For those who think that quality bases and rings don’t matter, I will strongly disagree. I used some cheap Weaver quad locks or the classics for years because I had the mentality that it didn’t matter, and they were cheap and available. I have since had two sets break on me, and not due to any real abuse. One of these ruined a hunt for me.
I still don’t buy top of the line bases and rings (I don’t fault anyone who does), but I’ll definitely pay for some higher quality Weaver, Luepold, Warne, or Burris products that cost more but are made “beefier.”
The same can be said for rifle scopes. I’ve had 3 or 4 cheap scopes fail me for no apparent reason. I’ll pay for quality, and will give up magnification for reliability.