New Stalker - First rifle - Advice

[CarlHoward]

I use

308w are a very versatile round 100-200gr bullets all types of bullets most manufactorers load for it. Easy to reloaI use 308 for target shooting oin my

Sounds like you’ve made your mind up

I don't know - I have nothing to compare with. I really liked the way the Ace Game shouldered but in all honesty I don't know what I don't know.

 

[Stumpy2]

A mate of mine uses an ace game tikka for some rough fell stalking and loves it, mainly because he’s confident with it for longer shots, but I think it’s a ugly lump of a thing!

If it takes your fancy and you like it then crack on!

I would stick with good glass over a digi scope personally, you could even swap out a digi scope for a glass scope with picatinny mounts etc but that complicates things. A s/h Schmidt and Bender or Swarovski around £8-900 is a lot of scope for the money which would do stalking and range use.

(If it was purely for stalking I’d get a Parker Hale and a 8x50 Swarovski, but that’s another thread entirely!)

 

[Essexsussex]

What stalking will you do? Hill stalking for reds without an Argo or Sussex fallow are different gravy. If you have an idea it would help. For what it’s worth I’m 6’4 second row and a day on the hill with my heavier rifle does notice by the end especially if you have a challenging drag. Still take that one because I love it

 

[Lateral]

Is 3-12 sufficient magnification?

Personally, I would HATE a scope with a max of 12x, let alone 6x, or 8x, which some people love.

I would strongly recommend you look through a few scopes of a different magnification, before taking advice from someone who has different eyes to you, because what some people are happy to use, others will struggle with. You can always reduce the mag, the opposite isn't so easy !

It also depends on your main species, and your shot preference. I would use higher mag for Muntjac, than I might for Fallow, or if I'm head, or neck shooting.

Ultimately, it's personal preference, but "yours", not someone else's !

 

[topscots1]

Hello folks,

Hoping to tap the combined knowledge here as I spec my first stalking rifle in 308.

I've narrowed down to the Tikka T3X, either in the traditional Lite iteration, or the Ace Game. I'm leaning towards the Cerakoted Ace Game in 20" barrel because I would occasionally like to shoot targets at 200yds and 500yds at my full bore club.

Spec I'm thinking is.....

• Rifle - Tikka T3X Ace Game 20" chambered in 308
• Moderator - Wildcat Evo
• Scope - Hik Micro Alpex Pro LRF

Really keen to hear views from those more experienced than me as it's a big investment and I want to get it right.

View attachment 471892

Is there a compromise that would see one scope do both?

T

For Sale: Thread 'Tikka 308 SV barrelled action only'

Mar 9, 2026

For someone looking to put together a nice crossover rig, currently surplus a tikka SV battler action in 308 with the ceracoate finish.

Round count is under 200.
Barrel length 20 inches
Reason for sale the rifle was just not getting used the aftermarket stock it was in has now sold.

For someone looking to get a good set up in 308 this and the MDT XRS linked here

Would get someone’s up with a decent rifle for a significant saving on buying a new SV and changing bits over.

£850 transferred, open to...

• topscots1
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Firearms

• 

This and the chasis of your choice with the vortex scope at £500 if it goes with the barreled action including rings. Add the chasis or stick of your choice and get shooting.

 

[HonestJohn]

Sounds like OP made his mind up before posting the thread tbh

 

[Navarone]

This isn’t meant offensively at all but you’d clearly like the ace game despite all the advice above so just go for it.

I think it’s a savage idea, walking about with that great lump and sticking into you etc but I’m a classic, wood and blue person (although I do like and am sure I’ll eventually have some sort of pse stock based custom at some point).

So just go and get it!

Only thing to add is that with the price of new tikkas I think you get much better value for money going the custom route with some of the builders on here (be precision for example)…then you get exactly what you want with no compromise.

 

[CarlHoward]

Sounds like OP made his mind up before posting the thread tbh

OP has been researching on the internet and went to view the various Tikka options yesterday at his local gun store so does have an outline preference as I put in the post. But I'm new to this and wanted to see what feedback I got from experienced stalkers.

 

[CarlHoward]

This isn’t meant offensively at all but you’d clearly like the ace game despite all the advice above so just go for it.

I think it’s a savage idea, walking about with that great lump and sticking into you etc but I’m a classic, wood and blue person (although I do like and am sure I’ll eventually have some sort of pse stock based custom at some point).

So just go and get it!

Only thing to add is that with the price of new tikkas I think you get much better value for money going the custom route with some of the builders on here (be precision for example)…then you get exactly what you want with no compromise.

No offense taken - yes I have a preference for this rifle although I also liked the Tikka Lite in conventional stock. It was a genuine question. Also I know literally nothing about scopes whether digital or glass.

 

[CarlHoward]

T

For Sale: Thread 'Tikka 308 SV barrelled action only'

Mar 9, 2026

For someone looking to put together a nice crossover rig, currently surplus a tikka SV battler action in 308 with the ceracoate finish.

Round count is under 200.
Barrel length 20 inches
Reason for sale the rifle was just not getting used the aftermarket stock it was in has now sold.

For someone looking to get a good set up in 308 this and the MDT XRS linked here

Would get someone’s up with a decent rifle for a significant saving on buying a new SV and changing bits over.

£850 transferred, open to...

• topscots1
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Firearms

• 

This and the chasis of your choice with the vortex scope at £500 if it goes with the barreled action including rings. Add the chasis or stick of your choice and get shooting.

Thanks topscots - its a helpful input although I think I'd like to buy new.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I fully appreciate one should not need worry about such things, but depending on where you'll be deerstalking and the likelihood of encoutering members of the Public, such a tactical looking rifle has the potential to solicit unhelpful attention and comment. The latter not necessarily to you but when later reporting such a 'sighting' to the Police.

Again, please note the underlined.

K

 

[CarlHoward]

Personally, I would HATE a scope with a max of 12x, let alone 6x, or 8x, which some people love.

I would strongly recommend you look through a few scopes of a different magnification, before taking advice from someone who has different eyes to you, because what some people are happy to use, others will struggle with. You can always reduce the mag, the opposite isn't so easy !

It also depends on your main species, and your shot preference. I would use higher mag for Muntjac, than I might for Fallow, or if I'm head, or neck shooting.

Ultimately, it's personal preference, but "yours", not someone else's !

Thanks Lateral - yes that's helpful feedback. To be honest its been illuminating the range of views with minimal consensus on my post wrt scopes.

The scope on my Weihrauch HW 100 T is 4-16 which I think works pretty well although clearly with an air rifle you are rarely shooting beyond 50 yards.

 

[CarlHoward]

I fully appreciate one should not need worry about such things, but depending on where you'll be deerstalking and the likelihood of encoutering members of the Public, such a tactical looking rifle has the potential to solicit unhelpful attention and comment. The latter not necessarily to you but when later reporting such a 'sighting' to the Police.

Again, please note the underlined.

K

Yes it's a good point which isn't lost on me. Although I suspect the rifle doesn't stand out quite as starkly once it has a scope fitted.

 

[CarlHoward]

What stalking will you do? Hill stalking for reds without an Argo or Sussex fallow are different gravy. If you have an idea it would help. For what it’s worth I’m 6’4 second row and a day on the hill with my heavier rifle does notice by the end especially if you have a challenging drag. Still take that one because I love it

I was also a second row - now that's a tiring pursuit

I live in Yorkshire so probably a mixture of the Dales and the Highlands.

 

[CarlHoward]

A mate of mine uses an ace game tikka for some rough fell stalking and loves it, mainly because he’s confident with it for longer shots, but I think it’s a ugly lump of a thing!

If it takes your fancy and you like it then crack on!

I would stick with good glass over a digi scope personally, you could even swap out a digi scope for a glass scope with picatinny mounts etc but that complicates things. A s/h Schmidt and Bender or Swarovski around £8-900 is a lot of scope for the money which would do stalking and range use.

(If it was purely for stalking I’d get a Parker Hale and a 8x50 Swarovski, but that’s another thread entirely!)

Thank you Stumpy

 

[CarlHoward]

Thanks everyone for all your inputs - plenty of food for thought

 

[25 Sharps]

I already own a Barnard 308 target rifle - my goal here is to find a rifle I can use for stalking as well as occasional F Class Scoped Target shooting.

If you could pick 2 disciplines that are as far apart as possible set up wise you’ve pretty much done it there (with the possible exception of bench rest).

Not may people would choose to take an F class rifle stalking, your main use is stalking yet you’re looking at a rifle closer to F class.

Either get 2 rifles or choose one suited to stalking and accept it will be compromised for F class. Chassis rifles aren’t great for quad sticks and they don’t carry particularly well, sporter stocks are designed the way they are for a reason.

 

[CarlHoward]

If you could pick 2 disciplines that are as far apart as possible set up wise you’ve pretty much done it there (with the possible exception of bench rest).

Not may people would choose to take an F class rifle stalking, your main use is stalking yet you’re looking at a rifle closer to F class.

Either get 2 rifles or choose one suited to stalking and accept it will be compromised for F class. Chassis rifles aren’t great for quad sticks and they don’t carry particularly well, sporter stocks are designed the way they are for a reason.

It's a fair point - the issue is both cost and getting variations.

It's primarily a stalking rifle - I saw a video of the Ace Game and thought it seemed like a reasonable compromise given its based on the T3X

 

[Heym SR20]

Think very carefully about the type of stock. Rifles are carried far far more than they are ever shot.

The tactical / target type rifles with aluminium rails etc are very hard and sharp in the hand. They are probably ok if you wear tactical type gloves all the time.

A more traditional shaped stock is the result of many many decades of being carried either on a sling or in the hand.

With target shooting your rifle is carried to the firing point a few tens of yards and takes 2, 5 perhaps 15 minutes at most.

Stalking - you can easily be carrying the rifle all day long and cover many miles

If you want a stalking rifle - buy a stalking rifle. Perfectly fine to shoot targets for practice etc.

But if you want a proper target rifle - that is a very different proposition and you should buy accordingly.

 

[CarlHoward]

Think very carefully about the type of stock. Rifles are carried far far more than they are ever shot.

The tactical / target type rifles with aluminium rails etc are very hard and sharp in the hand. They are probably ok if you wear tactical type gloves all the time.

A more traditional shaped stock is the result of many many decades of being carried either on a sling or in the hand.

With target shooting your rifle is carried to the firing point a few tens of yards and takes 2, 5 perhaps 15 minutes at most.

Stalking - you can easily be carrying the rifle all day long and cover many miles

If you want a stalking rifle - buy a stalking rifle. Perfectly fine to shoot targets for practice etc.

But if you want a proper target rifle - that is a very different proposition and you should buy accordingly.

Thanks for your input Heym