Academy has this 270 rifle with scope. It is a Remington rifle I think with a gray synthetic stock.

Barrel is "water swell fitted" or something like that...basically he said it can't be removed or ever replaced...which sounds like a negative to me. Said the barrel is good for 6000 to 8000 rounds.

Scope is lower end obviously, but should get the job done.

This would be my 1st rifle. I'm wondering if it will be sufficient, or should I buy a $300+ dollar rifle and then buy a scope later so I have a better setup?

Any suggestions? I don't want to get taken advantage of because of my obvious lack of experience with rifles.

Welcome to the forum KS. The rifle you are talking about is the Remington model 710, it comes in .270 and 30.06. My buddy bought one a couple of years ago in 30.06 and it's ok, but I'd say there are better rifles out there at the same relative price. I bought a Savage model 110 in .270 with a Simmons 3x9x40 on it from Bass Pro two years ago and the combo cost me 399.99. I've never touched the scope and it was dead nuts on at 100 yards right out of the box! I got my 9 point and doe last year with that rifle and it will be on my side come next Saturday!!

How different are the .270 and 30-06? I thought they were almost the same rifle?

I'd have to suggest that you look at the Savage rifle combos as well. Check at WalMart and Academy etc... In my opinion, Savage is hard to beat when it comes to price/value and "out of the box accuracy." The difference in .270 & .30-06 are insignificant with this being your first rifle. Just wait to form any opinions about them until you've spent alot of time shooting both calibers.

WileyCoyote will be along soon to explain that in detail. The man knows his stuff!

Thanks guys - I'm going to go check out those Savage combos after work today. My wife just HAPPENS to need me to go by Wal-Mart on the way home today...perfect!

Bonehead is right in that it is the 710 you are talking about. I bought a 710 in 30.06 when it first came out about 6 years ago. Took it to the range several times to try and sight in the scope. Well on the 3rd or 4th try, the magazine release, which is PLASTIC, broke!! I had to ship the whole package back to Remington to get it fixed. Plus, after several tries to get the scope dialed in, it never did. It was a Bushnell scope, which turned out to be a piece of junk!! I personally would never buy another 710. Plus there have been several safety recalls on this rifle issued by Remington. I would recommend you look at other rifles.

Not to pile on the remmy 710 but there are lots better choices out there IMO....including a triple rubber band Whammo.
Savage as mentioned is a super buy in an inexpensive rifle,usually very accurate, another would be the Weatherby Vanguards sold by WalMart at $388. These are made by HOWA in Japan and are a very good rifle usually. Winchester also makes a package gun in a Model 70 that should be priced a little above the remmy 710 but it is bigtime more rifle feature wise...and I really like the three position safety.

Differences betwen a 270 and 30'06 for a beginning shooter in Texas is different than if you were in the Rockies or up north where the deer are bigger. I have shot a 270 over a 30'06 for over 40 years because I like the slightly softer recoil, being a little flatter shooter at longer distances...and I am not shooting at 3-4-500 lb animals every day...not that a 270 is not enough gun for those critters...it is. Both are world class cartridges but I would suggest the 270 to anyone not hunting elk, black bear or larger critters on a daily basis. I just believe that since I own more than one gun if I am going to shoot a 30 caliber, and I do, I want to shoot one that is equal or better in speed in a bigger bullet than my 270 shoots in regular deer sized bullets...and my 300WinMg in 180 grain bullets does just that with exactly the same bullet path as my 270 in 130 grain bullets. I don't have to change my range adjustments I just point either of my guns like I would the other.
FYI the argument between 270 & 30'06 shooters is a surefire way to heat up a campfire! and been going on for about 80 years. Talk to me after you've been shooting one or the other for a while and I'll give you chapter and verse of the differences. I was where you are right now trying to chose which way to go for a place to start with a hunting rifle for just one gun...in the mid 1960's...and nothings changed between these two cartridges since then for me..I've stayed with a 270 as my everyday deer rifle. JMHO
Ron

Happy to pile on the rem 710--a buddy owned one and said it was one of the worst gun mistakes of his life.

The savages are great, ugly but accurate, a weatherby vanguard for $388 is a steal.

Might want to think used--I recently bought a 99% clean remington 700 ADL 30-06 from mcbridges for $325. The gun is from the 1970's and has barely been fired--incredibly rich and beautifully grained walnut, beautiful checkering, beautiful blueing, a very nice adjustable trigger. They don't make them like that anymore, or not at that price level. Esp the trigger.

And you should find plenty of nice used 270s and 30-06 out there for about $300. As yet another example, friend of mine recently bought a German 98 Mauser action with a sporter barrel and stock in 30-06 for $300. Thing is accurate and super tough, plus it's got all the german writing all over it, the cool claw style extractor, etc.

What I'm saying is that for $300, you can get some older that is going to have some style and class and history, or you can spend a little more and get something brand new, as long as it's NOT model 710.

End of rant....

Buying a rifle is like buying a car. You get what you pay for. I have a 270 and 30-06. I like the 30-06 so much more. I bought my first one and it was a piece of [censored] and i was upset. The Safety broke first thing and the scope would never be close to a kill shot. Since then all the people i hunted with told me as a joke it is like picking out a lady. Get one that you are going to want for a long long time.

Stay away form that Rem 710. POS in my Not So Humbile Opinion.

Look at the Savage 110's. They have a combo setup that's nice, or you can just buy the Savage 110 in whatever config you want and slap a scope on top. I might just start a fight here, but I have had great luck with Nikon Prostaff and Buckmaster scopes. bang for the buck I think they are GREAT scopes and a good place to start for a Newbie.

Or check out a used Savage. My buddie got a old 110 in 270, after cleaning the barrel for about a hour it shot a reliable 1.1inch group at 100 yards. That will kill a deer dead any day and not bad overall.

My new Savage 12Bvss just pulled off a 3/4inch 5 shot group at 100 yards. It's a 308 Winchester round.

Oh yeah, 308's ROCK!!!

Thanks for all the help guys. I have been talking to a guy from this site (Nelson) that has a Winchester Model 70 "Black Shadow 270" he will sell me with a Simmons 3x9 scope. It is blue with black synth stock. Sounds like it will be right up my alley for my 1st gun.

Thanks for all the advice and steering me AWAY from the 710.

Sounds like I'm day late and a dollar shot here, but everybody is on the money here. The 710 is a POS! I've shotem...worked onem...sightedum in...and cursed the day they were ALL created. The Savage combos are WAY better! Remington makes some 700 ADL combos that are a little higher, but also WAY better. So does Winchester. I got a Jap Vanguard that I LOVE!! It was then and still is 388 bucks at Walley world. If you are looking for a $350 gun and you are on a budget a used one is not a bad way to go. Just make sure the person you are buying it from is trustworthy...or take Wileycoyote with you when you go to buy it...lol. Seriously...if you have never bought a used gun, take along somebody that knows them. It can save you a lot of heartache.

I agree with brian. Run away from that gun. Its all plastic. That gun is that cheap for a reason.

I try not to make negative remarks about a product, especially one that is on the lower end, because I firmly believe in the old "you get what you pay for" saying but, I have to chime in on this one.
I just hate to see someone spend around $300 on a rifle that when just for a few bucks more you can get a quality rifle that will shoot a respectable group.
I went with a friend that asked me to help him sight in his new rifle. I'd seen them advertised and being a Remington I figured it was a good product. Didn't realize how wrong I was, until I got to work that harsh action and try to get it to shoot a tight group at 100 yds.
I'm a pretty decent shot, and I was having trouble getting any kind of a group. My friend was all over the target, and pretty discouraged at his shooting. To me that is unacceptable accuracy at only 100 yards.

You would be better served buying one of those single shot handi rifles if you need an inexpensive hunting rifle.

I would pass on it and get a model 700...

i 2nd the 700..

I ended up buying a used Winchester Series 70 .270

Black - Synthetic stock, with a decent scope (no Leupold...but good enough) and I'm very satisfied with it.

It will serve me well as a 1st rifle, and I expect I'll buy another rifle next year. I'll probably invest in a Leupold scope and 1-piece mount for Christmas to add to this gun, but next year I hope to buy a nice wood stock 30-6 or something similar.

Thanks for steering me AWAY from the 710.

I bought a Rossi .223 single shot rifle ($150) and put a Tasco 3x9x40 scope I bought at WalMart for $17 on clearance after last hunting season. It shoots decent groups and I harvested a spike last weekend on a draw hunt. It will probably be my son's first deer rifle in a couple of years. They also make these in .243. For Texas deer, no need for a larger caliber. Shot placement is what matters, period.

You have a very nice rifle in what you purchased, and if you ever go out West you can use it for Elk or mule deer. The .270 is a great flat shooting caliber. I own a Sako in .270 with a Zeiss 3x10x42 scope. Good luck this season.

I'd buy a Savage any day. They make cheaper stocks, and have cheaper but well made actions. All thier money is poured into thier barrels. They have world class target grade barrels on all of thier guns. You cannot buy a better barrel. Most aftermarket barrel makers don't even attempt to sell a better barrel for Savage Rifles. There is no need. Savage has better barrels then most aftermarket ppl make. Start out with the savage and spend money later with Timney and get a better trigger. Savage has the accutrigger now wich is better then that leaf spring POS they used to use, but still not as good as what a Timney will do.

As far as the .270-30-06 question, Wiley Coyote and I are in 100% agreement.

A model 70 is a good rifle....I see that is what you purchased after I posted this. Much better then the 710.

Another one to consider is the new Mossberg ATR. It comes in .270 and 30-06 only. Got decent reviews in recent gun magazines like American Hunter.

Scott