Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles is the 270 too much for a kid to start out with?

The baby 8x Leica's are rather something,in the flesh...............

I realize I'm giving this thread a 3yr bump, but I just realized who Olgeezer is.

My dad had already amassed a decent O'Connor book collection (and a pile of old Outdoor Life) by the time I was old enough to start reading, and read I did. It took me two years to pay off my first center fire rifle, but on July of my 12th year, I took possession of a brand new M77 in .257 Roberts. I deliberated a long time about that purchase, but it boiled down to pretty simple logic--------------Bradford O'Connor had one at that age, so I will too!

I didn't buy my first .270 until years later.

I think that you would have to cut the stock off quite bit to begin with. His arms are not long, so he might have problems with balance.

I think that a model 7 in 243 would be a magnum for him. 270's kick quite a bit and might just help him develop a life long flinch.

I started off my nephew with a TC contender with a 20" 30/30 barrel, accurate enough for 150 yd shooting with very little recoil. My nephew killed 6 deer, 2 Texas hogs, 1 bob cat, numerous wild dogs, and the neighbors pot bellied pit during the first deer season.

Nice thing about the contenders is that they are light enough for a youngster to handle easily.

I haven't read the whole thread but Remington used to make a reduced load for the .270 that replicated the 6.8 SPC.

I'd think that load or a handload equilivent would be a dandy for a youngster...or most anyone else.

A reduced load with SR 4759 and an 85 grain TSX would sure be worth a try.

Depends on the kid.

My boys started with a 30-06 when they were 10.

And they still have them...

The oldest is turning 29 this year

Snake

If a 270 kicks, needs the stock altered, or replaced, as shouldn't. I'm trying to work with my 13 year old godson, and will proably have him shoot the 308, as it doesn't "kick" and will kill anything we're likely to encounter..

I would start a kid with a 223, and feed it TSXs for deer and whatever that's cheap for LOTS of practice. Buy a 270 when they're big enough, and when they're ready. Bet they will be better shots in the long run, and will do more shooting with a gun that's actually comfortable to shoot.

No sense in running a kid away from shooting because the Dad was trying to be macho and make them shoot a "Man's Gun" before the kid is ready.

I started out hunting with a 270 when I was 12 and absolutely loved it. I think that the rifle is everything, if you don't think your kid can handle it, put a muzzle brake on it and it won't kick at all. My rifle was without a muzzle brake for years, it was a blast to shoot.

IN terms of actual firearms that fired projectiles - rather than the metal/wood toys played with prior to firing said weapons - I started out with a Daisy BB-gun when I was 3 years old and moved up to a .22 Long Rifle rimfire at 5 years of age and then, to a .30-06 (Whitworth) when I was age 7. Marksmanship ability was honed with the BB-Gun. In any case, the .270 Winchester isn't too large for a youngster (pre-teen).

[/quote]IN terms of actual firearms that fired projectiles - rather than the metal/wood toys played with prior to firing said weapons - I started out with a Daisy BB-gun when I was 3 years old and moved up to a .22 Long Rifle rimfire at 5 years of age and then, to a .30-06 (Whitworth) when I was age 7. Marksmanship ability was honed with the BB-Gun. In any case, the .270 Winchester isn't too large for a youngster (pre-teen).

Bull. There aren't many pre teens that are going to enjoy/succeed with a .270.

A BB gun > 22LR > 223 > 243 path is a much better route.

There's no upside to starting them out with something they don't enjoy and shoot well, and a lot of downside if they find it painful and turn away from the sport.

IN terms of actual firearms that fired projectiles - rather than the metal/wood toys played with prior to firing said weapons - I started out with a Daisy BB-gun when I was 3 years old and moved up to a .22 Long Rifle rimfire at 5 years of age and then, to a .30-06 (Whitworth) when I was age 7. Marksmanship ability was honed with the BB-Gun. In any case, the .270 Winchester isn't too large for a youngster (pre-teen).

Bull. There aren't many pre teens that are going to enjoy/succeed with a .270.

A BB gun > 22LR > 223 > 243 path is a much better route.

There's no upside to starting them out with something they don't enjoy and shoot well, and a lot of downside if they find it painful and turn away from the sport.[/quote]

You took my comment way out of context. I offer the idea of reading it again and thereby you might come back into the context in which it was written. Or, to explain the writing for you, nothing that I wrote said anything about starting a pre-teen with a .270 Winchester. Thank you.

No, I cut and pasted your entire comment so nothing would be taken out of context.

I offer you exact words: "In any case, the .270 Winchester isn't too large for a youngster (pre-teen). And they're still bull.

Tex:

Again, you're falling victim to the same thing that left-win media fails victim to - the notorious use of "sound bites". Either that, or your reading comprehension is flawed. Possibly it's both.

Nevertheless, if you read my entire post and consider the context it's written in, you'll easily determine that I never ever said that starting out a pre-teen [or any shooter, for that matter] with a .270 Winchester is the appropriate thing to do.

Again, you should go back through and read it carefully and possibly you'll then understand or at least maybe somewhat comprehend what was written.

In closing, I will mention that a .270 Winchester is certainly not too large for a pre-teen to handle. But, that does not mean that a pre-teen or any other novice shooter should start with that caliber.

Thanks again.

Troll:

No "sound bites" were used. And I never said that you said you should start them with a .270.

I just quoted your bullchit statement that a .270 isn't too large for a pre-teen.

Ingwe's too kind in his assessment of you. GFY.

Thank you for demonstrating your social grace. Apparently you never had the privilege nor the pleasure of shooting high-powered rifles at big-game when you were still a lad. That's too bad. I sympathize with you. A lot of young kids never get that chance, especially nowadays. It's sad.

Troll, You're guessing again, and, as per usual, you're 180* from correct.

Thanks for the laughs. And GFY.

I haven't waded through the whole thing but I agree with some of the first posts that it depends on the boy. I recently outfitted my buddies son with a Pre 64 in .280 Rem that weighed in under 8 lbs all up. It is too big for him to hunt with right now but not too big for him to learn to shoot.

I've seen too many kids shooting man sized rifles in man sized cartridges and hard kicking hand guns and smiling thru the pain 'cause that's what Daddy wants..... "come on boy, man up and shoot that .44mag. You ain't a sissy are you?..."
IMHO, there isn't a 7 or 8yo kid that can shoot a .280/270/30-06 free hand or off of a bench and enjoy it. In fact, quite a few adults wouldn't relish the task if they don't shoot regularly.

I think a .243 or .260 would be a better choice. You dont want the kid have a bad experience with his first time with a high powered rifle.