Best scope for around £1200?

Buy the big target scopes or PM2’s etc, and you’ll be lugging a brick around. It’s no fun!

There really isn’t a good dual purpose scope for stalking and targets. One needs FFP and parallax and incredible quality turrets to be accurate and reliable, is very heavy, and slow to adjust. The other is better in SFP with no target turrets, lighter and smaller profile, and you’re looking for simplicity. Maybe get a rail and QD rings and have two scopes?

If you are booking paid stalks with a guide as a beginner stalker, and bringing tactical looking gear an target scopes, be prepared for some raised eyebrows - or even a request to use his / her estate rifle and leave yours in the car
 
Buy the big target scopes or PM2’s etc, and you’ll be lugging a brick around. It’s no fun!

There really isn’t a good dual purpose scope for stalking and targets. One needs FFP and parallax and incredible quality turrets to be accurate and reliable, is very heavy, and slow to adjust. The other is better in SFP with no target turrets, lighter and smaller profile, and you’re looking for simplicity. Maybe get a rail and QD rings and have two scopes?

If you are booking paid stalks with a guide as a beginner stalker, and bringing tactical looking gear an target scopes, be prepared for some raised eyebrows - or even a request to use his / her estate rifle and leave yours in the car
I've used a March F 3-24x42 ffp scope with the FML 1 ret for years on a Sako 85 for hunting and longer range. Compact, light and functional with a 30mm tube and 28 mil vertical adjustment range. They come up secondhand for the kind of money the op is talking about. Get the illuminated version though because at the magnifications used for stalking and in low light you'll need it. I think it would work well mounted on an Ace Game.
CH
 
Used S&B PMII 3-12x50, the perfect all purpose scope.
This ^^^^

Get one with a P3 reticle in FFP & you’ll have the ability to hold off for wind when target shooting without needing to adjust windage (& risk being out of zero on the next deer you shoot at).

Light transmission is brilliant for stalking, reticle works well in low light as well as on the range & 12x will be more than your need for target shooting at the ranges you mention.
 
Whether you like this answer or not - I think you need to have a think about where your compromise is going to be. The delta, whilst a good scope is huge and heavy. Its also a 34mm tube. It lends itself more towards target than stalking use and the ret is pretty fine at lower power.

The polar opposite to that is the v4. A small, light weight scope with noway near as much internal adjustment and a 30mm tube.

If its going on your ace game I'd be wanting to loose some weight and go zeiss...


Worth a punt, I have absolutely 0 connection with the seller but its a cheap scope that will tick your box'

What do you think of the S&B 3-12 Klassik and the Zeiss Conquest V6
 
What do you think of the S&B 3-12 Klassik and the Zeiss Conquest V6
The s+b likely wont have the elevation you want for targets past 350 yards with a 308. They are usually a single turn bdc with .05mrad per click. V6 will have far more adjustment.

I chopped my s+b in because of the lack of turret adjustment and now have a v6. Its a step up from the v4 in terms of clarity but both will be suitable for deer in low light.

Wouldn't have got rid of my klassic long range if it had the elevation I was after because it ticked pretty much every box I had
 
Taking into consideration your needs and budget, I would lean towards Meopta. They have different models but I would be looking mainly at the MeoStar and ZD. The MeoStar R1r 3-12x56 is a worldclass optic for low light shooting. The R2 2.5-5x56 is also superb. I own a ZD 4-16x44 and I absolutely love it. They also manufacture the 6-24x56 version. All of these models can be purchased for a very nice discounted price, far below your budget.
 
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