who makes a decent illuminated scope? need something for quick shots and I think that is the only way to go. trying to stay under 200 if I can but that can be budged

For an ar ?

If so u might ask skylar about these
http://swfa.com/Optisan-1-4x24-Mamba-EAR30-Mount-Combo-P51887.aspx

Not an ar this time, if that was the case I'd just stay open sights. My pig thumper 30-06

Cheapest good one that would buy is the VXR Leupold. Best I'd want to recommend for you is if you can find a used 3-9 Trijicon Accupoint you will not be disappointed.

I have two 2.5-10x56 Trijicons (Amber Plex and a Red triangle)and a some higher dollar stuff. I wonder at times if I hadn't been better off just picking a couple of reticles and using the various Accupoints on everything hunting related. It would have been cheaper overall and made everything more fluid.

I have never looked through a VXR by the way. They are rated well from their fans.

http://www.samplelist.com/Minox-2-10x50-ZA5-Rifle-Scope-DEMO-A-P67916.aspx

That was the most budget friendly I found looking around this morning. Never saw one but SWFA is great with customer service and advice.

EDIT...I reread your post. I missed the 200 part. There is nothing illuminated at that price point that I'd recommend. I recommend forgetting illumination and getting the best Vortex or Minox you can find in that range. Glass trumps lighting IMO.

Not as worried about the glass but I'm thinking a red dot or green or amber or anything lit up would be easy to hit target quickly. I hunt a lot at night and most scopes you can't see the crosshairs at all.

Be careful with some cheap illuminated reticles at night, they become bright and starry and obstruct what you are shooting at.

I use the Leupold Firedot reticles. They are great at night.

It depends on the length of the shot. My buddy and I hunt pigs under feeders using red and green lights with cheap BSA 3-9x50 L.R. scopes. They work great up to 100 yds on the lowest setting. The reticle is unlit but they have a lighted center dot. I keep getting skunked, but my buddy has probably killed well over 100 pigs in the last 12 mo.period using these scopes. He's running five of these scopes and I've got one on my AR. I plugged this doe in the head @ 60 yds about a week ago with the light off and about 5 min. of legal shooting time left:

I just remembered a decent scope line. I forgot what they were called exactly but Bushnell had a firefly reticle that you charged up with a flashlight. It had good optics and reviews. I'll see if I can find a link.

Still a little higher than wanted but maybe you can find one used or demo'd.

http://swfa.com/Bushnell-3-9x40-Elite-Rifle-Scope-P48260.aspx

I agree with what you are saying about the reticle disappearing, hard to resolve without too much compromise especially money.

I use solar lights under the feeders so very low light. My thought is something like the leupold fire dot I can see center and know I'm making a better shot that liking at the light and dropping it down and hope my guess is right.

I have Leopold VX-R 3-9x40 and its awesome at night. Has multiple brightness settings and makes easy work of getting sighted in on a pig in the dark and I use a weapon mount light with it.

check out the vortex crossfire II 3-9-50 illuminated. I think they are $210. i looked through one recently and the sight picture was excellent - not narrow at all. vortex has an excellent reputation for CS if ever needed.

You said you had a $200 budget and for that price you probably won't find a decent illuminated scope. Have you considered a scope mounted kill light? I have one that sits on top of my VXR and I find that I never turn the lighted dot on because when I hit the light my reticle is easy to see and I dont need the illumination. If you check out lightmalls.com and amazon you can order the exact same light as the XLR 250 for $30 and all the other accessories it comes with for about another $15-20. For $50 you can have the same setup.