We all have to start somewhere and have varying experiences and preferences. Most of my earlier scopes are Leupolds and all of them are still good. I have 3-9x40 VX1 mounted on my son's Remington 1903 in .30-06 that I was using deer hunting in 2003. It was a muddy situation and I slipped and fell; the scope sustained a ding on the bell when I fell but still managed to harvest a muley doe at 200 yards with it. I was planning of sending it for repairs/inspection but my son wanted it as-is, he said it adds character.
It now wears a flip scope cover.
On another situation, my buddy and I were black bear hunting. He had a Bushnell banner 3-9x40 on his .30-06. He started tracking a nice boar into the woods but came back after 30 minutes into his stalk because his scope fogged up and cannot see darn thing with it. Perhaps it just Murphy's Law or bad karma but he was so mad he went straight to the LGS for a new scope.
Just sharing for what it is worth.