powers can be nice but not necessary. just get lots of practice