Totse, I need some help. I am looking at a used Winchester model 70 Black Shadow. It is in great condition, no rust except for a few specs in the mag box. It is chambered in .270 WSM and holds 3+1, now i can get this rifle with a 12 month warranty from Gander Mountain for $255.00. I have grown up around guns and now how to properly own and operate them safely. I am 19 years old and although my only other gun is a Mossberg 500. I really want to get a rifle, i was looking into a new Ruger 10-22 from the same store for 200 dollars although it is the short barreled version, better models are the same price of the Winchester or higher. I want a rifle so i can start working on my marksmanship and hunt with it and will last me for a long time. What do you think totse? Thank you.

Go for it. It sounds like a good buy. If you can properly handle the recoil on a shotgun I'd expect you to be able to move into the bigger rifle without the need for a .22
On the other hand the .22 is cheaper to shoot. No one can do without a .22 rifle.

Get the bigger rifle if you need it, but if you don't, 10/22 carbine is where it's at. As lava said, a good 22 is STANDARD for shooters. Plus you can modify the shit out of it if you want, and 30rd mags make it fun(ner).

Go with the Marlin model 60, can't fucking beat it. Those Romanian trainers are pretty good too, someone here posted a link to a website that was selling them for one hundred dollars, perhaps they could post it again.

I am not a fan of the post '64 model 70, nor am I a fan of the WSM craze. For $255.00 you can't really go wrong. The .270 WSM also puts out a lot of energy.

Depeneds on what you want to do OP. Tell us what you want to do with the rifle.

For the price i'd buy it even though i don't need or especially want it, $255 is an awesome price as long as the bore and metal work are in good shape, i seem to recall them selling for around $1200AU new here. Barrel life isn't great with the WSM rounds from what i hear but it would be a nice flat shooting caliber for deer sized game (or a lot bigger if you pick the right loads/projectiles).

Pretty sure it was Classicarms.