Introduction from NI

[ARC123]

Hi all,

I've read the rules and here's a little about me!

I'm a female shooter based in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. I started out shooting clays, but after attending a BASC Ladies Day — where I won the air rifle target competition — I found myself heading down that route! I now do a bit of vermin control for local farmers, mainly around sheds and outbuildings.

I’m currently looking to get into deer stalking and have my DSC1 booked this August at Baronscourt, which I’m really looking forward to. I don’t yet own a deer-legal rifle, but I’m considering either a .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor as a first stalking calibre — possibly in a Sako S20 Hunter.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

 

[sikamalc]

Welcome to the site.
My advise on your new rifle, is to make sure you have the best scope you can afford, with the best mounts. Its expensive I know, but buy once, not twice is my advice.

Good luck with your journey.

 

[ARC123]

Welcome to the site.
My advise on your new rifle, is to make sure you have the best scope you can afford, with the best mounts. Its expensive I know, but buy once, not twice is my advice.

Good luck with your journey.

What glass scope would you recommend? It's a mind field! I was going to use innomount QD with it if it suits the rifle.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Welcome to the site from County Antrim!
If you wish to try a 6.5 and .308 to help make up your mind pm me. My club (outside Ballymena) is approved for zeroing both - when held for deer; and visitors are welcome….

 

[VSS]

Welcome!

 

[sikamalc]

What glass scope would you recommend? It's a mind field! I was going to use innomount QD with it if it suits the rifle.

Swarovski, Zeiss, Schmidt and Bender. Or for something a bit cheaper, Leupold, but just as good. Make sure its a 56 objective, collects more light. Most of your deer stalking will be taking deer early morning and evening. That's when good glass on a rifle comes into its own.

 

[ARC123]

Welcome to the site from County Antrim!
If you wish to try a 6.5 and .308 to help make up your mind pm me. My club (outside Ballymena) is approved for zeroing both - when held for deer; and visitors are welcome….

Thank you ohh I could be calling on you soon! I am heading to sperrin range soon for a sako and Tikka open day To try out a range of rifles and calibres, so looking forward to it.
What is the club? So many you have to be a member or a friend of a member.

 

[ARC123]

Welcome!

Thank you

 

[Sika98k]

Welcome to the site, a tremendous source of knowledge and help.
There is nothing wrong with a 3-12x50 scope from any of the larger European manufacturers. The light transmission In European glass seems to be better than others.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Hi from County Antrim! When is the Sako & Tula open day please? And which actual range? Cheers

 

[Morris]

Good afternoon ARC123,

Welcome to SD, lots of good advice from quite a few experienced shooters but …… ask what scope, rifle, moderator and you’ll end up with a hundred differing opinions!

The Sperrin range is excellent, good covered ranges out to 600M, rimfire, centrefire and pistol ranges, friendly members, well run with safety always a No.1.

Morris

 

[bullet chucker]

Welcome to the site.

BC.

 

[ARC123]

Hi from County Antrim! When is the Sako & Tula open day please? And which actual range? Cheers

Hi @Jake V , Urbalshinney Sporting Lodge, Beragh are running the day as follows:

Join us at our upcoming range event that we are hosting with GMK (Sako/Tikka) at Sperrin Sporting Ranges on Saturday 2nd August 2025.

We will have a range of demo rifles from Tikka and Sako, moderators from Stalon, scopes and binoculars from Steiner and Burris plus much more for you to try on the day!

Book your slot in store or call us on 02880758395

£25.00 secures your spot on our firing line to try out the latest and greatest rifles from Sako and Tikka

Part Donation from every entry will go to the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance Charity

Anyone attending that buys a New Sako or Tikka from the day of the the event until the end of 2025 will also get a £25.00 voucher at Urbalshinny Sporing Lodge

All persons attending must present Firearms certificates on the day.

Think it is quite popular with bookings so far.

 

[ARC123]

Good afternoon ARC123,

Welcome to SD, lots of good advice from quite a few experienced shooters but …… ask what scope, rifle, moderator and you’ll end up with a hundred differing opinions!

The Sperrin range is excellent, good covered ranges out to 600M, rimfire, centrefire and pistol ranges, friendly members, well run with safety always a No.1.

Morris

Yeahh, I do realise that, but I like to get opinions of what others recommend and use and then go and research it more. I find that every rfd will also give different opinions, I suppose depending what they have in stock or want rid of!!

I've only been at Sperrins once, but it definitely was top class place.

 

[Long drag]

Welcome from Meath

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Hi @Jake V , Urbalshinney Sporting Lodge, Beragh are running the day as follows:

Join us at our upcoming range event that we are hosting with GMK (Sako/Tikka) at Sperrin Sporting Ranges on Saturday 2nd August 2025.

We will have a range of demo rifles from Tikka and Sako, moderators from Stalon, scopes and binoculars from Steiner and Burris plus much more for you to try on the day!

Book your slot in store or call us on 02880758395

£25.00 secures your spot on our firing line to try out the latest and greatest rifles from Sako and Tikka

Part Donation from every entry will go to the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance Charity

Anyone attending that buys a New Sako or Tikka from the day of the the event until the end of 2025 will also get a £25.00 voucher at Urbalshinny Sporing Lodge

All persons attending must present Firearms certificates on the day.

Think it is quite popular with bookings so far.

Thanks so much

 

[ahenry34]

Hey ARC123 welcome

A sako s20 is either 6.5cm or 308 will never let you down and at a very competitive price, I wish I had went straight to this

For scope I would really recommend Element Helix 8x56 optics warehouse sometime have them on sale for under the £350 rrp

Element also make amazing mounts to compliment their optics which are about £80

I have a friend who takes people on guides stalks in Fermanagh I am sure he would have a date free during the Sikka Rut at end of October you could perhaps try out his S20 in 308

 

[fiolexis]

Welcome! Nice to get more lady stalkers into it. Check out Artemis Deerstalking too for ladies events though admittedly they are mostly mainland.

 

[ARC123]

Welcome! Nice to get more lady stalkers into it. Check out Artemis Deerstalking too for ladies events though admittedly they are mostly mainland.

I would say 99 percent of the ladies events are mainland. I've seen a few I wouldn't mind popping over to tho! BASC are the only group over here who run ladies events and it only happens twice a year max, no fault on their behalf, they just can't get ladies to join.

 

[ARC123]

Hey ARC123 welcome

A sako s20 is either 6.5cm or 308 will never let you down and at a very competitive price, I wish I had went straight to this

For scope I would really recommend Element Helix 8x56 optics warehouse sometime have them on sale for under the £350 rrp

Element also make amazing mounts to compliment their optics which are about £80

I have a friend who takes people on guides stalks in Fermanagh I am sure he would have a date free during the Sikka Rut at end of October you could perhaps try out his S20 in 308

Sako S20 6.5 is the way I'm heading, I think.

I must get a wee look through the element helix.

Oh I must keep that in mind, October won't be long coming round. Do you stalk much yourself?